Re:Facebook Is Full of Emotional-Support Groups
by tomjen3 on Sunday November 04, 2018 @09:54AM
(#18376112)
It cost a lot to set up a support group and they used to be limited to things that were fairly common (ie alcohol), because they had to be geograhically isolated.
When the cost curve shifted because the price of communication crashed as people got on the internet, and the internet then become everywhere and cheaper, the demand curve shifted in response: with the price to setup a support group now is limited to a few hours and a facebook connection, basic supply and demand would say that we should get many more, which is exactly what we got.
In consequence we also get support groups for minor issues, or support groups for issues that are not so common.
I consider both a good thing.
Unfortunately we also got support groups for bad things: pro-ana (and thinspo), and debatable things (suicide pacts).
When the cost curve shifted because the price of communication crashed as people got on the internet, and the internet then become everywhere and cheaper, the demand curve shifted in response: with the price to setup a support group now is limited to a few hours and a facebook connection, basic supply and demand would say that we should get many more, which is exactly what we got.
In consequence we also get support groups for minor issues, or support groups for issues that are not so common.
I consider both a good thing.
Unfortunately we also got support groups for bad things: pro-ana (and thinspo), and debatable things (suicide pacts).