a “join custom server” button could be added!

100%!

Sure, but phpBB boards are separate entities, not parts of a whole… So that’s not really a 1 to 1 comparison, IMO.

That being said, you’re right. If people started sharing instances directly instead of just saying “Mastodon,” this issue would be attenuated, at the very least.

The issue is that people want the social part of social media. If you share mastodon.social, people will think “Mastodon,” but if you share indieweb.social people will be confused, and possible disinterested because they don’t necessarily expect to be connected to the other “Mastodons.” At the end of the day, you’ll always have to say it’s a “Mastodon Server,” and as soon as that gets brought up, I’m afraid it might push people away before they even get a foot in.

Then again, that’s kind of how Discord gets shared around, so maybe that’s OK, IDK.

Did you link the wrong thing?

Obviously, individuals also matter. Vote with your wallet, always.

However, pointing the finger at consumers seems fruitless? People will do the most convenient thing, not the best thing. As such, I’d suspect it best to make the most convenient thing equal the best thing.

I’m not trying to say that pushing for anti-consumerism and sustainable consumption is wrong—as a matter of fact, I think that’s great and it’s something I do, personally—but I do think that, at the end of the day, if disposable plastic bags are handed out, people will use them; if fruits are wrapped in plastic, people will use it; if plastic straws come with drinks, people will use them; if disposable cutlery is for sale, people will buy it. The solution is, therefore, to regulate this stuff. Maybe ban it, even.

I’m not a plastic or environmental specialist, so I can’t say. Surely you don’t expect me to know all the answers, do you? Come on, now.

I’d think regulation would encompass all the things you mentioned, possibly more like subsidizing the use of non-plastics in industrial applications, for example.

For the harm that’s already been done? Time.

For the future? Regulation.

That’s pretty funny

I’ll say, I’ve never seen a homeless person cause issues in public transport either.