I think all you really need is decent universal chat. Not our current siloed ecosystem with 15 different chat systems run by 8 different companies, none compatible with each other. But a truly universal chat system: like E-mail where you can E-mail anyone no matter what their ISP, computer manufacturer or phone manufacturer is.
That would be a good step, and I see how that allows for everyone to remain in the marketing cesspool of their choosing. But as for myself, I want "posts" and a customizable feed. Without the ads and attention-maximizing bs.
If you just want a feed of stuff where you choose who to subscribe to, where you can like and comment, no ads, and that's about it... that's Mastodon. If you want more topic-organized threads, that's Lemmy. There's not many people on the fediverse relative to mainstream social media, but there's enough for it have the Craigslist/usenet/BBS feeling.
