Back when I was a young dickhead, I wrote an article gleefully crowing about the democratization of culture the internet had brought about. No more gatekeepers! Now only the good stuff will rise to the top!

I'm not sure I've ever been more wrong about anything in my life.

Now instead it's an algorithmic race to the bottom, and we're all culturally poorer for it.

Ironically, the Medium gatekeepers have helped me. I've never had a story get anywhere NEAR that story of yours, but the Boosts have been kind to me and made this into a viable side income, when before it was only a hobby.

It's still not much. But it's better than nothing.