Oh Medium, Why Must You Toy With Us?

Summary

The author expresses a playful frustration with Medium's interface changes, likening the experience to deciphering magical maps from fantasy stories, and questions whether these updates are intended to stimulate users' cognitive abilities or simply a whimsical act by the platform.

Abstract

The article "Oh Medium, Why Must You Toy With Us?" humorously addresses the user experience on Medium, particularly the recent updates that have left users puzzled. The author, initially saddened by the loss of visible story highlights, discovers a hidden feature revealing reader interactions when hovering over text, akin to uncovering the Marauder's Map from Harry Potter. The piece draws parallels between Medium's enigmatic updates and magical maps from literature, suggesting that the platform's changes might be a deliberate attempt to engage users' intellect, akin to a brain-training

How to use the new Medium marauder's map

I was so sad when I could no longer see, in the margins, who highlighted my stories. What new Medium witchcraft was this?

But then, I inadvertently dragged my mouse over the highlighted area and a name appeared. Oh, hello reader who highlighted my words. It was like finding Harry Potter’s Marauders’ map.

Medium, you sneaky minx.

And isn’t that what Medium updates are? Marauder’s maps? Or maybe they are like that map in the Hobbit that can only be read in the moonlight by elves.

Or are these updates invisible ink and I require a lemon to translate the mysterious world of Medium? What is going on Medium? Why must you toy with us?

I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say you’re screwing with us to keep our neuroplasticity fluid? Is that a thing? Fluid neuroplasticity?

Are you like a crossword puzzle helping elders stay sharp? Or like the friend who warns their buddy not to retire too early because their brain will turn to mush?

Are you helping us by keeping us alert, insecure, and on edge?

Or, are you the guy who takes us to our first AA meeting because you found out booze was rotting our brains and want us to have a flurry happy fertile brain? Or the personal trainer who ups our reps because it increases blood flow to the brain, making us triple smart?

Do you want us to be smart, Medium? Is that it?

Medium, why must you toy with us by creating creepy new homepages and moving our menus around? Is it because you love us? Or are we merely your playthings, and you fear that if we climb too high we will believe we are your equals?

Tell me, Medium. I won’t judge you. The truth could be out there, if you care you care to share it with your members.