My hope is that it provides a means to gage the intensity of individual reader’s positive response, not just the breadth of it. The focus on popularity since the original Google search algorithm obscures an important aspect of communication… namely that a small group of really excited people can have more impact than a broad group of casually interested ones. One need only look to the White House to see this phenomenon in action on a larger stage.

If claps help us understand intensity as well as affinity — and produce more inspiring content as a result — I’m all for it.

Content is new new whiskey. People have started consuming less of it, and they want the really good stuff.