For me, Medium has always been the platform that almost is. Some things work well, and other things work less well. So, they pivot. They change the structure. In a way, I applaud the company for experimenting and trying to figure it out. But over time, these changes have prompted waves of influx and exodus. Established writers, or, formerly, media outlets using Medium to host, get dinged when the company changes direction. Quality writers get fed up, and they leave.

While I can appreciate a willingness to experiment, the changes don't always seem strategic or considered. It just seems like they're throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks, in the process alienating what is one of the most engaged online communities.

I can abide a company's occasional missteps -- no company is perfect -- but I've never been confident that Medium was generally trending in the right direction. It's a lot of two steps forwards, two steps back.

I have my phases with Medium. I leave. I come back. I get really into it, and then I get frustrated with it. I think I get so irked because it feels like the platform has the potential to be something special, something that's never quite materialized and probably never will.

Then, I read a thoughtful piece like yours, and it gives me hope. So, I'll be grateful for that for the time being. Thanks for writing, Anthony.