I’ve been thinking a lot about how platforms like Polyvore or even malls used to work—and how nothing has really filled the creative or social gaps they left behind. I had this idea: what if you combined the convenience of strip malls with the walkability and community of indoor malls, and literally made the space half-garage/half-retail—like a breathable hybrid of browsing + drive-up access?
Also, in terms of algorithmic culture: I don’t think the algorithm is ironic at all. It feels more like everything is reversed—like the things that would’ve ended up in the clearance bin at Target or Walmart are now the ones that surface first online. Not because they’re “funny,” just because the system flipped and now low-engagement-looking content is what performs. Not Z-A as a joke—just the math of what slips through and scales.
I wish there were a way for people like me—who aren’t rich or connected—to just donate our ideas to help build better systems or platforms. I don’t want credit or money, I just want the world to move in a smarter direction faster. If that means someone at OpenAI or any startup sees this and runs with it, go for it.
tags: #openai #simon #westfield #amazon #target #walmart #intellectualproperty
