It is bizarre that claps have been kept around at all, considering they’re now a valueless currency.

An ideal system, to my mind, would reward creators based on fans, only — ie people who have both read a piece and clapped for it. That would’ve taken the wind out of the clap-mobs that weren’t bothering to read the pieces they were applauding, and not doomed the poets and cartoonists.

But I don’t think Ev Williams cares what the new system has done to impoverish thousands of creators, anyway. Why would he?