Why did the internet used to feel more soulful?

Because the internet really did become more centralized, optimized, and commercialized.

What used to feel soulful was often:

• Personal and messy: quirky homepages, forums, link lists, weird corners
• Chosen by you: you wandered and discovered things yourself
• Made by hobbyists: people posted because they cared, not because it “performed”
• Distinctive: every site felt like its own little place

Now a lot of the web is:

• Feed-driven: algorithms decide what you see
• Standardized: mobile-first design makes everything look similar
• Monetized: ads, SEO, sponsorships, and growth shape what gets made
• Noisier: spam, bots, and mass-produced content blur the human feel

So the old internet felt like a neighborhood, while the new one often feels like a mall. It’s not just nostalgia — the experience really changed.