the defining feature of mastodon (and why, i believe, the fediverse is evolving like it is) is conversational timelines

composing is just a thing you do while reading other stuff as it comes in

the flow encourages replies and threads

and discourages quote-boosting (which is, essentially, recentering a discussion away from the parent poster) and searching (aka "the sealion's ears")

we can just kinda chat back and forth at each other, and get to know one another