This is the idea of the week: Reddit as an alternative to college. Lots of like-minded, better-read-than-average people doing a dazzling mix of internet activity, combining the best best and worst of learning with typical young people talk - sharing news, gifs, pics, answering questions, giving tips...

• I wonder if a place like Reddit, where people have conversations that range from goofing off to learning serious science, might take on the role that my study groups did in grad school. Certainly the "ask me anything" threads on Reddit, where famous and interesting people come in to answer any question you like, mirror my experience of going to special lectures at Berkeley.
• What's interesting is that Reddit already has many characteristics of college social life, both good and bad. People go there to learn from each other and make friends; but there are also places on Reddit that are dangerous and rapey. Just like college life.

From Io9