I had to google ACOTAR - what does that say about me?! 🤣
BTW: I left Social Media (Instagram) about eight months ago and I am feeling so much better now! I was really struggling with anxiety and realized I got sick from and of scrolling!
Thank you for your comment 🧡 So many people have told me that they’ve left social media and feel so much better now. I have left it for the most part and am very selective now with what and how much I consume on there, and I too have been feeling WAY better now.
Ironically I came upon this wonderful piece via the substack reads algorithm. But I’m not sad about it. It made me smile so many times.
Something about current social media reminds me of the typical high school movies from the late 90’s - all the different cliques and the constant popularity contest. (Think something like ‘10 things I hate about you’.)
I feel the substack algorithm is just different, it is one of the smart algorithms not focusing on profit maximization. And you are so right about the high school cliques, and social media is exactly that on drugs...
I think part of the difference has to do with reading longer posts as opposed to short video forms. You see a title and commit to reading instead of these short bursts of video that you aren’t even sure what they are about until you’re mostly through. Sure, you can scroll away but since it takes a second to figure out what the video is about, you’ve have already consumed parts of it.
As a homebody I do tend to be chronically online - but as a poor homebody I have learnt to appreciate trends from afar. That has helped a lot but I also have fallen into niche trends of my interests. I'm an insect collector and I have almost purchased a few insects because the others I follow have them or love and they're seen as a "must have" piece. Once again the weirdly positive thing about not having a lot of money is having to really assess the thing I want over the things the internet tells me to want. It's been a weird blessing in disguise... This is probably a random tangent but I think I just wanted to analyse why I haven't followed a lot of trends even in my own niche interests!
Thank you so much again for your words! I appreciate them, I also feel enlightened and seen reading them!
Thank you for your comment and I am so glad you enjoyed reading!
I too am more of a homebody and can totally relate to the living online - I mean there is a reason this substack is named "the internet is my friend". And while having to be frugal isn't always fun, I love how you see the positive aspect of it and how it is a blessing in disguise. I wish more people would think more like that!
It is pretty funny that we can tell who is extremely online just by looking at them and seeing how they act or what they’re wearing.
I think there are a lot of people out there that don’t realize that Instagram is not indicative of real life (for the most part) and for those of us who are grounded and present in our physical lives can benefit from the Internet and yet still stay firmly planted in reality.
Couldn't agree more. And I do often worry about the younger generations that grow up with social media, which makes it so much harder to differentiate between online and offline life.
A friend told me the other day that her and her boyfriend looked at a video on TikTok, and when they compared, they saw that the comment section was organized completely differently for her compared to for him. Everything online is even more algorithmic than we realize. I can only recommend, as other commenters have, reading Digital Minimalism - it’s a life changing read!
I resonated so much with the opening of this. TikTok influenced me in a faster, deeper way than other medias. I found myself slowly gravitating towards an “aesthetic” that I didn’t feel myself or comfortable in. That app really dug its way into my subconscious.
Substack has been a great thing for me to find book/movie/music recommendations, its like getting a text from a friend "I thought you would like this!"
I thought this was such an interesting take on being able to tell who is chronically online/influenced by trends and who isn’t by looking at clothes etc. I had never thought of that.
But the timing was also perfect because as I get older I get more afraid of being spotted as the aging uncool millennial and where I never cared at all about trends or gave what I wore a second thought in my twenties, I know worry that my skinny jeans make me seem old and out of touch or the cut up shirts I love so much make me seem like I’m clinging to my youth and out of touch. And it’s not even that I care what other people think really so I don’t know what it is?? Other than it’s more to do with aging than anything.
But anyway this came at a great time and was really insightful!
I know exactly what you mean. I felt the same way for a long time about wearing skinny jeans and always fearing I would be perceived as old or uncool. And I too never cared too much about being trendy before. The algorithm is the only way that explains all of this unease to me. Glad you enjoyed reading!
OMG thank you! finally someone that agrees that ACOTAR is the most underwhelming and boring book. I listened to it paying zero attention, I still can't remember the character's names, and I returned my Audible credit because I don't even want to read the title in my virtual library anymore.
Wait a second, you can RETURN Audible credits???? I had no idea. And the more people I talk to the more actually think ACOTAR is just ok, barely anyone I know loves it as much as the BookTok girlies.
Love this piece so much! I agree - Substack has brought some of that randomness back into our lives and I love it. I also am reading a book that is not trending anywhere (it was just on my bookshelf forever, sitting unread) and feel like an outlier reading something that’s not in Booktok. And it’s a freeing feeling!
Thank you Kristen! 🧡 Love the random book read, feeling like an outlier is actually a pretty underrated (and great) feeling. You know something that barely anyone else knows about.
I had to google ACOTAR - what does that say about me?! 🤣
BTW: I left Social Media (Instagram) about eight months ago and I am feeling so much better now! I was really struggling with anxiety and realized I got sick from and of scrolling!
Thank you for your comment 🧡 So many people have told me that they’ve left social media and feel so much better now. I have left it for the most part and am very selective now with what and how much I consume on there, and I too have been feeling WAY better now.
Loved everything about this! Have you ever read “Digital Minimalism” by Cal Newport? It explores much of what you discuss here!
I haven't heard of it but I will definitely give it a look. Sounds really interesting.
I second reading Cal’s books 🙌
Ironically I came upon this wonderful piece via the substack reads algorithm. But I’m not sad about it. It made me smile so many times.
Something about current social media reminds me of the typical high school movies from the late 90’s - all the different cliques and the constant popularity contest. (Think something like ‘10 things I hate about you’.)
I feel the substack algorithm is just different, it is one of the smart algorithms not focusing on profit maximization. And you are so right about the high school cliques, and social media is exactly that on drugs...
Yes, I’m definitely not opposed to substack’s algorithm.
I think part of the difference has to do with reading longer posts as opposed to short video forms. You see a title and commit to reading instead of these short bursts of video that you aren’t even sure what they are about until you’re mostly through. Sure, you can scroll away but since it takes a second to figure out what the video is about, you’ve have already consumed parts of it.
Again another incredible article!
As a homebody I do tend to be chronically online - but as a poor homebody I have learnt to appreciate trends from afar. That has helped a lot but I also have fallen into niche trends of my interests. I'm an insect collector and I have almost purchased a few insects because the others I follow have them or love and they're seen as a "must have" piece. Once again the weirdly positive thing about not having a lot of money is having to really assess the thing I want over the things the internet tells me to want. It's been a weird blessing in disguise... This is probably a random tangent but I think I just wanted to analyse why I haven't followed a lot of trends even in my own niche interests!
Thank you so much again for your words! I appreciate them, I also feel enlightened and seen reading them!
Thank you for your comment and I am so glad you enjoyed reading!
I too am more of a homebody and can totally relate to the living online - I mean there is a reason this substack is named "the internet is my friend". And while having to be frugal isn't always fun, I love how you see the positive aspect of it and how it is a blessing in disguise. I wish more people would think more like that!
It is pretty funny that we can tell who is extremely online just by looking at them and seeing how they act or what they’re wearing.
I think there are a lot of people out there that don’t realize that Instagram is not indicative of real life (for the most part) and for those of us who are grounded and present in our physical lives can benefit from the Internet and yet still stay firmly planted in reality.
Couldn't agree more. And I do often worry about the younger generations that grow up with social media, which makes it so much harder to differentiate between online and offline life.
Happily miss everything else❤️
A friend told me the other day that her and her boyfriend looked at a video on TikTok, and when they compared, they saw that the comment section was organized completely differently for her compared to for him. Everything online is even more algorithmic than we realize. I can only recommend, as other commenters have, reading Digital Minimalism - it’s a life changing read!
I resonated so much with the opening of this. TikTok influenced me in a faster, deeper way than other medias. I found myself slowly gravitating towards an “aesthetic” that I didn’t feel myself or comfortable in. That app really dug its way into my subconscious.
Thank you for your comment, and I am glad this resonated with you. TikTok sure is the the most addictive social app out there.
Substack has been a great thing for me to find book/movie/music recommendations, its like getting a text from a friend "I thought you would like this!"
So true! This is what I love about Substack, the friendly recommendations and not the constant 'buy this' and 'buy that'
I thought this was such an interesting take on being able to tell who is chronically online/influenced by trends and who isn’t by looking at clothes etc. I had never thought of that.
But the timing was also perfect because as I get older I get more afraid of being spotted as the aging uncool millennial and where I never cared at all about trends or gave what I wore a second thought in my twenties, I know worry that my skinny jeans make me seem old and out of touch or the cut up shirts I love so much make me seem like I’m clinging to my youth and out of touch. And it’s not even that I care what other people think really so I don’t know what it is?? Other than it’s more to do with aging than anything.
But anyway this came at a great time and was really insightful!
I know exactly what you mean. I felt the same way for a long time about wearing skinny jeans and always fearing I would be perceived as old or uncool. And I too never cared too much about being trendy before. The algorithm is the only way that explains all of this unease to me. Glad you enjoyed reading!
OMG thank you! finally someone that agrees that ACOTAR is the most underwhelming and boring book. I listened to it paying zero attention, I still can't remember the character's names, and I returned my Audible credit because I don't even want to read the title in my virtual library anymore.
Wait a second, you can RETURN Audible credits???? I had no idea. And the more people I talk to the more actually think ACOTAR is just ok, barely anyone I know loves it as much as the BookTok girlies.
The girlies and the book boyfriends with long hair and pointy ears (apparently the algorithm thinks I dig their rendering of ACOTAR)
Love this piece so much! I agree - Substack has brought some of that randomness back into our lives and I love it. I also am reading a book that is not trending anywhere (it was just on my bookshelf forever, sitting unread) and feel like an outlier reading something that’s not in Booktok. And it’s a freeing feeling!
Thank you Kristen! 🧡 Love the random book read, feeling like an outlier is actually a pretty underrated (and great) feeling. You know something that barely anyone else knows about.
Thank you for sharing your additional thoughts, this is a really interesting follow-up to your previous article!
Thank you for the comment. Glad you enjoyed it. 🧡