What a great read! I’ve been toying with the idea of deleting TikTok and have debated going back to YouTube but even that feels like it’s own rabbit hole. You pretty much said everything I’ve been feeling.
This is genuinely the most accurate post I've read on this topic. 👏🏻 I am grateful that you've expressed SO WELL the internal conflict that social media presents for multi-hyphenate. I did take the plunge and erased my FB and IG accounts not long ago, and I am now trying to navigate the good, the bad and the ugly of this as a creative. Also, I must say, it's so refreshing to see all these videos of Gen Z´s deleting theirs!
So this is a question that’s vexed people who think about the Internet since the 90s, if you can believe it. I think the answer is “internet localism” — marrying physical place and the Internet. So you become the star of a scene, not a genre.
I LOVED this. First time I’ve seen anyone put one of the problems of existing and growing online so clearly, as a millennial at a certain point more of my life will have been spent with a digital footprint than the halcyon years that preceded social media. And it’s definitely impacting who I am becoming.
It is a good thing that people are being honest with themselves again.
Volunteering to be an ad who creates for people to volunteer to consume is not a good life for the person selling, or for the person volunteering to be sold to.
There is more to life than to constantly sell or be sold to.
Life is more rewarding, more interesting, more beautiful, just larger than that.
Such a great read and so relatable! I’ve been creating book related content on TikTok for the last 2 years and alongside working a full time job and trying to forge a career as a film maker/actor I’m finding myself burnt out and exhausted just thinking about making content for TikTok, especially when I feel like I’m not seeing any growth in my account. I’m trying to find ways to over come this. I’d never delete my account because it’s given me some amazing opportunities but I need to find a more manageable way of keeping up with the demand of posting everyday to stay relevant!
Really interesting, especially the point about the impact on Gen Alpha. Even today, given the pressure to monetise your hobbies, or create a certain type of content to appeal to the algorithm, it's difficult to determine what your true interests are. We at least were able to figure some of this out before social media, but I wonder what will happen for those whose whole life will be shaped by what performs best on socials.
I'm sorry, I wasn't sure these are being read so I was overly esoteric. I will try to be more clear about my meaning. Please know that it is very difficult for me to describe what I mean and that I will probably not be able to express 50% of what I'm trying to say (and I don't have the original article to refresh).
From the article, as I recall, you are designing an online self based on the applications that are available, twitter, instagram, pinterest, etc. You analyze those outlets and use their tools to make an online identity of elements about yourself that you post. Especially in X your posts are manipulated by the programmer, musk, to get amplified or not and you respond by trying to discern what it is you can write that will get the most amplification. You are not just writing your identity into the post, but you are manipulating the post toward greater impact. We all want to be impactful people, and how can we say we are if we don't have an online self?
Every element of code that defines each online application is written to amplify the message that the owner of each application wants. So how can you create an online self, if you are weaving that self through the obstructive buoys that code puts in your way? How do you know that if you write, I am joy, on one website the meaning will stay the same as on another? and that if on one, only one person sees that you are joy while on another fifty thousand people see that you are joy.
How does the code written for each application's intent change your online self?
I definitely felt this deep down in my soul. Its that tug of war between wanting to create opportunity through generating content, and protecting your peace and staying off social media.
What a great read! I’ve been toying with the idea of deleting TikTok and have debated going back to YouTube but even that feels like it’s own rabbit hole. You pretty much said everything I’ve been feeling.
Thank you for reading!! Appreciate it 🥹
This is genuinely the most accurate post I've read on this topic. 👏🏻 I am grateful that you've expressed SO WELL the internal conflict that social media presents for multi-hyphenate. I did take the plunge and erased my FB and IG accounts not long ago, and I am now trying to navigate the good, the bad and the ugly of this as a creative. Also, I must say, it's so refreshing to see all these videos of Gen Z´s deleting theirs!
Thank you!! It’s the multi-hyphenate struggle. 💔💔
So this is a question that’s vexed people who think about the Internet since the 90s, if you can believe it. I think the answer is “internet localism” — marrying physical place and the Internet. So you become the star of a scene, not a genre.
Ah thank you for reading! This is really interesting
felt this is my soul. such an eloquent piece on something I feel like so many of us are experiencing ❤️❤️
Thank you Ayan!! Means a lot 🥺♥️
Love reading thisss
I LOVED this. First time I’ve seen anyone put one of the problems of existing and growing online so clearly, as a millennial at a certain point more of my life will have been spent with a digital footprint than the halcyon years that preceded social media. And it’s definitely impacting who I am becoming.
thank you for reading!! absolutely feel this. i'm glad it resonated!
It is a good thing that people are being honest with themselves again.
Volunteering to be an ad who creates for people to volunteer to consume is not a good life for the person selling, or for the person volunteering to be sold to.
There is more to life than to constantly sell or be sold to.
Life is more rewarding, more interesting, more beautiful, just larger than that.
I am so tired of my “personal brand.” I no longer want a brand. I just want to be me.
Such a great read and so relatable! I’ve been creating book related content on TikTok for the last 2 years and alongside working a full time job and trying to forge a career as a film maker/actor I’m finding myself burnt out and exhausted just thinking about making content for TikTok, especially when I feel like I’m not seeing any growth in my account. I’m trying to find ways to over come this. I’d never delete my account because it’s given me some amazing opportunities but I need to find a more manageable way of keeping up with the demand of posting everyday to stay relevant!
Really interesting, especially the point about the impact on Gen Alpha. Even today, given the pressure to monetise your hobbies, or create a certain type of content to appeal to the algorithm, it's difficult to determine what your true interests are. We at least were able to figure some of this out before social media, but I wonder what will happen for those whose whole life will be shaped by what performs best on socials.
ugh the exhaustion is so real
I'm sorry, I wasn't sure these are being read so I was overly esoteric. I will try to be more clear about my meaning. Please know that it is very difficult for me to describe what I mean and that I will probably not be able to express 50% of what I'm trying to say (and I don't have the original article to refresh).
From the article, as I recall, you are designing an online self based on the applications that are available, twitter, instagram, pinterest, etc. You analyze those outlets and use their tools to make an online identity of elements about yourself that you post. Especially in X your posts are manipulated by the programmer, musk, to get amplified or not and you respond by trying to discern what it is you can write that will get the most amplification. You are not just writing your identity into the post, but you are manipulating the post toward greater impact. We all want to be impactful people, and how can we say we are if we don't have an online self?
Every element of code that defines each online application is written to amplify the message that the owner of each application wants. So how can you create an online self, if you are weaving that self through the obstructive buoys that code puts in your way? How do you know that if you write, I am joy, on one website the meaning will stay the same as on another? and that if on one, only one person sees that you are joy while on another fifty thousand people see that you are joy.
How does the code written for each application's intent change your online self?
I definitely felt this deep down in my soul. Its that tug of war between wanting to create opportunity through generating content, and protecting your peace and staying off social media.
How is it anyone can comment about the online self when one does not write "online self code?"
Not sure what this means!