Why does social media feel so competitive

Everything is fighting for our attention.

I HATE IT

I feel like a lot of what I put out is gonna b me hating in some way, but o well.

I been sick for the past week, and it was one of those weeks of illness spent open mouth coughing and rollin around in a sweaty t shirt forcing yourself to drink heated broth so you dont wither away. I felt like VV

I watched a couple of shows (Dead Boy Detectives, love you) tried to read a book to no avail (Halo Masterchief, im sorry) played Minecraft (easy mode was making my heart race toooo much) but I just wanted to laaaaaaay. Anything else felt like too much effort. UGH

SO I spent way too much time instead scrolling on my phone (or sleeping haha.) My screentime average is probably atrocious, which is annoying ! bc I feel like I don’t even like being on my phone that much ?? But sick me just wanted to open-mouth breathe, be horizontal, and not have to think that much.

The only two apps I rlly cycle thru are ticktok and twitter, but I def spent most of my time on ticktok smh. I don’t consider myself ‘chronically online’ but I felt like I did a speedrun of that lifestyle with the amount of time I was spending on my phone this past week. That being said, I consumed so much fucking content in this amount of time, I felt like I wasn’t even consuming any thing. At one point I found myself just scrolling to scroll, like literally horribly self-aware of what I was wasting my time doing. What the frick was I even looking for ?? nothing was enticing, but I wanted some thing idk

Social media isn’t this entirely horrible evil time-wasting thing, we can all agree on the beauty and ingenuity and community that can b found in it. Im here rn to complain about what I hate about it :)

My takeaway from the sheer amount ticktocks and tweets I consumed this past week:

Everyone seems so bitter ! {hyperbolic statement}

I felt like my algorithms have gotten pretty fine tuned to show me what I want to see, usually memes or politics or art or music or crazy shit I never heard of or whatever. I.e. not pure ragebait

But as the week progressed it seemed my feed was just showing me anything. And so much of it felt so bitter ! Twitter is already a washed ass hellscape, but it felt entirely unenjoyable. Ticktok already toes the line with random ass drama and pick-me ass behavior, but jesus christ ! And both platforms are littered with recycled content from the other tryna b passed off as original (not to mention all the shit very obviously ripped from tumblr posts from 10 yrs ago.) Are yall not tired ??

Of course the very concept of like/view/follower counts creates a competitive atmosphere, especially with the addition of monetization (capital 🤑) The very culture of existing online feels like a competition. What can get the most interaction ?! ‘clout’ UGH None of it feels fun anymore !! But did it rlly ever? Honestly can’t remember. Being uber unique, but also relatable, but really cool n niche, but accepting enough for the masses. It feels like ppl are fighting for that perfect mix. It feels like social media as a space has adopted the “okay then name five songs” mentality towards everything while also masquerading as this amazing ultimate centre of accepting exchange.

I feel like it’s just whiplash. Going from groups of ppl calling others posers for not being xyz then scrolling to the next and seeing ppl from the same group being the most welcoming and encouraging ppl youve ever seen. Not even just ‘trends’, but most anything that gains popularity on these apps have such short life cycles before the very same masses decide the shit is tired and annoying. Memes used to live for years !!!! Being a fan of this or that didnt used to b treated as such a fad !!

Even as I sit here typing this blurb out, I can’t even recall specific instances HAHAHA it’s like you open these apps and you just turn your brain off for x amount of hours. I feel I hardly retain anything. That may just b a me problem fr idrk. 

Like there are groups of ppl who feel they need to diminish others to feel important. Aint that life. And I sound bitter as fuck complaining abt it HAHAHA Whatever exactly it is I am complaining abt has been around for ever and ever amen, the fabricated exclusiveness of ‘nicheness.’

Okei wow i am still rlly sick and I dont think most of this made much sense but i wanted to complain and I did, soooo POST