Issuance #26 - Soapbox Talk

I'm just here to provide a long rant today...don't mind me.

**This is the audio version of this article, in case you don’t feel like reading.**

At the beginning of the year, T and I decided to read one book a month. It was something I felt we both needed to partake in due to the hours of watching mindless television that had taken over our lives. I couldn’t stand to watch another Housewife of whatever city and another Love and whoever. It’s not like it was top of mind when choosing something to spend time watching…but unfortunately it was an option. Yo, I truly feel like we are turning into mindless social zombies. With the significant rise of TikTok and reels by IG and other platforms (and don’t even mention the ease of streaming music and tv shows), I truly feel like we are transitioning into a microwave society…something that is a convenience and a fear at the same time.

Its funny, I had something completely different I wanted to discuss with you today. But now I’ve gotten riled up with this topic of microwave life and I wanna complete my soapbox talk on it.

I mean, think about this, back in the 90s and 2000s, we used to sit and watch a tv show and the next day we would discuss it at work or online or whatever. Point out significant scenes and plot points. We would anticipate the next week to talk about it again. And don’t let it end with a cliffhanger or a plot twist! You couldn’t wait to talk about it! Then Netflix came with a new idea that pretty much revolutionized the way we watched tv…binging. They would release every episode at once. That was a complete game changer for all of us. And we enjoyed it…until it became the norm.

To capitalize on the momentum Netflix had, other companies decided to follow suit, not only with binging, but also with creating its own streaming company. HBO, Amazon, AMC, Peacock, Paramount and a plethora of other streaming services are now available to watch some new show that premiered and is touted as the “best new show”. The problem now is there are too many “best new shows” and not enough time to watch them.  Hell, I still have a life to live, ya know? Not to mention, more than half of the new shows are half-baked remixes of something seen before or “a fresh new take” on something already done before. There is no longer any real originality to view, and the reality shows are no more real than the clothes and shoes you buy from DHGate. So not only are there a whole lot of shows available, but also they’re terrible.

Which brings me back to my original point…there is so much stuff to watch, but nothing good. It’s a whole lotta nothing. Nothing of substance. Nothing of value. Nothing to write home about. So then people will resort to watching things on social media. PLEASE DON’T GET ME STARTED ON HOW SOCIAL MEDIA ALGORITHMS ARE DESIGNED TO KEEP YOU ADDICTED TO LIKES AND FOLLOWS AND 1 MINUTE CONTENT.

It may be worth the social media detox.

I truly believe in this. I also believe there is safe consumption in moderation, so it’s not all bad. As I always say, it’s how you use it. If it’s for a business, good for you. Keep pushing it that way. I’m speaking more on the people who choose to spend an hour or two on it and relying on it to make them happy. Believe me, I was once that person. And I am in no way judging anyone who’s continuing to do so.

Look, there’s nothing wrong with reading a book. Allow your imagination to run wild. Allow yourself to be free from the social media and streaming stronghold. Hell, subscribe to a substack of your choice and read what people have going on. I love to read some thoughts and words of people I follow on here. It’s like a little peek into their mind.

All I’m saying is your life will love you so much more because of it.

POSITIVE WORDS OF THE DAY: Don’t subscribe to the hive mind of social media. Think for yourself. Think freely.

As always, thank you for reading (or listening).

E.