As an inveterate content creator (newsletters, podcasts, blog posts), it pains me to see my own children beset by the passive consumer mentality.
Never before has it been so easy to be creative and put life to your ideas. And yet, we're in the thrall of the siren call of apps.
I wrote this in a recent newsletter:
"But our attention-lacking brains have become accustomed to the pleasures inherent in a TikTok prank, a karaoke Reel, or performative cretinism on Twitter. What chance [do we] have against dopamine-inducing confection that appears with the ease of a swipe of a thumb?"
100% with you on being an active participant in life. And while I smiled at your scorching hot take that "if you watch even more than a tiny amount [of TV], it is a waste of life," I don't agree there. As per the Socrates quote you shared, "smart people learn from everything and everyone," so why can't smart people learn from TV? And if everyone's creating content 100% of their time, nobody except bots would consume it, so all their creation would be wasted. So my suggestion to temper this take would be to create more than you consume, but also not do so inefficiently by burning yourself out and not taking the time to learn by consuming what others are creating—on TV or otherwise.
Now leave me in peace to sit on my couch and munch popcorn as I learn precious life lessons from MTV's The Challenge.
I have coached co-workers about not just being a lurker. We are social people and we need to engage. I am a TV watcher, but I also like to engage with other fans of some of my favorite shows on social. So, does that put me in a different category?
Commenting on this post, to qualify for the 9%
Ugh. I feel this deeply.
As an inveterate content creator (newsletters, podcasts, blog posts), it pains me to see my own children beset by the passive consumer mentality.
Never before has it been so easy to be creative and put life to your ideas. And yet, we're in the thrall of the siren call of apps.
I wrote this in a recent newsletter:
"But our attention-lacking brains have become accustomed to the pleasures inherent in a TikTok prank, a karaoke Reel, or performative cretinism on Twitter. What chance [do we] have against dopamine-inducing confection that appears with the ease of a swipe of a thumb?"
https://www.timelesstimely.com/p/accountability-redux
Keep up the good fight.
100% with you on being an active participant in life. And while I smiled at your scorching hot take that "if you watch even more than a tiny amount [of TV], it is a waste of life," I don't agree there. As per the Socrates quote you shared, "smart people learn from everything and everyone," so why can't smart people learn from TV? And if everyone's creating content 100% of their time, nobody except bots would consume it, so all their creation would be wasted. So my suggestion to temper this take would be to create more than you consume, but also not do so inefficiently by burning yourself out and not taking the time to learn by consuming what others are creating—on TV or otherwise.
Now leave me in peace to sit on my couch and munch popcorn as I learn precious life lessons from MTV's The Challenge.
Fair enough, I agree there can be good life learnings from certain content on something passive like TV. Esp documentaries etc. Small doses it's fine!
Phew! Just enough fuel to help me rationalize the nonsense I can't not watch.
I cut TV time down to about 3 hours a week and social media from multiple hours every day to about 20-30 minutes.
Highly recommended!
I have coached co-workers about not just being a lurker. We are social people and we need to engage. I am a TV watcher, but I also like to engage with other fans of some of my favorite shows on social. So, does that put me in a different category?