The Digital Middle Way

Of an evening, and my brain 'zombified' from the day that's been, I turn on Youtube and allow my brain to slowly trickle out of ears until I'm so mindless I simply can't tolerate any more slop until I'll turn in or simply turn off.

Of the many, many vices I've dabbled in Youtube has, well, I'll let the number speak for themselves: 

The numbers on left are  hours watched by month  for the years of 2021 & 2023 respectively 

 So yeah not great. 

What is more concerning, is how hard I needed to work to get this information in the first place, something Youtube and I'd wager the vast majority digital products/services or infinity pools as John Zeratsky calls them, would make it for customers to find out.

It seems there is a want for me to be mindless, rather than mindful of what I'm consuming while seems to silently telling me that it's hedonism over everything. 

Taking the time to zoom out even further, there seems to be a common thread that runs underneath most major digital/media platforms:

• Major video game publishers are slowly corroding  the industry, with a focus on profits over players.

• Hollywood continues it's slow slide into the gurgler 

• Even physical products aren't yours anymore, thanks to a rebranding of what 'ownership' means
  
  

Perhaps it's bitterness seeping into me as I age, perhaps it's  Enshittification  or perhaps it's just like Struthless says, the internet sucks now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctM2TIXDFQs

Fortuantly for my own bias, people have started to  unplug and go back to physical activies & media.

Physical music purchase are on the rise and demand for retro consoles and physical games are also increasing 

Low budget movies and tv shows show that a good idea doen't need a large amount of money, unlike some bigger budgets.

So what is the answer?

Should we join the /nosurf Reddit thread, quit social media, buy a distraction free phone and go full hermit while clubbing everything digital?

That seems to swing to far the other way towards masocism from our previous hednoistic traits.

I disagree with Struthless, the internet doesn't suck, it's just that a large part of it does. 

This is simply Sturgens Law at work: 

Do what you will with The Digital Middle Way, perhaps it could help you as it continues to help me. 

Cheers,