Hands up all those who think their attention spans have been waterboarded by the jewel of our society’s crown: social media. The news is always breaking. The memes are dank. Opinions you didn’t ask for from people you don’t know are everywhere, and suddenly you need to decide which brand of cinnamon to buy because some asshat in Ecuador is putting lead in as a bulking agent. We’re living in a near-constant state of anxiety.
I listened to this week’s Friends Per Second podcast (it’s always a good time, and this week they hit home on ‘comfort gaming’). To be additive to the conversation, I think there’s a hidden factor they didn’t discuss, which is the general enshittification of everything. There are reasons for this; we know about huge corporations seeking limitless growth, but there’s also the war for human attention. The click-here culture is … exhausting.
Think about it: we’re living in a world where the news cycle never stops. War in Ukraine? Check. Climate change? Yep, that’s still a thing. Politics? Red vs Blue, 24/7. It’s enough to make any human seek ‘comfort gaming’, or a good book (or three). Can we just have one minute of peace without someone asking us to join a Facebook group or watch a 10-minute video of our racist uncle’s cat playing the piano?
Friends, there’s a glimmer of hope.
In the podcast they touched on views/reach being down. I see this in my own friend circle. People seem to be wising up and noping out of the traditional algorithm-fuelled channels like social media, YouTube, and those soul-sucking streaming services that promise us endless entertainment but deliver dross with an exciting profit-driven innovation: endless ads.
The down of viewer numbers on streaming is a possibly leading indicator that people are starting to push back. They’re seeking refuge in more personal, comforting experiences. Activities that bring joy and calm, rather than anxiety and FOMO. Rewatching old TV shows (Stranger Things, anyone?), or playing classic videogames like Mass Effect or Dragon age.
We’re all saying, “You know what? Fuckit: I’m good with just this much excitement in my life.”
Who can blame us?
The Shift from Social Media to Personal Attention
Touched on in my lengthy preamble-slash-rant, I’ve been noticing a shift. People are moving away from the public sphere and back into more private, intimate spaces. A chunk of my social circle have created spaces in Discord or WhatsApp to hang out, talk shit, and have a cool time. We’re connecting even when schedules and distance make it hard, rather than broadcasting every thought on social media.
It’s almost like there’s a joy in human connection, when you bleach it of the hate-is-an-algorithmic-choice drama and noise.
I’d go so far as to say it’s not just about avoiding the toxic aspects of social media (although the more you tighten your grip, Zuck Tarkin, the more users star systems will slip through your fingers). People are seeking more meaningful connections that go beyond likes and follows. They’re joining communities that share similar interests, rather than just following ‘influencers’ who post their latest hot take.
In ye olde timey days of Usenet or bulletin board systems, people gathered around shared interests, had real conversations, and actually got to know each other. This is back on the upswing as people take their conversations away from shit that drives anxiety and into spaces where they can just … vibe.
The Enshittification of Digital Content
Speaking of shit, part of the platform-based approach of the megacorps (where they produce little and fuel ad-based profits off the sweat of our brows) is an issue of quality (or its lack). We’ve all seen it: a service promises us endless entertainment and personalised recommendations, but delivers only low-quality content that’s been tailored to our deepest fears.
Do I really want a 30-minute video of cats just because I liked a cat pic? I’m sure there’s a better use for my time than a content-free video designed to be exactly the length to get three YouTube ad cycles. The promise is that we’ll never be bored again. But what we get is sadness, confusion, and occasional trauma.
Part of it is the algorithms at the wheel. Imagine creating a team of super-intelligent robots that ensures we only see content that maximises our fear and hate (no matter how much it hurts us, or our kids, in the long run); you’d have to be one evil motherfucker to do that.
The More vs. Better Dilemma
I spent a bit of time working in Big Tech, and there’s an interesting thing about giant corporations. When faced with a downturn, innovation is avoided, and everyone tries to do the thing that’s not working, but harder.
This leads to more features that no one uses. Content no one sees. Conversations no one wants. But as the waterboarding continues, people are starting to see through it. There’s more to life than a like ratio. This leads to seeking out experiences that bring joy, not just fleeting moments of validation.
Social media is just a medium, not an end in itself. The promise of human connection is difficult to realise when the machine is driving us against each other until the blood comes out. The answer isn’t more social media, it’s better connections. We can still use technology to connect and share our passions and interests, but we don’t have to join a recommended community full of xenophobes.
We can be more than just a bunch of online avatars. We can be real people, living real lives, and sharing moments with each other rather than doom scrolling.
When Numbers Go Down, Good Things Can Rise
There’s a silver lining: when over-greedy megacorporations lose market share or user engagement, an angel gets its wings. It’s the pushback of humanity despite the astonishing dollars spent trying to make us.
Facebook used to be the king of social media, but Discord’s on the rise as younger demographics teach old dogs new tricks about conversations and connections. Discord looks like it was designed to mimic IRC (a part of the old Internet, of a similar vintage to Usenet). They didn’t try to make another algorithmically-generated social platform. They tried to make a conversation hub.
Discord, initially launched as a communication tool for gamers, has evolved into a multifaceted platform attracting a younger audience. Gen Z and Gen Alpha dominate Discord’s user base, leveraging the platform for everything from gaming discussions to study groups, fandom communities, and beyond.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha, born into a world of rapid technological advancement, prefer platforms that offer:
- Real-time interaction
- Community-centric communication
- Multimedia-rich environments.
Discord fits this bill perfectly. Its server-based structure allows users to join communities that align with their interests, participate in voice and video chats, and engage in threaded conversations that feel more immediate and interactive.
Discord vs Facebook | Where We Should Go To Understand Gen Z and Gen Alpha
The Future: A Conclusion
So what does this all mean?
I think we’re on the cusp of something big. The rise of Discord, WhatsApp, and Signal … ahem, signal a shift towards more community-driven, human-centred experiences. These experiences won’t be perfect (nothing ever is, especially with shareholders), but it’ll be better than the soulless, algorithm-driven mess we’ve got now.
That’s kind of rad.
The internet is a wild place, but there’s hope on the horizon. The tail-off of viewership and an opt-in culture for smaller, community-driven connections are helping us realise we’re not just users. We’re the creator and curator of our own experience. Our own life.
And maybe, just maybe, we’ll finally find what we’re looking for online: ourselves.
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