what do you do when the internet exhausts you?

Issue # 🤷

10 Dec 2021

Reading time:

7 mins

It’s not a creative or novel thought, as all on the internet must be, but being online can be exhausting.

I have spent most of my life living on the internet. I may have pared down social media usage over the past few years, but that has not stopped it from invading most aspects of my existence. It often feels like an overwhelming presence when I’m 42 tabs deep into a rabbit hole of focus, or just trying to catch every link that someone tells me is interesting and worth my time. Sometimes it feels like a bit of an addiction when the wifi is down and I’m not able to see everything right away.

This isn’t meant to be a denouncement of being online. I’m here, and you’re here too. But it is exhausting sometimes, isn’t it? Like hey, let’s make someone the character of the day and stalk, harass, and send death threats to a guy on a couch and the friends who defend him. Let’s decide that someone is a serial killer based on nothing but internalized transphobia and ideas of what is acceptable for someone on TikTok. Or any other number of times on social media where people find large audiences in being amateur criminal analysts, amplifying nothings to the point that everyone involved gets hurt.

I know that we’re not getting the mythical internet of good vibes only, where we lift each other up and never tear one another down. But perhaps we could find some way to just revel in the profundity of memes, and the ability to share things with the world and hear back from people who you’d never have met in the past.

In the meantime, what should we do? I keep trying to define my relationship to the internet, and I’m finding it hard to pin down. I’m not even sure that it’s possible at this point. I’ve had internet access for the majority of my life, and I’m close to being one of those millenials that are described as digital natives, never knowing a world without. Sure I purposefully choose plenty of time to be offline, but that’s in part because I can sense the health issues that it causes.

Do you have any tactics that you use to keep yourself protected online, personally, mentally, or emotionally?

tweet from @manymanywords that reads, "I'm not into web3, i'm into web<3"

📚

Thinking of Sending That Quick ‘Love You’ Text? Just Do It – Carol Milberger, Wired

One of the things that I have committed to doing over the past two years is reminding folks that I love them and being unafraid to say these simple and powerful words. Bring back sincerity!

Oh by the way, I love you 💝

I Went Undercover In QAnon For A Year, And Here’s Everything I Learned – Van Badham, Junkee

It’s not shocking to learn that people are boring and repetitive, but why can’t that just be their identity and not violent overthrow of democratic institutions?

Whistleblower Frances Haugen Still Believes in Silicon Valley – Steven Levy, Wired

I was surprised by a few things that I learned in this interview, including at least three points that Levy uncovered that could have made this specific whistleblower incident not have happened at all if tech companies took proper care of their employees.

Discord’s new Premium Memberships let creators monetize servers – Tom Warren, The Verge

I’m both interested in and wary of this development. I think that it’s great that communities are being fostered and with a clear plan to have the community organizers get the majority of the revenue. I’m also worried about how this is going to enable some pretty bad actors and create private spaces for radicalization.

tweet from @jennschiffer that reads, "quest diagnostics just emailed me about their "5% off lab tests all cyber week" sale, i love it here in hell"

📽

Violence & Protest | Philosophy Tube

Speaking of the Q stuff above, what is the place of violence in society? What is the place of violence in protest?

Philosophy Tube is a favorite of mine and I think that Abigail did a great job on this topic.

Ryan And Shane New Ghost Hunting Show – Ghost Files Teaser

I am nothing if not hyped. Allie, are you ready for the Ghoul Boys to do even more things?

The Matrix Resurrections – Official Trailer (2021)

I’m also hyped for this. We’ve been rewatching all of the old films and most any Wachowski film that we can thanks to HBO Max. I can’t wait to see how Lana has updated the story following her own personal growth over the past two decades.

I Restored This 2$ Ebay Junk Game Boy Color – Retro Console Restoration & Repair

I’ve finally learned why people like boring repair videos and stuff. Because watching someone use hydrogen peroxide and UV lights to remove yellowing from plastic is so satisfying.

I have no idea where he gets $2 consoles, let alone on ebay, but I kinda wanna get into this kind of cleanup and restoration.

🎧

Bonobo – Migration (Full Album)

This was a recommendation from the talented ♥ GOJII ♥, who responded to my request of, “I want something to vibe to. Nothing super jarring but good to have as a general background”, and it nails it.

Our Lady Peace – The Birdman (Live 2003)

When I was in high school (and right now tbh) OLP was my jam. They’ve been releasing a track from their 2003 concert DVD each day to their YouTube channel the past week for me to revisit a concert I’ve seen dozens of times

If you made it this far, why not share this newsletter with a friend? Or share with me some of the things that you found that you liked this week. Either way, I’m thrilled!

what do you do when the internet exhausts you?

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