Remember when the internet felt like you had to be at the right place and the right time? Like it was a bunch of secret pockets that you had to be aware of. The internet wasn't over-saturated with content creators and ads. It wasn't curated to get you to make a purchase. It was just random, almost secret, blogs, youtubers, and Tumblr posts. There was obscure message boards and strange blogs. And they were messy and strange, but most of all very real.
There was no real names or faces. Just usernames. There was no dedicated followers, just a plethora of posts and inside jokes reposted on Tumblr. The Tumblr age was iconic and no one can argue with me on that. But things were posted and reposted because people wanted to share it. They didn't do it for views or for the possibility of making money off it or for fame. It was a very intimate and experimental way of utilizing the internet. It was anonymous at that time. It felt like your own personal pocket of the world where no one knew who you were. (yes I know the downsides to this but leave me alone I want to reminisce). It was niche and why people loved it so much.
All those platforms funneled or were bought out by platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and of course TikTok. Now, real names and faces are plastered all over those platforms. It's no longer graphics, it's TikTok dances and get ready with me videos. Now, everyone's trying to become all the big name influencers. I'll let you come up with who you want, I don't want to get a cease and desist letter lol. But now your viewership is a product. There's a price point on however long you stay watching a video. And, the branding is so visible now. Remember how you feel when you're watching a music video and they stick in some stupid speaker brand or water brand? Every time it makes me just think 'whyyyy it would've been so much better without this stupid ad'.
There also isn't any privacy anymore. Whatever you post is visible to the entire world, forever. Which, let me give some life advice...what you post now, there's no telling how people will react in 10 years. Think about how different our language was 10 years ago. People were saying certain words that we would never say today. On the flip side, crop tops are viewed as perfectly fine, but a couple decades ago you probably would've been called names I can't repeat. So, post your silly things but I'd be careful about serious things or at least be aware of how much exposure you're allowing of yourself. I say this because I thought a thought while I was in the shower earlier, which I will share. Do you think job interviewers will be watching our TikToks in the future after an interview with a candidate? I feel like that would be too weird to be possible but who knows.
There is also the desperate want to be viral now. It's exhausting. Like show me what's in the rug already, damn. Not everything needs to be a seventy part series (insert the crying emoji).
That small pocket of the internet feeling is gone. Now everyone's on the stage. I mean unless you're heading to the dark web, theres no pockets. Also don't do that, don't find the dark web, I've heard of stories and they're creepy, weird, and violent so it's a no go. Watch Kings of Tupelo on Netflix if you want to hear about the dark web and those things.
Anyways, I miss the secret internet. I miss having those pockets of small amounts of people. I miss that anonymity. I mean I guess y'all probably aren't shocked by that. This website I created is an attempt to give myself my own pocket of the internet without my name or my face.
I just want more people to join in on creating blogs. I feel like it would be so cool to have a set couple blogs I read often. I mean, I'm trying to build that experience for you guys. If you're on board, let me know and I can write up how I created my page in another post.
With love and lightheartedness,
Cici
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