Social media brainfarts
On the commodification of our least interesting impulses
Social media not only commodifies self-expression, it invents attachment to brainfarts. Thoughts we would otherwise never publish become an outward expression of our individuality, by way of our least interesting, but most nonsensical impulses.
It optimizes for tones of zany, edgy, and/or snarky. Because those are good for engagement. Are those thoughts our most important?
The permanence problem
Another concern is the semi-permanence of these otherwise ethereal thoughts. Any old shitpost stays up for years. Not to mention how much actual human attention all this content is absorbing.
Is it culture?