dream #1

attention and how to escape from it

we are captive by the attention economy. algorithms chasing us down, trying to take capture, not just our mind, but our identities. to them it is a million little data points, insignificant and uncaring. for us it is the only thing that we are left with. we have to sell our bodies to the machine and work it's labour, spend what little is left on meaningless consumption and for the last 15 odd years they are trying to get even the last bit of our selves.

nothing will shield from it. trying to withdraw yourself form becoming captive often only means fleeing into other consumption. the bi-monthly urge to delete the apps, spend your time more constructively, only to either return to the same apps or to find another meaningless method of consumption, of feeding into the algorithm.

thinking you can escape by creating, by making something out of your thoughts and feelings, only to become a poster; an asset for the machine to capture others. opinions reduced to takes and art reduced to content.

no matter how absurd you try to become, the machine will find a way to categorize, monetize and advertise the schizo's postings.

slowly you lose yourself to the machine or the machine forms you, by assigning you to categories. schizopilled and controlmaxxing.

post-platform online ruralism

the only way out is to refuse to be part of the online landscape that only cares about the attention of others. both the machine as well as yourself, wanting to see and to be seen. to no longer partake in the discourse, to not enable the end of distinct self.

ever since the internet started, people put up their own little funny sites, put their ramblings on it and somehow, maybe, someone found it and read it. but they most likely were sent it by someone else, not by a discovery queue or a trending tab.

a random domain on a random server, somewhere, weird and not useful to the machine. interesting only for those who care enough to look for it. not important enough to be captured.

a post-platform internet, back to insulated communities and webpages. replaceable but unique.

back to start