This question is one that constantly plagues me. Maybe you, like me, find yourself scrolling into the abyss that homes brainrot, rather than reading the Substack essays you have been meaning to get to for weeks, or the multitude of unread books on your TBR.
First of all, it’s worth acknowledging that this is, in fact, not a new thing—look at generations before: they were defined by the music, books, and films they consumed. Today, being determined by what media you consume is just more prevalent, as everything is publicly documented in social media’s tangled web, such as the posts you like or the creators you follow.
The media you interact with is a way to bond with strangers, forge new relationships, and maintain current ones...
The things you consume dictate how you are perceived in the world, as they present what you are like to external perspectives. The media you interact with is a way to bond with strangers, forge new relationships, and maintain current ones; thus, it becomes a filter through which people perceive you. How you are viewed affects the way you exist in the world, as it shapes social interactions and dynamics, a theory suggested by Cooley in The Looking-Glass Self. (1902)
Not only does the way others perceive you affect how you interact within the world, but the media you consume also shapes you. With the rise in brainrot, it clearly shows in the people you talk to. Social media has managed to snake its way into our vernacular, with references to the newest memes, trends, or slang; there couldn’t be a clearer disparity between those offline and those whose favourite pastime is scrolling.
Society relies far too heavily on social media, insofar as dictating how the world functions.
The most terrifying part is that it is not just an individual’s being that is influenced by the media they consume—the world is affected, too. Society relies far too heavily on social media, insofar as dictating how the world functions. Look at Brexit, for example: people absorbing false information, which went on to affect votes and, consequently, our nation’s everyday life.
You may be thinking, if I challenge or criticise the media I consume, then surely that suggests I am more than it; however, it just shows you cannot just take something at face value, as you are absorbing different perspectives—you are a mix of all the media you interact with.
It’s a well-known notion that you should surround yourself with the people you want to be like, therefore how can we be more than the media we surround ourselves with? So, consume the things which help forge you into becoming the version of yourself that you want to be.