Why i stopped watching short form content ( Reason with science behind it) and why you should tooooo
initially i used to watch a lot of short form videos just for fun.
memes, edits, random clips nothing serious.
but after some time i started noticing something weird:
i was constantly mentally tired.
at first i ignored it because i thought “everyone scrolls all day, it’s normal.”
later i got into self improvement content.
David Goggins clips, motivational edits, sigma grindset videos, success reels, phonk music with deep quotes etc.
and honestly i convinced myself i was consuming “good content.”
i thought:
“this is motivation.”
“this will help me achieve my goals.”
but months passed
and the mental fatigue never disappeared.
since i’m into books, philosophy, psychology, and human behavior, i started thinking about it more rationally.
then one day i realized:
every reel is not just content.
it’s an emotional transaction.
you give attention + mental energy,
and in return the algorithm sells you an emotion.
humans were never designed to switch emotions this fast.
imagine this:
first reel motivates you to hit the gym
swipe
second reel is a meme and now you’re laughing
swipe
third reel reminds you of your ex
swipe
fourth reel shows a 19 year old making more money than you and now you feel insecure or jealous
all of this happens in under 60 seconds.
4 completely different emotional states.
is that even normal for the brain?
i honestly don’t think so.
for a long time i also fooled myself by saying:
“my feed is educational and motivational.”
but eventually i realized motivation content can become dopamine content too.
a hard phonk song + aggressive quotes + gym edit =
instant dopamine hit.
then your brain starts craving the next hit.
and the next one has to be stronger than the previous one.
that is literally how scrolling addiction works.
and honestly
that is not even the craziest part anymore.
nowadays half the internet does not even feel real.
that CEO you constantly see on your feed?
probably not organic.
there are clipping agencies, PR teams, engagement funnels, repost networks all designed to flood your feed until a person or ideology feels important.
same with movie edits, political opinions, “alpha male” content, hustle culture etc.
a huge amount of short form content is basically propaganda mixed with entertainment.
not always political propaganda
sometimes it is lifestyle propaganda,
consumer propaganda,
success propaganda,
identity propaganda.
they shape perspectives simply by increasing repetition and emotional intensity.
and once you notice it
you cannot unsee it.
does this mean i completely stopped watching short form content?
yes.
now i can feel myself !! i feel like i am more crreative
more energy
great reflexes
improved sleep cycle
more time to do my work
