Are you being held captive, your life punctuated by the ceaseless pings of digital notifications that dictate your every move? Has the mesmerizing allure of endless videos, endless content feeds, endless sensationalized news stories turned us into mere puppets on a digital stage?
By Mike Reid | June 2024
Wow. The internet has gotten a bit exhausting lately, hasn't it?
Back when I was in college in the middle of the 2000s, all you could do on Facebook was post a maximum of one photo, list your classes and your favorite TV shows, and poke people.
And we all loved it.
But the internet of today?
The internet of today is as if you walked into a restaurant with 1.4 Yelp stars and the kitchen just served you whatever was making the restaurant the most money. Also nobody told you, but all the food was infused with cannabis, so everyone ate five desserts.
Nearly every popular site on the internet is curated by algorithms to optimize for things like "engagement" and "daily visitors," which didn't used to be problem. But then in 2020 we all started spending a lot more time online — and now we're all addicted.
Go ahead. Turn off your phone. Put it in the closet. And wait.
But in 2024, we have the opportunity to begin a brand new era.
Let's make 2024 the year we start prioritizing joy, creativity, and humor in what we share over the internet. This is our moment to approach politics from a new perspective — from the perspective people are craving right now. And by saying things that no one else is saying, we will attract attention and grow our audience.
We're entering a time where the traditional models of journalism are rapidly being challenged, and where audiences are seeking something new and different.
So here's to a brand new era of political news — one that values joy, creativity, and even a little humor in our reporting.
Imagine a future where news transforms into an extraordinary beacon of hope, far surpassing its conventional role as a mere conveyor of information. This is a world where journalism crafts and shares narratives that not only enlighten but also empower and uplift, inspiring each of us to dream bigger, reach higher, and contribute to crafting a more magnificent and harmonious world.
&
Let's do it. Let's embrace this new approach and create a brighter future for all. Let's stop performing for the algorithms. Let's make news fun and engaging. By doing so, we'll become more informed and engaged, and evolve to meet the realities of today and tomorrow, instead of staying trapped in broken systems.