Clean up, attention spans, quick fixes, and people selling their lifestyle

Some serious clean up I need to do before I keep typing on this blog

Awhile I understand there is a power for me and others to create our own websites and even our own blogs. I feel there is a need to create a perspective.

The most important thing I want to provide is a very clear. I'm just an artist on the internet. I am not a teacher/professor, doctor, or a successful business person.

This means you can mark me as "yet another random person on the internet."

The reason for establishing this is because I think there is a danger for users to come across me and anyone in the internet as experts. I'm not an expert in tech, health, and heck even in arts too (even though I love making art).

The goal for me is to provide what I've learned so far on the real-world and on the internet.

Attention spans

2000s to 2010s, I remember dealing with many kinds of teachers who specialized in "special education." What that means is for teachers who are willing to help students who are struggling to learn. Whenever it's physical disability or mental disability ... or maybe something else.

All the teachers are very, very, patient. And that's great. It really allowed me to be patient with my family members who are struggling with computers and even customers as well. I remember having a customer telling me that I am "nice and very patient," and I would explain to them that I've learned that from my teachers. They would tell me that is a "very rare trait to have now-a-days."

It sucks when I'm the only student struggling with a question that a teacher asks me on the spot. The teacher looks at me with concern, all of my classmates look at me, waiting for me to answer the question. Later on the teachers explain to me that if I don't know, just say it. Otherwise I am prolonging the silent awkwardness.

Another issue I remember is needing additional time to process the question asked from the teachers. Basically, it's "raise your hand if you know the answer to these questions I ask." At first, this seem simple for my classmates but not for me. When a teacher asked the question, my classmates are already rising their hands awhile I'm still trying to reach down my part of the brain to find the answer. It's too late. If I was given enough time, I would answer correctly, but I guess it's doesn't matter. I'm too slow.

I remember also struggling to write down notes. It feels like there are two stages to this ...

You can tell I'm stuck at stage one. Thankfully I've developed an odd stage. Maybe you can call it stage three. It's "writing it awhile your head is still looking at the object." Basically, it's like typing in a proficient matter without ever needing to look down at your keyboard. Yeah my notes will look a little slanted or lopped sided but at least I'm no longer slowing down my class. There are teachers who are really good at writing on the chalk board awhile their head is facing the class, impressive.

Since I'm bringing up typing. I did choose to be in typing class in high school. Everyone got an A in that class ... except me, I got a C. But there is a twist to this. The reason why I got a C is because I managed to type without ever having to look down. That's right, my classmates were cheating. Straight up to the point awhile I'm having a hard time playing the typing flash game, one of my class mates was having it worse and needed a card board to cover the keyboard. An odd accessory indeed but hey I'm not complaining.

I'll never forget when I got my very first and only detention. Usually students get detention because of bad behavior, refusing to listen/obey, or not bringing their school supplies. And it had to be a repeat offense to get a detention.

My reason? I just struggle to do homework. I'll never forget when I cried at the end of school and the teacher asked what is going on. I just simply told her that I have too much homework. Yeah one of my parents got super pissed at me, they thought I did something really heinous like being mean to a teacher but no, it was just homework. Anyway, like most students in detention, they either just stare at the wall or given a few paper assignments. But for me, the teacher was nice enough to help me understand what I am struggling with on homework. So the detention for me wasn't even bad at all!

I think some of the teachers understand that I need more help. But they can only do so much, they have to put in time for other students as well. The more they put minutes and hours onto me, the more they'll realize there are other students who need extra help as well.

Maybe my parents should of got me a tutor at home or something.

Attention Spans for today

So I've already explained how I am part of the very few students having a hard time learning. Well what if I told you it's the opposite now.

Pretty much the entire classes out there are having a hard time learning. Well I wonder why ...

The uprise of kids using smartphones and tablets is very concerning. How they learn awful internet slangs, terrible short-form videos that has too many jump-cuts, gambling, videogames, social media providing awful influences and consumerism ("I need XYZ.")

The kids and teens go to school, half-asleep, drained of energy, don't want to learn anything they see. But if they have any energy, it'll just be throwing anger towards the teachers. They'll yell at the teacher "what's the point of doing this?" Holy cow there'll be violence too. The teachers are not safe no matter what state or county.

I feel real bad for the teachers ... it's either they go against the students, the principle, and/or parents. The whole thing is an up-hill battle. I'm not surprised that some of them quit by now and seek for a different career.

At least I'm able to express that I am willing to learn to my teachers. Sure there is at least a few days that I really didn't want to be there. But now, it's very single school day that the teachers have to deal with so many stubborn students.

I can't imagine students now-a-days cheating with AI now ...

Quick fixes

This, is a creepy and unfortunate phase we are all going through today.

Imagine a person who is very fit, looks wealthy, or even won a huge award, this person would eventually get a question from his or her peers:

"How can I be like you?"

Other questions can be "how can lose weight in two weeks?" "How can I get rich very quick?" "How can I graduate from the most esteem university?"

Yeah ... the obvious answer will be "hard work and put in a lot of time."

But people want quick fixes.

And this is something that I want to highlight on my blog posts and onwards. Awhile I provide a way to show my experiences on why I quit or do XYZ, I'm just one person in the end. And I don't think my methods are ever categorized as "quick fixes." It's really important to broaden out and learn from other people as well.

The sad part about the internet is how almost every content is bite-sized and short. A tutorial on "how to sew your clothes under a minute," is nice but it'll not do a good job covering ground for other issues to come. How about history lesson about World War II under two minutes?

And don't worry, even 10 to 30 minutes may look good on paper, it's still not good because you can tell their upload rate is ridiculous. There will be errors left and right. Even list type videos (Ex: "top 10") are just disguised short form content complied into a long video.

Another problem is what I see from the so-call "gurus." They'll create content that'll bait audience to watch their video but also have a link to their paid subscription service to learn how to make a lot of money.

Depending on where you live, the financial crisis will happen no matter what. And it's no wonder people want to take short-cuts in order to cover the cost of housing, car(s), business, medical, tax, and so forth.

It's obvious that everything will always be hard in life. But I understand it's even more hard to recover from addiction.

Awhile there are people who are happy to share their experiences how how they quit smoking and/or alcohol. I can't help due to the fact that I have never done those two things. Sure I quit fast-food and soda, but I don't know if there are folks out there who would claim that's not an addiction. (I'm still gonna make a blog about it anyway.)

Selling a lifestyle

I get it.

It's easy to watch a video of a person who is clean, having everything organized, eats healthy, and also goes outside. Well ... never mind the fact that someone has to be behind the camera recording.

Almost everyone, wants to sell a lifestyle.

What do I mean by this? I'll use myself as an example.

Digital Minimalism (written by Cal Newport) is a great book. I recommend it. But that will not stop the people and businesses from trying to capitalize off of that lifestyle.

Dumb phones, modified smartphones, trip get-a-ways and gyms that ban phones/tablets, offline hobbies ("analog bag"), and ... typewriters? How about a pocket notebook and a small pen?

Let's not forget "low-tech" devices such as retro gaming, MP3 players, record players, CD and cassette players, digi-cams, Polaroid cameras, offline laptops, and so, so much more.

It's insane because it reaches the point where people hope that buying XYZ will solve the problem. Sorry, it's more like a ban-aid fix if anything.

Who are you more likely to trust: A video of a person who used a dumb-phone for a month? Or a video of a person who used a dumb-phone for a year? The answer is clear.

And using a dumb phone requires a serious planning in advance. Even for me, awhile I'm still comfortable using it, I still need to access my tablet for two-factor-authentication and maps. Who knows if I end up living in the city where I'll need it for parking and scanning QR codes for food menus.

Not only that, I have to trade in the amount of time wasted on smartphone with something else. In this case, it's easy for me: making art, reading books, writing, and good old chores.

For people who use a dumbphone unplanned for the first day or two will eventually reach for bad alternatives such as computers and laptops. At least it's adding some resistance. A level of inconvenience let's say. It's a decent start.

But in the end, the goal is to have control over tech rather than the other way around.

Still, there are people on the internet selling other kinds of lifestyle. Those who are obsessed with fashion and looks. Getting massive muscles on their bodies or modifying their faces. Wealth along with their prized possessions such as fancy house and cars.

But even opposite too. You'll have those who still want to sell their "minimalism" lifestyle (which is different than "digital minimalism" believe it or not.)

I understand there are people who just want you to buy a certain book because they really liked it. But it's a whole different story when they show you their massive collection of books. And it makes you wonder if they ever had the time to read them all ...

Finally I want to point out there are methods out there that requires no money. For me, I modified my existing smartphone rather than buying one. And back to books, there are libraries out there.

Instead of "buying" to solve your issues, seek for other kinds that cost zero dollars.

Connecting the two

Both "quick fixes" and "lifestyle" have a serious connection when you think about it.

Due to the rise of short-form content from places like TikTok, it's now a race to get users attention and also their wallets too.

The feedback loop or rather "doom-scrolling," is designed to keep the users constantly connected to the device. The users will just keep seeking for answers again and again.

When in reality, it's better to put the phone down and just be happy of what you already owned.