I think the degree to which spectacle has become necessary for engagement is pretty depressing. It's fun to see how people cleverly game this, but I've noticed a real lack of deeper learning. People do the bare minimum to pass (or pass as excelling), and don't really understand the mechanisms or context to solve things themselves.
Ex: watch a YouTube tutorial about how to do something very specific, but it's stripped down to the point where you can't do anything else.
Some people argue this frees up their time to learn what they actually want to learn, but ehhh.
I think the other side of this is that most people have become insanely good seekers.
Obviously the algorithms help, but opportunities and relationships are being found in a way that's so different from how I remember growing up.
In real life you bump into people randomly, you are tied to a lot of people geographically that you end up interacting with and bonding with through unpredictable circumstances. It's situational.
Online interactions really revolve around intent. You typically find a specific group to bond over a specific common interest. You choose to interact, or you just lurk without much consequence (unlike in real life). Those that conflict with your opinions or ideals can be axed swiftly.
It really shows how socialization has changed, and why all the kids are socially anxious and can't vibe or like dance anymore.
There is a looseness and a boldness that hasn't been preserved, which is required when the rest of the world can just bump into you.
I always think about what I read from people who lived before the use of phones or cellphones.
Spaces were really just their own space. The only things that existed within moments and perception were what extended past your fingertips. There was a true presence and grounding in location, because that's all that there was.
Now with how accessible and connected we are, there is a massive weight placed on that awareness. The incessant tzzzzzz from the rest of the world, the mass of voices and words and connections; just ghosts screaming of everything.
There is no longer the stillness that preserves empathy. Silence is torn apart by the virtual pull that makes you feel like you must always be connected, or you'll lose touch. We keep watching because everyone else is.
How fucking wretched lol. And an immense burden to bear.