Tag: social media

Spoiler alert!

When I was growing up, there was this good friend I had. I’ve written about him before. I don’t know why, but I always loved spending time with him. He made the world feel a lot less lonely. He said things that made you wonder. He made you feel like you were cool no matter who you were. When he went home, there was a little less light in the room. It was like the curtains hiding the gray world were once again opened up, and you were left standing there by yourself, calling out into the empty silence for someone to rescue you.

Unfortunately, this friend had a bad habit. He was what you might call a spoiler. Have you ever read one of those reviews, and at the top of the article it says something like spoiler alert? That phrase should probably have been tattooed on his body somewhere, just to let you know what’s coming.

I had a lot of adventures growing up, but they mostly took place at home, or in the yard, or quite often, in my imagination. He, on the other hand, was usually free to roam all over town, and his mom took him with her every weekend when she went shopping in one of the bigger nearby cities. This was a rare type of excursion for me, unfortunately.

I’m not sure of all the things he did with his mom in the big city over the years, but he did take me with him once. They went to this really huge shopping mall. I remember seeing things that left me in awe at the time. There were so many brightly lit stores filled with clothes, shoes, jewelry, and perfume, but also other stores that had books, novelties, and toys. My favorite was the toy store, of course. It also had a movie theater and a pizzeria, which my friend visited often on his trips with his mom. She probably had more time to shop while he and his brother were watching a movie.

All this movie watching gave him something of an advantage over most of the kids at school. He got to see almost all the exciting movies as soon as they were released to cinemas. It was often a very long time before I got to see a movie, because there were no local movie theaters in our small town. Of course, every kid loves a great movie, so this deficiency put him in a position to be a kind of intermediary. When he got your attention, which he was good at doing, he would tell you all about the movie, the general story, the coolest parts to watch, etc.

Unfortunately, after he was done, you would know the whole movie and the ending. I guess back then it didn’t matter to me. The excitement I saw in his eyes as he spoke and acted out every scene made the actual movie seem a little dull in comparison. It might also be that hearing it only from a storyteller forces you to conjure up all the images in your mind, much like reading a book. Basically, you couldn’t passively listen. His intensity forced you to be there with him, feeling every moment, and reliving every scene.

If there wasn’t anyone to talk to about movies, then all the movies in the world would be boring. They wouldn’t be any fun to watch.

One time, after listening to him tell me about a movie, I asked him, why do you like to tell everyone about all the movies you see? He thought about it for a moment, and then said, well, if there wasn’t anyone to talk to about movies, then all the movies in the world would be boring. They wouldn’t be any fun to watch. I remember this statement until this day because I found it ponderable even as a kid. All the energy and money we put into entertainment is only valuable because we can share the experience with our friends. The real source of happiness isn’t the movie. It’s each other.

Knowing this, it’s easy to see how social media took off like a rocket. It connects with one of our most fundamental needs, the need to connect with someone other than ourselves. It also shows why reaction buttons and comments are so critical (hint, hint). They allow us to gauge if someone even notices us. We constantly create, curate, and share information in the hopes that we will hold someone’s attention, even for a moment. It also makes social media very addictive, because most people are literally staving for attention.

In my own life, I often find myself sinking a lot of energy into certain people. I’ve noticed this a lot in some of my conversations. When I finally capture the attention of someone interesting, I try hard to hold on to it. My feelings will be more telegraphed on my face. I will make everything seem more positive than it is. I might act things out or move my hands. I will pull you into the scene with me, just like my friend taught me to do. In that moment, we will not be separated anymore. We will be together, living in the same story, and that is really why we are all here.

Did you have a friend who lit up the room? Do you ever feel lonely? Do you know anyone who spoils movies? What was your first experience in a shopping mall? What were your favorite stores growing up? Did you grow up in a small town or big city? Do you remember the first movie you ever saw in a cinema? Do you know someone who is a good storyteller? Do you enjoy having someone pay attention to your work? Are you addicted to social media? Are you a very expressive person? Do you find that certain people grab your attention and hold it? Let me know in the comments, and please remember to like, share, and subscribe!

My favorite websites.

Looking back at my browser history, it looks like I spend most of my time logging into this WordPress installation. A lot of the other websites I visit are related to it, as they are where I share social media posts about this site, including Twitter, Facebook, etc. I would honestly say that I’m not much of a web surfer these days. If it isn’t related to blogging, then I’m probably just looking something up or doing some online shopping. This is probably why SEO is so important.

I do spend quite a bit of time on Amazon. I also have the app installed on my phone. It seems like I can find pretty much every product I need in one place, which is a huge convenience. I also make extensive use of their subscribe and save feature. Most of the products I buy repeatedly are completely automated. I find this feature particularly useful with vitamins and supplements, as the timing can be guesstimated. I also have the most important supplement, expresso beans, shipped automatically every month. This feature saves me about 15% on these purchases. I’m also an Amazon Prime member, which has a cost, but more than pays for itself with all I get from it. Additionally, I have been an Audible.com member for many years, which is owned by Amazon. Of course, as mentioned in a previous post, I’m also an Amazon Affliliate.

I’m honestly not a big fan of department stores or discount stores, like Walmart, Target, etc. It’s not their fault. It just takes a lot of time that I will never get back. The only downside of ordering online is that I often get the wrong size and have to send it back. I really don’t like doing returns, though Amazon does make it pretty easy, and they also have the try before you buy feature. If only I could try it on in the app before they ship it, that would be perfect!

Looking back at my web history, here are a few sites I have visited frequently. I don’t think any of them are too surprising.

  1. kenslifeblog.com This is my blog site.
  2. wordpress.com This is who hosts my blog site.
  3. amazon.com I go here to do most of my online shopping.
  4. bing.com This is the default search engine for my default browser (Edge).
  5. google.com I sometimes come here to get different search results.
  6. maps.google.com I mainly use this to find local restaurants and stores.
  7. twitter.com (x.com) This is my Twitter profile.
  8. facebook.com This is my Facebook page.
  9. instagram.com This is my Instagram profile.
  10. youtube.com This is my YouTube channel.
  11. audible.com I listen to these while walking and driving. Great investment!
  12. goodreads.com This is my Goodreads profile.
  13. pexels.com This site has lots of great photos for blogs.
  14. canva.com This site is great for making post graphics.

What sites do you frequent? Do you have any sites you would recommend? Do you do a lot of online shopping? Do you spend a lot of time at traditional shopping outlets? Do you also listen to audiobooks?

The historical events I remember.

I admit I am terrible at current events, and current events often become historical events. The reason why is I tend to think most news is negative or geared toward creating an atmosphere of fear. This is especially true during an election year.

Honestly, if you look back at history, I think it is largely a timeline of tragic events, this war, that riot, this catastrophe, that natural disaster, this charter to reduce freedom, that civil war to increase it, etc. Taken as a whole, it doesn’t really appear to be a very positive read. At least fiction usually has a happy ending.

Below are a few major historical events that I have experienced. I believe most of them are fairly positive.

  1. The emergence of advanced AI.
  2. The emergence of advanced robotics.
  3. The emergence of virtual reality.
  4. The rise of online shopping.
  5. The rise of the smart phone.
  6. The rise of social media.
  7. The rise of Internet culture.
  8. The birth of Ken.

What historical events have you experienced? Do you think the news is mostly negative? Do politicians use fear too much to get into office? Do you dread election years as much as I do? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

My favorite pastime.

A pastime is something you do for fun that isn’t work. I honestly don’t have as much time as I would like for pastimes. Usually, when I get home from work, I’m kind of mentally exhausted. Very often I will simply lay down and take a brief nap. Short naps can usually help me to rejuvenate enough to actually think straight for a few more hours before bedtime. Really the weekends are my best shot for a pastime though.

I guess the thing that fits the category of pastime the most for me would be reading and writing. I spend a lot of time doing that, but I don’t know that it’s always productive because a lot of the reading is spent on social media. I think that’s a pastime for a lot of people, but I sometimes wonder if it isn’t just a waste of time. To me, the most productive time is spent reading actual books and doing actual writing, like I do on this blog.

Another pastime I have is walking downtown. It’s nice having bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and stores within walking distance of where I live. That’s a luxury I have never had before in my life and it’s wonderful. There’s even two comedy clubs and a movie theater, and live music playing every weekend. It’s very addictive I must admit, and also quite expensive. I’ve actually been trying to cut back on some of that, partly to save money, but also because I don’t think it is a very productive use of time either.

I do a lot of thinking also. Sometimes I will brew a pot of tea in my teapot and just sit and ponder life. Sometimes it’s pleasant, but very often I get stuck on something depressing or worrisome. It’s really the tea that’s positive come to think of it, and not the thinking. Contemplating life probably isn’t the best pastime.

What’s a pastime or hobby that you have? Do you spend too much time on social media? Do you think social media is a waste of time? Do you have ways of rejuvenating yourself or giving yourself more energy? Do you take naps also? What do you do to relax and put your mind at ease? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

The reason I blog.

I had to think about this one for a minute. Here are a few of the reasons I started blogging.

  1. I’m out of my mind! Just kidding! Really though, life can drive you nuts, and writing can help you keep your sanity. It was my last resort, but it’s keeping me afloat.
  2. I have deep emotions and no outlet. I feel things way more deeply than the average person. I love more deeply. I’m also an empath. I need to release my feelings somewhere.
  3. I’m not surrounded by soulmates. I have lots of acquaintances, but there are very few people who really connect with me on a deep level. It’s not their fault, they just don’t understand.
  4. People you know will judge you. In real life, you have to be careful what you say, because people will classify you as this or that kind of person. You have to put on a mask around them.
  5. There’s a lot of things that go unsaid. Social media suppresses ideas, and I think blogs are the only spot where the truth might live on, because your blog belongs to you.
  6. I see interesting things and want to share. Seeing something interesting isn’t very fun if there’s no one to share it with. People also like to see things you share that are interesting.
  7. The reality we live in is confusing. As you go through life, it pays to take notes and leave a few breadcrumbs behind for others, so they don’t walk off the same cliffs.
  8. I want to hear from others. People can listen, give advice, give inspiration, feel empathy, spread a message, become endearing, create hope, give purpose, etc. Their ideas are important.
  9. I need a sense of purpose. I spent my whole life building up to where I am now. There was always some sort of dream I was pursuing, but I’m running low on ideas. This keeps me moving.
  10. I am drawn to words and ideas. I spent most of my life doing things that involved using my brain. I like reading and writing things. Words are the air that I breath. I am a living idea.

Do these resonate with you also? Would you add something to the list? Thanks for being here! Don’t forget to like, share, comment, and subscribe!

The most money I’ve spent on a meal.

I live downtown in a fairly large city and there’s a lot of great restaurants within walking distance. Many of these places are very expensive, especially the steakhouses.

When I first moved here, I visited one of these steakhouses. The interior of the restaurant was elegantly decorated and the atmosphere very positive. All the waiters in the restaurant were dressed in nice suits.

They also took great pride in their steaks. They had a whole spill about the quality of the steaks and the temperature they are brought out at. It was a great sales pitch, so I got the steak. I mean, why not? That’s their specialty. Might as well try their best. It was also the most expensive thing on the menu.

It was interesting to find that you didn’t get a side with the steak. Most places I have gone to give you a choice of two sides or something. At this place, you had to pay for each side you wanted separately. Nothing on the menu was low priced really.

I admit, it was a really great steak, probably one of the best I have ever had in my life. The sides I chose were great also. Probably the best thing about it was the service. They made you feel like a VIP. I guess I sort of was at that moment, considering the cost. It was just me eating alone, and the cost was in the three figure range.

I could go back anytime, but I have never really had the urge to do so. I believe it was worth it for the experience, and fine to do on special occasions, but I’m just too much of a tight wad to do it every weekend. I also don’t really have anyone to impress. I think fancy restaurants are sustained by VIP services and your ability to brag on social media. These give me only marginal satisfaction because I have no one to brag to about it.

Discussion Prompts

  1. Do you enjoy being treated like a VIP?
  2. Do you like steak? Or are you vegetarian?
  3. Ever go to a place where everyone is wearing suits?
  4. Do you regularly eat at expensive places?

Thanks for reading! See you in the comments! Please like, share, and subscribe!

Your spirit is contained in your words.

I spend a lot of time reading other people’s thoughts. I don’t mean I’m a psychic or mind-reader or anything. I mean, people write their thoughts down, and I read them. I do a whole lot of that, whether it be on social media, blog posts, articles, comments, you name it.

Since I have gained quite a bit of experience in this, I have noticed something interesting happens when I read someone’s words, and it does sort of border on the psychic. I know it’s just my imagination, but sometimes when I read something that someone wrote, a whole lot more than the words in the text come thorough to me.

It’s hard to explain, but I sort of feel their presence in the words. I can almost make a guess as to what kind of person they are, whether or not I should engage with them, what they love and hate, how they are going to respond to this question or that, what would offend them or hurt their feelings, and even whether they like me or not. None of this is overly apparent from the words they say, but it feels like some deeper part of themselves is coming across in their words, especially if they have put a lot of themselves into the words as they wrote them down.

I know this is a crazy idea, but this is probably the right group to answer this question, because I know you read as much as I do. Does it seem like you actually know the people you read? Can you just sense them? Can you tell if you would click with them or not? Does it feel like they would be in your circle of friends if you met them in person? Do you think you would have great conversation with them? Does it feel like they would totally understand what you are saying? Doesn’t this happen kind of quicker than you might have expected? Can you feel my presence in my words?

To me, meeting someone through their words is almost like meeting them in person. If you can do this, I think you would say that it might be the best part of reading what they wrote. It also seems to transcend space and time, as I can actually feel the character of author’s long dead. I think this is also one of the reasons I write.

Your spirit is being spilled out on the page as you write, but don’t worry, you have plenty of spirit left, an infinite amount if you want to use it. It must be so, because if you can transmit part of yourself to me though words, then you are as infinite as the very idea itself, and you are now everywhere.

Does this make sense to you at all? Do you sometimes feel the people you read? Do you sometimes feel like you are putting some sort of emotion into the words as you write them? Have you ever actually cried while writing something, or reading something? Does AI generated text have the same feeling? Let’s meet in the comments! Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

Just skimming the surface.

I read a lot. I always have, but I’ve seen a shift in my reading habits these past few years. I still squeeze in some time to read whole books, but it feels like I spend the bulk of my reading time browsing then Internet and skimming content, rather than taking in a complete work. It feels a lot like I’m going from plate to plate, consuming only a thin slice, like the judge in a state fair pie eating contest.

I’m scrolling through social media, and something catches my eye, so I browse over there and read a bit, but usually not all of it. Maybe my attention span has shortened with age, or maybe I absorbed the gist and am ready to move on, or maybe there’s just more competition for my attention elsewhere, or maybe they truly lost me. Jumping back out of the rabbit hole, I’m browsing the next one, ready to jump in, but never too deep. It’s a shallow existence I know, and I feel like it grows on you after a while.

I remember it wasn’t always like this. There was a time when I was very thorough and deep. I didn’t just want the cliff notes on everything. I assumed every word in the book was somehow important. I could see the high level, but I also hung on every word, how it sounded, how it was arranged, how it made me feel. If I misread or skipped just one phrase, the whole work wouldn’t make sense. I’d have to reread it all again.

I remember years ago when I would get a new watch, or clock, or VCR, or microwave, or any other odd device, I would read the little instruction book all the way through. I assumed that if I missed even a single page, I’d be totally lost as to how this thing worked, or I’d miss out on a special feature, or maybe it just wouldn’t work at all, or even become dangerous. Read the instructions first! That was my mantra.

I also remember my first computer came with an full user’s manual. The manual actually taught you how to program it. I read that book cover to cover and did every example. That’s actually how I became a computer programmer. Now days, you get a few pages of warranty info and maybe a quick start guide for someone who has never powered on a device.

I guess they just assume its cultural knowledge now. If you buy an electronic device, you must already know how to do everything with it, or maybe it’s just too complicated to tell people everything it can do, or technical writing became too expensive, or maybe they expect Google and YouTube will give you all the instructions you will ever need, provided you know how to get there.

Even on the search engines, I am just grazing though, grabbing just enough information to do what I want at the moment, never going too deep, never filling my brain to the expert level. Maybe it will come with time, as I sample enough of a particular subject, but for right now I just need to know how to make Excel do a pivot table.

I’ll figure the rest out when I have time, and deep down I know I will never have enough hours in my life, and I’ve become accepting of that. I’ve become comfortable with just being a pebble skipping over the surface, never diving in too deep, never being slowed down, just bouncing along on the surface making ripples, until I reach my final destination, and sink below the waves, never to be seen again.

I know I’m also not the only pebble in this pool. I see other people doing it every day. Some who read even less than I did in the past, who have never even peeked under the waves for one moment. A whole generation of people just browsing, and skimming, and skipping, and constantly refocusing, always a little behind and never taking a full deep breath.

Maybe it’s a good thing to stay shallow. There’s just too much content these days to take it all in, but I still sometimes wonder, what sort of society will this behavior create?

Does anything in this article resonate with you? What do you think the future holds for a society with a shortened attention span? Do you think there will ever be too much content on the Internet? Do you think this trend will have psychological effects on people? Let me know in the comments, and please, like, share, and subscribe!

What I would change about modern society.

First, I think we would have to define what modern society is. There are actually a wide variety of societies all over this world, all of them existing in modern times, but would we classify all of them as modern? Also, are all societies imbibed with the same modern ideas?

I believe many societies today actually lack the necessary infrastructure to be classified as modern. Some of them barely have access to clean water and good roads. If we assume modern society has advanced technology, we are leaving out a few of these societies. They are still on the sidelines observing, and slowly working to catch up. I do think strides are being made every day, but there is still work to be done.

I also believe that when we talk about changing society, we are talking about changing how people think and function. Many societies, even in modern times, differ greatly in their beliefs, goals, perspectives, and practices. Certain attributes or practices of a particular society might be considered very primitive by another society for instance, yet we are all living in the modern era.

For these reasons, modern society can only be understood in a relatively localized fashion, as in your particular society, or in a very broad way that not all modern societies fall under. That being said, I feel like what we are really talking about is the generalized philosophy and practices of highly developed nations.

What I wouldn’t change

I would like to start with the things I would not change, because I believe these to be the foundation of not only modern society, but also necessary to live a good life as a human.

Individual Freedom

I believe modern society has greatly improved our individual freedom. I think every person should have the right to carry out their lives however they see fit. Many people want to be in other people’s business. They are annoyed by everything their neighbor does. If you aren’t careful, these people will pass ridiculous rules and laws to get rid of all their pet peeves and annoyances. This should not be allowed. Society should mainly focus on preventing violent criminal behavior. Basically, the perfect society is one where everyone has the freedom to be themselves and pursue happiness in their own way.

High Inclusivity

I believe modern society strives to be highly inclusive. Everyone is different. We have different appearances, backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, religions, histories, habits, ideas, etc. If we guarantee individual freedom, we will have to have some way of dealing with all our differences. This means society needs to continually focus on tolerance and acceptance.

I think this is an attribute of modern society, because if you look back at history, we didn’t do this very well. We held onto our differences and made war with everyone who wasn’t like us. Unfortunately, I believe that even in modern times, acceptance is still in a relatively primitive state, and needs to improve dramatically. It also seems fragile, like it could fracture at any time and cause us to revert back to our primitive ways.

Business Ownership

I believe modern society is dependent on its members being able to buy and sell in a relatively unrestricted manner, with minimal taxation. The ability to conduct business is also a part of someone’s individual freedom. If you place extreme regulations on this, you will decrease the ability of a person to profit from his labor and efforts. This will dramatically increase poverty and lead to an oppressive society. Modern society is dependent on businesses, especially small businesses and entrepreneurship, and this should not be changed. If I changed anything, I would reduce current regulations and taxation, because I see it as a violation of a person’s individual freedom.

What I would change

I wasn’t always like this, but I have actually come to appreciate modern society in a lot of ways. I wouldn’t say I love it, but I think it has been heading in roughly the right direction and made remarkable progress. It is my hope that modern society will remain stable and individual rights and freedom will continue to improve across the globe. That being said, I might change a few things.

Violent Crime

There is a lot more violent crime than I care to see. I don’t have an answer for this at the human nature level. Many people just have violent tendencies and anger issues, but often it’s a one-off based on difficult circumstances. The trick is to head them off at the pass before they do something everyone regrets. Perhaps modern society will use AI to create predictive models for preventive purposes.

I hate to say this, but it is looking like increased surveillance is a part of modern society. It feels really creepy, but one thing it has going for it is it should decrease crime. Literally, all crime will be observed as it happens, and law enforcement and emergency services can be routed immediately. Video evidence will also be available to ensure proper prosecution of the criminal. Hacking and deep fakes could interfere with the effectiveness of surveillance though.

Social Manipulation

There is a huge amount of social manipulation going on though the news and social media outlets. Organizations and governments are trying to prevent this, but unfortunately, they often combat it by inserting their own agenda and propaganda. I believe this is really one of the biggest concerns for modern society, because it has the ability to escalate people to the boiling point and create violence, rioting, and civil war. Some people have a tendency to believe the sky is falling already, and they don’t need any help.

I wish the negativity and manipulation would go away, but I’m not really sure how to fix it at this point. Perhaps AI could stop corrupting stories from emerging, but that could lead to extreme censorship. Who gets to decide what you receive as news? Whatever you come up with could potentially be used by bad actors to create an even worse condition. I shudder to think of what harm it is going to do to modern society.

What are your thoughts on my list? What would you change? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share! Oh, and if you made it this far, thanks for reading!

Activities that make me lose track of time.

I believe it is quality time that we crave the most, and that is usually what slips right through our fingers. I am very saddened by that, because time is our most precious commodity. One of my biggest regrets is that we lost so much time being where we didn’t want to be, doing things we didn’t want to do, and around people who didn’t appreciate us. I think every moment should be spent living life to the fullest.

  • Leisure. On vacation and weekends, time just vanishes into thin air.
  • Sleeping. I lose track of several hours each night, but dreams seem longer.
  • Browsing social media. I can get caught up in the endless scrolling.
  • Watching channels. Movies, television, and videos can eat away hours.
  • Playing games. I don’t like to start, because the whole day will be gone.
  • Talking. With the right person, I can converse for hours on end.
  • Interacting. I get lost interacting with people in the comments.
  • Reading. Good writing can sweep me away to other lands.
  • Programming. I don’t do it much, but I used to spend hours on code.
  • My work. Time flies when I’m doing the personal work I like doing.
  • Writing and editing. I can get into this, and I usually like doing it.
  • Being creative. I used to spend countless hours drawing and making stuff.
  • Studying. I spent a lot of my youth reading books and encyclopedias.
  • Leading. I like leading and motivating people, and time evaporates.
  • Learning. I can lose track of time while learning a new subject.
  • Sex. It’s the fastest 5 minutes I’ve ever experienced.

On that note, and just for fun, you might want to check out how long the average length of time is for your State in this article on Time. How ironic that an article about losing time ends up being linked to an article on Time.

Do you have some to add? Comments are always welcome! Remember to like, subscribe, follow, and share!