Journal Entry 9/26

"A Friend is Writing"

Callum Copley

Wowie wow! I absolutely loved this reading and felt that it has encapsulated so many things I have been thinking about recently, and especially since the beginning of this class. I wish I was present for this in-class discussion! First of all, I felt the form of the writing was a great, clear choice. While at first mayhaps confusing, I immediately caught-on to the satirical approach of formatting the essay as an ever-growing stream of tabs and notifications. I have never seen an essay formatted this way. Every point that was brought up in the writing interests me, and I almost feel that I don’t have enough time/space to cover everything.

One of the biggest recurring themes in this class and in my life is the concept of “if you’re not paying for it, you’re the product.” I’ve been increasingly thinking of this concept, and also theorizing about the social media user as not just a product, but also as an employee, working for no money. When you enter scrollworld, it is not enough to be idle. Data is not generated, and ads are not watched. Instead, you must scroll. You must use real human energy! Together with the social media, you both create the real product, which is data. This isn’t a completely sound analogy, as I’m well aware of idle forms of data farming, and the iconic Stan-Twitter practice of looping your favorite artist’s song on mute. These companies are always taking advantage of you without your knowledge. However, I find it helpful to frame my actions on the internet as exactly that— actions.

Scrollworld ramblings aside, I have been watching Sex and The City recently. At risk of sounding naive, it is fascinating to watch such a vibrant depiction of social life that exists entirely off of the internet. I sometimes find myself longing to live in a world where I talk with friends and go one dates purely through in-person meetups and well-timed phone calls. However, I know that if I were to throw my phone in the fountain, a la Devil Wears Prada, I would not be able to cultivate the same social life. Not just because SATC is fictionalized, but also because so much of socializing in 2024 relies on the internet. Hmm…