I consume a lot of content. Whether it be TV/streaming, social media, books/audio books, podcasts. Specifically TikTok has become extremely prevalent in my consumption

I am self aware to know that it is a lot. It’s excessive and probably not something I would recommend.

And yet I would not cut myself off, especially not cold turkey.

Similar to a relationship with food — if you deprive yourself, you’ll end up gorging yourself. In this context, gorging would equate to me scrolling for hours into the wee night knowing full well I have to watch up the next morning to be a working, functioning person of society.

So I’ve learned — while I will never limit myself, I will curate better. The thing with mindless scrolling it is that the scrolling is unmoderated. Meaning that it’s a continuous stream of content from every walks of the internet — if it was interesting to Becky from Bum Fuck Nowhere, for you page; if it was interesting to Todd from down the street, for you page.

We’re letting the algorithm control us and categorize us in a specific bucket (a bucket that actually includes everyone) and essentially giving us content that has a snowball effect.

What can you do? TRAIN YOUR TIKTOK.

Now I’m not saying you will ever get away from the viral videos that are actually aligned with you interests. But I will say, you will never stumble across a gem in the rough if you don’t train your TT.

Great, I said my peace there and for many of you that might be enough. Simple enough – “go forth and train” but for a good handful of you, you may be thinking “BUT HOW?!” and then the rest of you probably bowed out the moment I misrepresented how algorithm function (hey you win some you lose some and sometimes you are egregiously wrong with how technology works — this is after all an opinion piece)

For those wondering how – I can only offer my current practice. The practice that makes me at least think I am making an honest effort to be more ~mindful~ for my consumption.

1. Actually tell TT when you are not interested. Like dating, direct communication is best so if you’re not interested in what they are putting down, LET. THEM. KNOW. But honestly, even if it doesn’t do anything to what’s on your ‘for you’ page, there is definitely a sense of control like “my opinion matters”
2. As we all know, the apps are listening. So if I watch something that I am just less than thrilled about I will actually say outloud “UGH” and then proceed to let TT know I am not interested. Again, uncertain on if this actually does anything but it makes it feel like you have a voice.
3. Finally, if you are seeing a lot of the same type of content like *cough cough* Taylor and Travis or a certain family that lives in Calabasas. Then it might be time to pull out the big guns and actually add keywords and hashtags to your Content Preferences (Settings and privacy > Content preferences > Filter video keywords > add in key words and hashtags. Obviously, you might still get a few here and there that slip through the cracks but this has definitely reduced the amount of, what I call “rabbit hole” content.

As a parting word. if your consumption is not harming anyone and not getting in the way of your actual life — never feel guilted by people and consume what you want. This piece is just something that was top of mind.