Tightknit forums with positive vibes, the early viral videos on YouTube (looking at you, Star Wars Kid), MSN Messenger, the band pages on MySpace, using Limewire to download music (at a glacial speed), searching for information and actually finding it — and actually being able to read it. As I recall, it was pretty magical. I can remember sitting down at night somewhat excited to open my shitty laptop and chat with friends, watch dumb videos and generally have a good time. Sure, it was clunky and slower. But it had charm. And it worked well. It might be a case of rose-tinted glasses, another example of someone claiming it was “better back in my day.”
But, while the internet is still used in much the same way today, something has changed.
I feel no sense of joy using it. No curiosity. No intrigue. No excitement. That feeling of tapping into an endless world of possibilities is gone, replaced with a begrudging realization that I’ll have to enter it again and battle to find what I need, trudging through ads, paywalls, vitriol, disinformation and more.
I’ve come to the realization that I kinda hate the internet now.
These podcasts are read by the author, me, Stephen Moore, and give you another way to digest my newsletter (subscribe here).
This project is a work in progress — I hate recording myself, and it’s going to take some getting used too. It may take you time to get used to my monotone Scottish accent. Hey, you can only work with what you were given!
For now, as I find my feet, the podcast episodes are going to release the day after the newsletter goes live, and will be free for all subscribers for now. The eventual plan is to move this to a paid bonus for paid subscribers, but I’ll update you all in due course.
Let me know your thoughts. Suggestions for improvements — if friendly and constructive — are welcome.
Trend Mill 19 / The Internet Sucks