Nothing is out of our reach. With technology, everything is in the palm of our hand—never more than a few swipes on a screen or a few clicks on a keyboard away. And while that may be an exaggeration, it’s undeniable that we have access to an overwhelming amount of everything—far more than we actually need. Honestly, I spend more time deciding what to watch than actually watching anything on Netflix. The endless options overwhelm me, and I end up not picking anything at all. When I do pick something, I don’t even really appreciate it anymore; it feels like I’m just passively watching instead of actually engaging with it.
As a kid, my parents didn’t like buying me new games. Like most kids, I didn’t have much choice in what I got, so I would spend an almost absurd amount of time on whatever I had, no matter how dumb it was. And maybe I look down on those games now, but I absorbed every bit of those experiences. They might not have had much to say, but I took in whatever they offered. I knew them better than I knew most things—inside and out. I’m sure you have fond memories of your childhood entertainment too, even if, looking back, they seem really stupid. But it’s not just nostalgia. I think when we dedicate a lot of time to a single experience, we transform and grow as people. And why does that matter? Because it’s better to have a few meaningful experiences than an endless stream of forgettable ones.
Now, when we have as much music as we want, as many shows as we want, and enough TikToks to completely rot our brains, we’re really just consuming mindlessly. We feel like we’re gaining something by taking in as much content as possible, but what’s the point if we don’t even remember it? It just pushes our problems back for later—almost like running away from responsibility. Music, for example, becomes more of a background noise than something we actively choose to listen to. Sure, playing music while working might help you focus, but it also undermines the art itself. Over time, you condition yourself to need the noise simply because you’re not really paying attention to it. Our focus is now split across so many different things that we don’t fully engage with anything—and we end up appreciating nothing.
Think about the times you’ve truly locked in and explored something on your own, consciously, without distractions. You probably enjoyed it so much more. I struggle with this too, honestly. I always find some stupid YouTube video to watch while I try to work, and I’m listening to music while writing this right now. But I’m working on fixing that. Try separating your actions more—you’d be surprised how much it helps.