Welcome to the Mind Drift
My personal tutorial
Social media has always played a strange role in my life.
I’m not sure at which point listening became a core part of my adaptation to this world, but it feels like a necessary adaptation to survive in my current environment. It has led me down a path of empathy and compassion that has allowed me to facilitate meaningful connection with others. It helped me create and join communities. It allowed me to help those in need. It both drains and nourishes my soul.
I was taught to listen to my parents, listen to my teachers. Listen to the news, listen to your neighbors. I was taught to follow instructions, read warning labels. Listen to the stories of old, listen to those who are old. Listen to your customers, your clients, your patients. Listen to the reviews, ignore the haters.
Social media gave people the power to speak. At a young age, I “felt” the dangers and complicated issues that came with that type of responsibility, but it was extremely hard to grasp. It led to internal conflict that was difficult to process. I had the skills to listen and engage, which can be considered “lurking” in online circles. This allowed me to avoid and anxiety/fear of missing out.
But I lacked the capacity to post. Most of the time in my society, people craved to be listened to. They want to be heard. It became my gateway to developing beautiful relationships by way of finding common ground and connecting with others. Looking for shared interests and diving into the deeper emotional connection, learning what context led someone to like what they like. It is why media in this world is so importnat and comodiffied. Sharing stories and experiences is intergral to the human expeirence and we are always looking to learn from each other.
But at a young age, I knew I didn’t have much to teach. I didn’t have much to tell. This did not mean I was introverted in nature, in fact it seemed to be quite the opposite. I loved and excelled at public speaking. I was told I was a natural leader. In my career, I’ve received promotions and accolades because of these traits. I have commemorated graduations, officiated weddings, and have spoken on expert panels. But all these traits stem from my ability to listen to those around me and tell their story. Read through the research and work others have put in. Listen to their strengths and weakness. Listen to the stories of hardship. Listen to the experiences. Find what worked and what didn’t. Listen to your audience and cater to them. Listen to your client and find what needs to be said. Listen to your patient to find what ails them. Listen to the experts. Listen to the way people speak and what resonates. I became very well versed in becoming a conduit for other’s stories. This is what propelled my career in client services. This is what has allowed me to become a sucessful advocate to my patients.
I feel like I could not be on social media without my own story to tell. Without a concrete idea of self and confidence, I feel like I could fall into the pitfall traps of engagement solicitation or participant manipulation. Telling a bad story without a resolution, a movie without an ending. A show that instills poor morals on an impressionable audience.
To navigate authenticity while creating your own personal brand in my capitalist and consumerist society is not an easy task. To provide context while maintaining privacy is not an easy task.
It is why I have always gravitated towards movies, video games, books, music and other forms on entertainment. They allowed for a chance to tell someone’s story while providing context. It is why I enjoy youtube and video sites that allow anyone to create presentations that can be as long or as strange as they want it to be.
Authenticity is often masked by the algorithm, and finding true connections with context that does not feel parasocial is difficult. It often takes stepping outside one’s comfort zone, trusting in a stranger on a forum, finding those shared interests. Vetting the environment for safety and validity.
After so many seasons and episodes on this earth, I think I am finally ready to start sharing my thoughts and experiences. I see set ups and pay offs. I see mid season arcs and through lines. I see complex emotions and characters. I see art, beauty and music.
Though looking for a space to share this has been a journey of itself. The internet is not what it once was, and social spaces do not feel the same. Algorithms have taken a hold on people’s time and attention. Brands and IP’s have been solidified and conglomerated. Media is propped up by virality and engagement.
I'm shackled by the grind, scientifically formulated to take up the most of my time
Sixteen hours is too short, that's a crime!
But that's the crushin' reality of this fuckin' paradigm
Anyway, I like Mega Man the best, out of all the games“Arin Checks the Mic” - Starbomb
Naturally, I too crave attention and acceptance. Though the fear of vulnerability is there too. We see the consequences in our society of social media.
It is funny to me to that “exposure” in the social media space is often a carrot-on-a-stick term, but in much other context it comes with an inherent risk or potential harm.
But I do have a story to share. Experiences I want to discuss. I want to bravely step into the world and find others like me to connect with. I want to use art and media as a stepping stone to paint who I am. I want to review movies, games and music to not determine if they are “good”, but to find who it resonates with.
So this will be a strange entry for me into social media. A path I will make my own and see where it leads.
A preview/examples of what is to come:
Movie Reviews
“Talk to Me” and addiction
“Sinners” and interracial couples
“Edge of Tomorrow” and relationships
“Hundreds of Beavers” and masculinity
Video Game
Playing different games to process different emotions
Metaphor Refantazio
Pacific Drive
Tales of Overwatch
PEAK
Zenge
Developing a skill
Street Fighter 6
2xKo
Joining a community
Watch alongs
Tournaments
Music
Album reviews
Songs that resonate
