Of course the Thought Daughter has A Blog
Malcriadas claiming their virtual space
10 minute read
Overconsumption Connection
The borders between digital and physical realms continue to fade. This makes having an online presence vital to maneuver through the world. Nowadays, social media is essential if you want to establish a credible image in any field. The algorithm demands to see you at your best. Inactive, faceless accounts will not suffice. There is a spotlight on individuals now more than ever. But a more hungry focus on their consumption habits. What clothes they wear, what food they eat, what events they attend. Brands are eager to sell you…anything to fill that void.
We fail to remember that behind that urge to consume, lies an ache for belonging. We all yearn for community. But unity cannot grow without uncomfortable conversations about our past. For many of us, the internet was an escape from said past. But technology has evolved since. Now, information travels globally in seconds. This allowed us to witness people around the world beg for their lives online as they face genocide. While many work on dismantling this collective struggle. Others struggle displaying their humanity through their online presence to remain marketable—pause, why the fuck are we valuing marketability over human lives?
Graph By Erin Raimondi
White Supremacy, capitalism, and patriarchy dominate our world. And social media is not immune to these systems. During the pandemic, the social media app “TikTok” regained popularity through a rebrand. This marketing strategy was successful among Generation Z . Information on any topic became accessible through short, concise videos. It became our go-to social media outlet during quarantine. The app provided a sense of unity at a dark time. And since we were already there, it didn’t take long for users to discuss the corruption in our country. The mishandling of COVID-19, police brutality, wage theft. The list goes on.
As a result, the application played an immense role in social justice advocacy. But this momentum dwindled after the lockdown and mask mandates lifted in the United States. People were more than happy to return to “normal.” While global marginalized communities continued to face oppression. But we still have the power to change that. Queer, Black, and Indigenous youth are already leading this revolution. But our dysfunctional dynamic with social media exposes our lack of solidarity. We did not create this oppressive system. But we can certainly do everything in our power to dismantle it. To do this, we must revolutionize our use of social media by claiming our space online. But how the fuck can we do that? Here are Malcriada’s tips on…
How to Claim Your Online Space
Tech companies are desperate for your attention. Without you, the creator, their apps and pockets would be empty. If we want to revolutionize social media, we must stray away from prioritizing capital. And focus on centering our community’s well being.
Create more than you consume
Bed rotting. Doom scrolling. Brain rotting. The ultimate frenemies of our generation. I have learned so much from the internet. But it also filled me with dread. Too much bad news. But sometimes it feels like I learned more from the internet than actual professors. However, everything in excess is damaging. If we are only scrolling our day away, then we are not living. We become no different than the specs of dust floating in our depression rooms.
Hey, HEY! I get it.
Just one look out the window it’s no secret the world is burning. It’s frightening to see so much destruction. And feel like you have no power to stop it. But I am here to tell you that you are not lazy. You are not unproductive. You are not powerless. We all have that voice in our heads that tells us otherwise. But that is not your voice. That is the voice of the hierarchy. That voice does not want you to know that there is still good in the world. That voice does not want you to think you can revisit unfinished projects. And that voice… IS FULL OF SHIT!
Yes, we can learn so much from the internet. But we cannot change the world if we are only consuming its media. We must dive into the creative process to combat overconsumption in our society. So play. Draw. Talk to your friends. Take a free class. Go for a walk. Write down your thoughts (even if they don't make sense). And treat the internet as inspiration, not your final destination.
Overconsumption is not a niche.
The algorithm encourages overconsumption by pushing products through niche content. This is how popular creators establish large followings. They all have a bit they’re known for. Creators are more marketable when separated into categories. Like products in the grocery aisle.
Social media apps in the late stages of capitalism have turned into virtual markets. It can be intimidating. Especially when marketing "experts" flood our feeds. Claiming niche content is essential to grow your following. Meh. They’re not that wrong.
But if a large following is your goal, you must first know the responsibility of having a platform. For the point of social media was never to get rich and fuck off to California. It was to find connection through all this chaos. So, of course you can make content on your topics of expertise to grow your online community. But once you do…don’t push useless products on to them!!! You, the creator, are more than just a living advertisement for corporations.
Don’t focus on the numbers
We want to avoid getting lost in the amount of followers, likes, and views we receive. I know, it’s hard to escape that mentality. It raised the entire world. We learn to aspire to fame, success, luxury. And these are only accessible with large numbers in our bank accounts.
But when you start seeing numbers instead of people, you lose your humanity. You become alienated from a community mindset. You no longer see your supporters as people. But numbers meeting your marketability quota. This mindset is what turned the internet into a virtual market in the first place. So, to take it back, we must challenge its norms.
Curate your feed
Unfollow people you don’t talk to anymore.
Unfollow celebrities
Unfollow Influencers that don't prioritize community.
Follow creators that inspire you, and your creative energy.
Scroll on your following instead of your for you page.
Mute all undesired notifications.
Spread love in comment sections.
Limit daily social media use.
Showcase your creativity
Nice! Now you only have trustworthy supporters on your page. But it can still be challenging to put your work out there. Thoughts of self doubt drown out our confidence. But remember what I said about that voice in our heads? As kids, adults told us that our passions could never guarantee a livelihood. That securing a degree and a practical career was the only way success can look like. Now it’s evident that was a lie.
Social media gives you a great opportunity to showcase your gifts. Make connections. And allow your community to embrace your talent. Who better to decide what you're known for than yourself? No matter how obscure or common your dreams are. There is space for everyone. Always.
Don’t engage with rage baiters. It’s not worth it.
I know. I know. It feels so good to talk shit. But this is not the type of release our body needs. Rage baiters and trolls do not care like you. We are not wasting our breath on bigots anymore. We are channeling our efforts into caring for our communities. Something they will never understand. People who’ve adopted a hyper-individualistic mindset are neither above or below us. Rather too far away. Instead of screaming our lungs out, it’s better to let them come to us once they want to seek real change.
Use your virtual voice for what matters
Last, but certainly not least. Our virtual voice is just as powerful as our real voice. Recently, internet personalities and celebrities faced criticism for not speaking on the genocides occurring worldwide. Including Palestine, Congo, Sudan and more. This led to important conversations on the lack of responsibility creators with large platforms display. They use their influence for self gain. While disregarding pressing issues in their community.
What is the point of influence if you aren't using it for the greater good?
I understand that everyone was indoctrinated under the same system, and we all have ignorant thoughts as a result. But with all this access to information at our fingertips, how dare we not pay attention? How dare we not speak up? How dare we not care?
Corporations are paying millions of dollars to retain your focus on their shitty products. They pay no mind to the damages of overconsumption. And they don’t give a fuck about improving your life. They want to hoard their wealth, not make the world a better place. Your attention is the most valuable currency. I ask you, how do you want to spend it?
No matter your niche, you can speak on these important issues. Online or in the real world. Either or is better than not at all.
Escaping never worked
Many complain about how the media nowadays is too “liberal.” They can rest easy. Staff are still getting exploited for their labor. Women and Femmes are still being assaulted on set. Men are still being ridiculed for expressing their femininity. But sure! Focus on the fact that BIPOC, Queer, and disability representation is on the rise.
I love seeing this diversity in our media, but it’s clear it is only topical. We cannot be satisfied with surface level inclusion on our screens. We cannot be satisfied with diversity among the wealthy. We will only be satisfied once everyone is free.
I’m tired of people telling me that I care too much. I don’t think that's the case. And if you’re reading this, you probably think the same. It’s our responsibility to advocate for a better future for our community. If not, nothing’s ever going to change. By claiming our online space, we are one step closer to uniting our communities. And healing our sick world.
