trying to be more mindful of my internet usage. with an app for everything, algorithms invading every platform, news sites churning out clickbait, and exploitative gig platforms dressed up as “freedom,” it feels like there’s more bad than good online these days. kind of ironic that i’m writing this here of all places — but maybe it also makes sense? i’m not just mindlessly scrolling, i’m trying to do something. since cutting out the “cheap dopamine,” i’ve realised how starved i am for mindful interaction with the world. taking thoughtful photos. being intentional on social media. replacing junk news with writing that’s actually well-curated and worth reading. maybe it’s just me. i go for a walk and come back with five photos of something that doesn’t really matter. but if you didn’t take a picture, did it even happen? what happened to just describing things instead of pulling out your phone for a quickly snapped, useless photo? i watch a few reels someone sent me “just for a couple of minutes,” and end up stuck in reels perfectly curated for me by an algorithm. i check reddit for one thing and end up deep in a controversial thread from a subreddit i don’t even follow. it’s uncomfortable for me to admit, but facing it is the first step. at least now i can start doing something about it.