Do people even blog anymore?

Let me ask a bigger question. Does anyone actually write anymore? Like, more than 300 characters? What about reading? Do people read, as in read longer media? Multiple paragraphs with nuance, text that someone has edited? Or do we really prefer uncomfortably up close videos of content creators rapid-firing buzzwords at us?

So brings us to my first of many hot takes: the trend I describe above is a travesty. The methods by which we’re dispensing information are making us deeply unwell. This is by no means me pointing fingers anywhere but inward; I’ve been guilty of lying in bed doom-scrolling, engaging in a poor excuse for “discourse” in 150 characters or less. It’s never solved any of the world’s bigger problems. It’s never changed minds. It’s never even made me feel better… other than that fleeting moment of cheap dopamine.

I’ve seen the arguments in favor. Video media and text blips are “more accessible,” it’s “easier for people with ADHD,” it “helps people get their thoughts out there.” These would be valid arguments if there was any evidence that bite-sized media actually improved the accessibility of real discourse. In truth, they don’t. Consuming massive amounts of “info blips” are known to worsen ADHD symptoms, for one. They actively dysregulate, not just the neurodiverse but all of us.

Dysregulation is the point, actually.

Is it any wonder the platforms that host these info blips are absolutely rolling in it? TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube… all multi-billion dollar tech giants that thrive on our need to scroll and scroll, to get our own snippets out there, quickly and without nuance, to engage with more people faster, get more clicks, more comments, more conflict, and more noise. And no matter how successfully any so-called content creator has monetized their platform, rest assured the CEO of their host platform is raking it in by the millions.

The point is a constant onslaught of information, rarely fact-checked, frequently created to anger or manipulate. Constant propaganda. That’s just good for business. I’ll get political early on and say that our government requires this. As do the governments of nations that would like to see us taken down (sparing the beneficiaries of our current government, of course)… ever wondered where all those internet trolls actually live? Or in the age of AI, if they really live?

So back to the original question: Why blogging?

In so many ways, it’s my way of reclaiming my own dopamine. To recommit myself to the beauties of discussion, of nuance, of not having any right answers. To dance around my own words, to provide a (maybe only slightly) higher quality discourse to those who care to bear witness to it. Like a hearty home cooked meal when so much of the internet wants to feed us gas station snacks… said snacks are delightful in the right circumstance, but they provide very little sustenance and are specifically manufactured to keep us wanting more.

Expect: Thoughts on yoga, health care, mindfulness, and life… from a feminist and anti-capitalist perspective. Longer musings inspired by my Vinyasa classes. Themes that some people call “political” but are simply topics that contribute to the health and wellness of our communities.

Don’t expect: Certainty, because complexity has no true god. Brevity, for reasons discussed above. Medical advice, because that’s unethical. Pseudoscience, because that noise is also killing us (an acknowledgement that I participate in wellness practices that are not entirely evidence-based, but I do not believe they are beneficial to everyone or in every circumstance).

Welcome to Five Breaths.