So to go a bit sideways, I'd say that a lot of people want to feel heard, and be around someone that is a good listener.
Fewer people care to be a good listener. And not without good reason. It's hard. It's hard to be the listener, because it can drain you. Other people like it, and they like being able to talk to (or at?) you.
And "most" people on the internet want to firehose their lives to the world, and then take a break and whip through glimpses of the internet at a million short clips a minute. How much are we absorbing along the way? Who is feeling "seen" and "heard" on the internet?
Now when someone sits down and writes an earnest blog post, and someone else takes the time to read it, and then writes a comment which proves they engaged, overall the interaction feels meaningful, and someone maybe gets a little reassurance they have a voice, and others in the world have a moment to listen.
But both of those things take time and effort, and most people simply don't see enough value in that. Maybe they are too distracted. Too drained from how life is lived, and then too low energy to do anything but consume distractions.
A downward cycle instead of a virtuous cycle. But how many of us are good at putting consistency into doing the healthy things for our body and mind that keep us feeling energized and motivated to slow down and engage?
I think we all know that we should avoid junk food snacks and instead eat a few healthy meals that leave us feeling fully nourished and sated. The kind of meal where afterwards you feel done but not gross or weighed down.
When I'm disciplined about not buying junk at the store and my kitchen only has relatively unprocessed ingredients, I find myself obligated to make that kind of food.
But if the chips are there, it's really hard to not wander into the kitchen and snack on them. I only have finite willpower after all.
The modern world is like being completely surrounded by junk food for our attention, 24/7. It's no wonder ADHD diagnoses are spiking, people are anxious, no one seems to have enough willpower anymore, and we're all struggling to do what we know is best for ourselves.
Fewer people care to be a good listener. And not without good reason. It's hard. It's hard to be the listener, because it can drain you. Other people like it, and they like being able to talk to (or at?) you.
And "most" people on the internet want to firehose their lives to the world, and then take a break and whip through glimpses of the internet at a million short clips a minute. How much are we absorbing along the way? Who is feeling "seen" and "heard" on the internet?
Now when someone sits down and writes an earnest blog post, and someone else takes the time to read it, and then writes a comment which proves they engaged, overall the interaction feels meaningful, and someone maybe gets a little reassurance they have a voice, and others in the world have a moment to listen.
But both of those things take time and effort, and most people simply don't see enough value in that. Maybe they are too distracted. Too drained from how life is lived, and then too low energy to do anything but consume distractions.
A downward cycle instead of a virtuous cycle. But how many of us are good at putting consistency into doing the healthy things for our body and mind that keep us feeling energized and motivated to slow down and engage?