This morning over coffee, I did what I normally do.

Seasons of Jason

This morning over coffee, I did what I normally do. I scanned the RSS feeds, checked email, browsed the social media platforms I'm on... and absolutely nothing interested me. It felt like a complete waste of time. Maybe this is the "winter blahs" or my typical melancholy November mood -- or maybe it's something deeper this time.

Maybe I'm just tired of the internet.

Anyone else feeling this more and more as the years wear on?

Ernie Smith

@killyourfm I wrote something relatively recently about how, when blogging tired me, I would emphasize design work more. I think the challenge with social media is that it doesn’t make it easy to switch tracks.

Seasons of Jason

@ernie Finding balance has never been my strength
I think all this backpacking, hiking, and camping has fundamentally changed how I'm feeling about most interactions and content online...

Speaking of social media, this would be the ONLY place I truly missed if I just pulled the plug on the internet for a while.

Deadlinux 🐧💀

@killyourfm Definitely, and especially this time of year - here, everything gets cold, and gloomy. Kills interest for a lot of things.

And, true, the Internet doesn't possess novelty forever, but I consider this another example where we as humans are big moody beanbags of chemicals that are constantly changing, so the feeling is likely temporary.

That, or I'm just getting old lol

Seasons of Jason

@deadlinux "Big moody beanbags of chemicals..." You know what, NOW I've read something that interested me today

Thanks for that.

invisivel

@killyourfm Also thought it was the november mood on my side. What puzzles me is that things are presented as a breakthrough or something especial and new, and I, more and more, look at it with a: oh! That again... More of the same. And today it looked that everyone was horny with bluesky... What a waste of time.

Seasons of Jason

Also, I went to bad last night with crushing existential dread and severe anxiety about what I'm doing and accomplishing with the years I have left.

So there's that...

Brian Davis

@killyourfm Definitely the gloomiest month of the year for me. Getting outside and unplugged is my number one coping strategy. That and sleep.

Seasons of Jason

@invisivel Hmm. Indeed. More of the same with just a slightly different coat of paint.

Dave

@killyourfm I feel the same way. The constant deluge of negativity on the internet wears me down. That's why I'm very happy in my little pocket of the Fediverse with a bunch of generally happy nerds, and I have drastically toned down my news consumption (while still attempting to stay informed). I've hit a point in my life where my mental health is more important than the rage encouraged by the internet.

Seasons of Jason

@dm That's a very health stance, Dave. Loudly applauding that over here. I've also cut down my news sources to mostly tech and hiking stuff, but I probably need to AGGRESSIVELY start filtering here (I do love this place).

The negativity seeps in through every little crack.

Michael Labowicz

@killyourfm sometimes it's just good to switch up your routine. I get sick of the Internet from time to time as well and step away for a bit to do other things. After a while the interest seems to come back

Seasons of Jason

@mlabowicz Yep, that's a good insight. I felt happiest the last few months when I'm outside hiking, camping, backpacking. That was a massive switch to my routine! But the more I do that, the more listless and sadder I feel being at home...

Seasons of Jason

@intrepidhero I've been getting outside (hiking, backpacking, camping) almost constantly for the past 3 months... and the jarring halt to that might be part of my problem! It's just not sustainable or realistic to be constantly "out there" as much as I want to be...

AKM:skp287:

@killyourfm Well, for one, cutting back on caffeine helps if you deal with anxiety.

I just think that as the internet has continued to be enshittified (largely by AI slop) and driven into the ground by commercial interests, it's harder and harder to find stimulating content (except the kind that targets the most base urges).

Seasons of Jason

@akm That's a good insight, as sad as it is... Thanks for mentioning it.

Reflecting on it, it feels like there are 2 major things wearing on me:

1) The onslaught of AI slop and seemingly EVERY tool and website wanting to shove it down my throat. I should take some steps to filter as much of that out as possible.

2) The state of politics, and the increasing toxicity surrounding it.

Brian Davis

@killyourfm I feel that! I often I wish I could take a year off of life just wander the wilderness. Hang in there!

I just went through my photos from the last 5 years and made them into a photobook. It was a great exercise of remembering all the amazing places I've been and things I've done. When I'm stuck indoors, flipping through it gives me a little hit of the peace I felt when I was out there.

Kilroy_Was_Here

@killyourfm

I've felt the same about computers overall. I'd rather do stuff in the real world. No real sense of achievement when it comes to computers.

I was gonna buy a 3D printer, but such equipment would mean more computer time. More and more I'm asking myself "do I really want to spend more time on the computer?" I've been reminded of mortality a lot in the past year, I don't want to die having lived in front of a screen.

Computers are valuable tools. Not something to build life around.

Jon

@killyourfm You had an amazing outdoor experience and perhaps the winter blah is making you feel this way.

I feel the same reading my RSS feeds. I'm slowly removing tech news & replacing them with great blogs. Reading about others experiences makes me feel better. I've stopped watching & reading local news too.

As we get older, I feel we have seen it all and have less patience. Especially around social media.

Don't spread yourself thin on all the social networks & stay where you're happy.

Seasons of Jason

@intrepidhero I dig your photobook idea!
On January 1 of this year, I started a gratitude jar with the objective of putting a note in there every Sunday.

But it evolved into also being a "great memories and/or accomplishments" jar. My plan was to open it on New Year's Eve... but now I'm thinking I shouldn't wait that long haha.