Squirreled away Circus tamers and trend setters lick their chops as the day turns. From eating a single chip made with Carolina Reaper peppers (supposedly hottest in the world). To the "Benadryl Challenge", where youngsters take a large dose of antihistamine commonly used to treat allergies, and post their hallucinations online. Thousands, if not millions of mimetically conditioned copy-cats have forced innovation and imagination to the bottom of your feed. It's not a coincidence folks.
The death grip of information by low-minded and morally bankrupt men (and women), disguised as philanthropist and benefactors of good, is mercilessly tight.
"The control of information is something the elite always does, particularly in a despotic form of government. Information, knowledge, is power. If you can control information, you can control people." - Tom Clancy
I could see it now - unhinged, horn-mad, psychopaths, with deep bellies, foaming at the mouth. Satiated only by lust, power, and control. Algorithmically, working up mechanical schemes on ways to game the masses. Indeed, it truly is a game to these invisible shakers of society. Compensating any participation in its pageantry with more likes, follows, views, and the hopes of finally being monetized. Reminding me of an old commercial "What would you do for a Klondike Bar?”
Humiliating yourself in front of strangers, harassing customers in a store, or even eating yourself into a coma. Whatever moves the needle and garners clicks is the only thing that matters to aspiring streamers, influencers, and online celebrities. But, how many of these "trends" and fads flooding social media come from a real place?
What drives certain content to the top? Catching the eyes, and minds of millions, if not billions of online users.
Behavior modification, predictive programming, the extracting, exploiting and controlling of large groups of people is no longer a conspiracy"? It's common knowledge. Our data, and private information (which isn't really private), has for years, been traced, tracked, stored, and used against us. Influencing, manipulating, and dominating every aspect of our lives. With only a few Big Tech companies monopolizing the space we call Cyber (Google, Amazon, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft).
I'm not immune to the lunacy. I catch myself at times caught up in the craze. Flipping through YouTube videos, victim to its never ending pop-ups and recommendations. NPC streamers acting like video game characters for gifts. Put a quarter in the machine and watch your favorite TikTok live streamer meow like a cat, or pop an imaginary balloon. "How and the hell is this so popular?" These are adults, mind you.
Are we genuinely entertained by bizarre, and dumbed down online displays? Or are we purposefully fed junk, invading feeds and rotting brains (if we let it) in order to keep us down, out "the know", and in-line. Social Media is the new "Opium of the people." Comforting and distracting us from the frustrations and fears of reality.
Back in the day, in the shadows of the music industry, behind the scenes there were record companies paying radio stations to promote their music - Payola.
"The record label might use payola to get the song onto a top 40 station's rotation. Suddenly, the song is everywhere, and its popularity soars, not necessarily because of its quality or the artist's talent, but because of the exposure bought by the label." - Payola: Payola in the Music Industry: Kickbacks That Tune the Charts, Faster Capitol
Algorithmic infrastructures, automation biases, chat box gatekeepers, and rigging global ranking systems through search engine manipulations. Much like Payola, with the emergence of Big Tech and its infiltration and leverage in every sector of society. Content, information, uncommon truths, discussions, whether considered controversial or not. Either go viral or fade into obscurity, thanks to Technofascism. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00146-026-02862-9)
When writing, and sharing my heart and convictions on certain issues. I'm in no way trying to come off as "smug", or self-righteous. As mentioned, I catch myself at times, pulled and dragged along just as much as the next. What's important here, is to be mindful of how we're using and engaging with technology. It's a tool after all, neutral. Which can either benefit or destroy the one using it. The end result, being totally up to us.
Whenever it starts to feel a little loopy, and too much, you can always plug out. Step away from the circus, get outside, touch grass, listen to the birds, walk through the field, feel the air brush against your bare skin. Or get your hands dirty, plant something, build something, do something you've never done but always wanted to do. Love, live, be of service, don't just take but give, learn, laugh, stay curious, and open to new possibilities.
More than anymore technocratic "innovations", and artificial breakthroughs or wearable "smart" gadgets on the market. DON'T FORGET TO BE HUMAN.
'Till next time my good peoples,
PEACE!