Welcome to Artists, a public journal about my journey building a global artistic venture.
10.26.25 9:58 p.m
I have a love-hate relationship with social media.
On one end, the opportunities I’ve created simply by putting myself online have been beyond my wildest imagination.
On the other end, I loathe the “TikTokification” of the Internet and how everything is a soul-sucking fabricated filter of reality.
Amusingly enough, I’ve been meaning to write about this a few days ago. When I woke up the next morning, I saw a beautifully written essay talking about the same thing.
Yesterday, I deleted X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube from my phone.
Every time I want to post a story on Instagram, I re-download and delete it again. If I want to write, I do so on my computer. It’s too tempting to scroll on your phone.
“At a certain point we’re gonna have to build up some machinery, inside our guts, to help us deal with this. Because the technology is just gonna get better and better and better and better. And it’s gonna get easier and easier and more and more convenient, and more and more pleasurable, to be alone with images on a screen, given to us by by people who do not love us but want our money.”
To some extent, I miss the old days of tech and business Twitter, back when everyone seemed to be in pursuit of novel and interesting ideas. This was during 2021-22.
Every Twitter thread felt like I was uncovering some sort of hidden treasure.
Now, all I see on my feed are unhinged, cringeworthy posts prying to get attention, engagement, and likes. It’s almost as if the rottenness of Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn has finally penetrated this niche little corner of the Internet.
This corner of Twitter, and social media broadly, is not the same anymore. It’s changed (imo for the worse).
Despite these changes, I continue playing “The Great Online Game.”
There’s still an asymmetrical opportunity for those who put themselves online:
“The Great Online Game is an infinite video game that plays out constantly across the internet. It uses many of the mechanics of a video game, but removes the boundaries. You’re no longer playing as an avatar in Fortnite or Roblox; you’re playing as yourself across Twitter, YouTube, Discords, work, projects, and investments. People who play the Great Online Game rack up points, skills, and attributes that they can apply across their digital and physical lives.”
But I’m going to do it with greater intention.
I’m not going to pursue virality. It’s fool’s gold, and frankly, I’m stubbornly anti-trend. I don’t want to do things for the algorithm. It rubs me the wrong way.
Instead, I’m going to prioritize craftsmanship, artistry, and quality.
Public journal entries like these. Forever-lasting creations like my upcoming 2.5-hour “Great China Adventure” film. Continue tending my own garden. That’s all I care about.
Also, I got my computer back. Some updates on the film before we close off:
We’ve finished 24 compositions in ~5 weeks of focused effort. Total runtime so far: 1 hr 30 min. I’ve been having SO much fun (follow my Instagram for live updates :).
My magnum opus. 24 compositions in.
I’ll see you in the next.
Be musinary <3.
