Has it really ben over a year since I last wrote on my blog? So much has happened in that time frame. I simply let my passion for writing slip away from me as life became busy. Perhaps I was overwhelmed or my motivation wained with new responsibilities. Either way I am sitting here writing this as a self commitment and ode to long form writing.
In the era of social media, smartphones, and short attention spans writing is ever changing. These days it hardly feels like making an effort to write is even considered. Slap together some generic video clips, add trendy music, keep duration under thirty seconds. Is this what we as a society are becoming? Do we still remember how to slow down, listen to our surroundings, revel in the boredom, and let curiosity flow? That is how great ideas are born right? I for one do not know the answer to these questions. The truth of the matter is that I am just another piece of the ever fluxing puzzle. Guilty as charged.
Some time back in 2023, I made a fairly brash decision to delete social media. I was fed up and felt like the world was spiralling downward into a pit of self-loathing, accolade hungry, crocodilians. The break was exactly what I needed, though for some reason I harboured some guilt whenever people asked me why. I never felt like I had an honest answer for them and would usually say something like "Just taking a temporary break". In my mind I knew that was not the case (or so I thought).
Fast forward around a year and Arcteryx has offered me an athlete contract. Also something I felt rather torn about. With life's harsh economic realities and my workforce skillset limited to the service industry I understood that A: if I wanted to take a crack at this whole professional athlete gig this is the place to start and B: I have nothing to lose from saying yes, even though deep down my morals waiver. As I skimmed through the five page robotic athlete contract something caught my eyes. An obligation to use social media. I signed the contract. Said yes to an opportunity and just like that, I found myself sucked right back into the addictive vortex of social media. It has been eight months since I have returned to social media. I am playing the game like any other upcoming athlete trying to survive and make a living in a rather tough world where brands value so-called influencers as much or more than hard working athletes or artists. Thankfully that is not Arcteryx prioritizes or clearly they would not have taken on an athlete with no social media following.
I am starting to think I sound like a curmudgeon but the truth is that social media is changing our society and my generation is loosing the ability to be in the moment which concerns me. Don't lose hope! Long form writing is still here. Alive and well in the depths of my blog that very few people read apart from my family members. Jokes aside, my goal going forward to is continue writing on my blog. I want to write about life, adventures, climate change, well pretty much anything. I hope that if you find yourself here reading my blog you will takeaway some ideas, inspiration, or simply enjoy the process of reading something rather than watching a rapid-fire Instagram Reel.
I will end with a quote that I think about often when considering whether start a challenge or new chapter "The best time is now, and the best memories are always tomorrow" - Kilian Jornet.
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