[AKN #74] I Don’t Want To Join Your Community
LAUGH: Nicholas Cage is Nick Cage , LOVE: What Would You Like To See More Of In 2022?
Sup homies?
Last newsletter of the year.
Time flies when you’re pontificating on a random assortment of topics!
I don’t know about you, but I celebrated the end of the year by getting my booster shot.
Hoping I can make like Starfox and use the boost to get through before becoming infected with the Omicron variant!
I wanted to get my shot a bit earlier than this, but alas I’m a deplorable piece of anti vax trash.
Just kidding.
In actuality, I waited because I didn’t want to take time off of work to recover from side effects…
This sounds like one of those cringe worthy job interview responses, but I legit have a hard time taking time off work for my own health.
I actively work against it every year because that mindset is thunderously unhealthy, but I’m not sure I ever really make “progress” on it.
What can I say, I am an imperfect human.
Anyway.
I am going to keep this one short this week.
I’m on vacation and I’m sure you are too so why keep your face glued to your screen for longer than it has to be.
On to the newsletter!
LIVE: I Don’t Want To Join Your Community
The other day I bought a mattress cover and received an email from the company saying:
Thank you. You’re not just part of a community now, you are part of a movement.
Let’s full stop here.
I’m not a part of a community.
I’m not part of a movement.
I bought a fucking mattress pad.
Stop insisting otherwise.
The Friendship Marketing Promises You
America’s hottest marketing trend is capitalizing on the inherent loneliness people have been suffering from over the last 2+ years.
Rather than address the root cause of the loneliness, we are told to “join a digital tribe of likeminded folks” or “get access to an exclusive online forum” based on the fact we bought or read the same thing.
Or in other words: Fill your deep sadness void with our digital community of consumers who have similar requirements for human connection!
This is the promise.
The Friendship Marketing Gives You
While the promise you’re sold is one where you meet people of similar sensibilities, it’s increasingly rare that a “community” is what you will get when you sign up for a “community”.
In reality, rather than meeting real humans, you will instead get your email taken by someone with short term plans to monetize having your attention.
Joke is on you as you’re pushed every related product for the next 6 fiscal quarters before you figure out where the unsubscribe button is buried in the email.
Ends up it was always about getting the ability to assault you with advertisements and never about fixing the hole in your life.
The Friendship You Deserve
Marketing is preying on our desire for real human connection.
This desire for community is endemic of a population that has no friends and desires to fill the time with digital noise to escape that bleak reality.
But the truth is, if you are lonely, the only solution is to stop seeking your solutions in digital communities.
You don’t need a digital community, you need real life friends.
Being in a new Slack channel will not change your life.
Instead, you should text a friend and go get dinner together.
Don’t have healthy friendships?
Join a digital community and use it to facilitate real life meetings.
All in all: Don’t allow your life to be fully lived online.
Make real friends and actually go see them.
LAUGH: Nicholas Cage Is Nick Cage
This movie trailer made me laugh quite hard.
The premise is that Nicholas Cage plays an amazingly famous actor named Nick Cage.
Fun.
Definitely looking forward to watching this one.
LOVE: What Would You Like To See More Of In 2022?
If you’re an avid reader, occasional reader, or just joined, I would love to hear from you!
Reply back to this email and let me know what articles I wrote this year which resonated with you most or subjects you would like to see me write more about next year.
Have a great New Year and look forward to talking to you next year :)
Closing time
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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are strictly my own. Who else’s would they be?
-K.Rapp