Like many, I am guilty of getting sucked into the vortex of TikTok reels, but my experience (mainly dogs and Scotland) is unique to me, the algorithm having noticed my previous penchant for lingering on puppies or kilted men by lochs. Cal Newport is fascinated by this uniqueness despite previously—and publicly—rejecting social media. In this piece, Newport explores the appeal of this form of content, talking to different users and commentating on his own first experience of TikTok (dancing baseball players and rotating snow brooms).
The velocity of the clips and the rawness of their emotion is breathtaking. I immediately feel old, like a grandparent encountering a smartphone for the first time. What I notice most, though, is TikTok’s lack of obvious purpose. In a 2013 blog post called “Why I’m (Still) Not Going to Join Facebook,” I described a common argument in favor of legacy social media: that it “makes it possible to maintain lightweight, high-frequency contact with a large number of people.” This is clearly not the function of TikTok, which does not revolve around following friends or posting updates about one’s life. When I first signed up, the app didn’t even require me to pick a username; it asked only for my phone number and birthday. According to Pew Research, the typical TikTok user never adds information to their account’s “bio” field. They’re happy to remain anonymous consumers of content. (I’d later learn that many people share TikToks via texts or instant messages.)
More picks on social media
If You Quit Social Media, Will You Read More Books?
“Books are inefficient, and the internet is training us to expect optimized experiences.”
The Last Days of Social Media
“Social media promised connection, but it has delivered exhaustion.”
The Agony and Ecstasy of being a Viral Trickshot Video Star
“Think you could throw a basketball off a 540ft dam, into a hoop—while blindfolded? Meet the talented and ludicrously patient people putting hours into the internet’s most joyful (and pointless) clips.”
My Brain Finally Broke
“Much of what we see now is fake, and the reality we face is full of horrors. More and more of the world is slipping beyond my comprehension.”
Eco-Radical, Singer, Criminal, Cult Leader: Inside Carbon Nation
“Eligio Bishop declared himself a God to a group of dedicated followers he led through Central America, Mexico, and the US before landing in the Atlanta area. Now he’s serving life in prison.”
Do Our Dogs Have Something to Tell the World?
“Many owners think so, thanks to the ‘talking buttons’ craze on TikTok and Instagram. Scientists are less convinced.”
