Trying to Succeed as a Positive Force in the Outrage Economy
I will be the first to admit, the more this page grows, the more tempted I am to “write to the algorithm” but then when I try to think of topics I get overhwhelmed and my brain shuts down. So, when I’m not sure what to write, I just start spitballing whatever is on my mind and let the words flow and sometimes something semi-cool comes out. At least I like to think so.
One thing since moving to Substack I think I’m finding more of my voice. When I was on Ghost and a fully independent blog, while I loved the idea of owning my own space, it was highly stressful. I would write a couple essays a week, but 90% of my time through the day was spent posting the links all over all the different social media platforms trying to get folks from there to click on links to visit my Ghost blog. Trying to get anyone to subscribe was even harder.
It was a TON of work, and I did get 21 amazing subscribers out of it, so it did pay off. Every subscriber is precious. But the mental strain of fighting algorthims each day on sites that throttle outbound links is tedious and exhausting. Meta is now launching their “Meta One” where you have to pay 49.00-499.00 a month to post linkes. I think at the 49.00 tier you get like 8 or 10 links a month and 49.00 its unlimited. It’s insane.
I remember in the early days of social media when you could post a blog or whatever your business was and your followers could see it and click on it and you saw theirs and everyone was successful and it was fun and we could all win. Now Meta despite being worth around a hundred billion dollars is going strictly to a pay to play model.
So, here we are on Substack which has a built in audience and discoverability. I can post my new essays in the notes and people see it and find it. It’s a great ecosystem so far and everyone seems to support each other. My only fear is that since this is also rented space, waiting for a shoe to drop of what happens when the powers that be feel like they’ve maxxed out market share in luring enough people here then adding pay to play costs and services. They take a 10% cut of subscription fees which isn’t bad and I find it a fair cost. Maybe there is no other shoe and this model is what it is and will stay that way. That is my hope.
Threads started out a great place to post art and links to blogs, but in recent months Meta has trashed that algorithm also. I remember a few months ago, Kim Kardashian showed up on some show and I vented something like “Why is Kim K on my TV?” on threads. That post got over 100K views and I can’t even count how many replies. I post my Substack, a blog or art and I’m lucky if I get 30 views.
Meta since about the 2016 election (thats when I can trace shit to mostly) has gone all in on rage bait. Back then it was shitty memes. I saw memes of Al Queida terrorists from years ago crossing a bridge in the middle east and people would repost it saying it was Syrian terrorists entering the U.S./Mexico border. That was when you had to put in some effort for fake shit. Now, they just post AI images of whatever fake thing.
I gave up trying to point it out to people who would say “Well, this is something they WOULD do so I believe it!” Like, ok, but its not real and you’re stupid.
Anyway, I digress. It has been tough trying to succeed as a positive force in an outrage enconomy. Since recovering from my mental health crisis several years ago, my focus has been on positivity, builidng others up and giving people hope in a time of perpetual darkness. I used to be angry and cynical before I was diagnosed with Bipolar, and on medication. But that was a real downward cycle. I’d see something that made me angry. So I’d write and post about it, making myself even angrier.
Then, if anyone disagreed or argued with me, I’d get even angrier and continue the spiral and cycle until I completely crashed out. Looking back on that time, it was not a fun way to feel. I still post about things I’m passionate about, but I don’t dig in with the arguments. I don’t mind discussion but once it gets ugly or people start piling on, I just disengage. Let them argue amongst themselves.
Social media in general can be a real minefield. Recently I expressed an opinion about a celebrity drama that was ongoing and said I felt they were weaponizing their fans against a small business. I got jumped on pretty hard and may have lost my cool a bit in the comments. I’m not proud of it, and not an excuse but I was really taken back by how viciously people were defending them over something so silly.
Sadly, ever since I had posted that, constant news and updates about that situation keep filling my newsfeeds against my will and I just gave an off handed opinion but people are really riled up on this. I mean, we are a few weeks out from one of the most midterm elections of our lifetimes if not in a whole generation. Celebrities being angry about buying trinkets really isn’t on my list of things to be upset about. I guess its a goofy distraction for some from the current horrors of the world.
Here in my city of San Antonio, ICE is trying to install a massive detention center on our east side, so that has me more concerned than a lot of tertiary news items people are focused on. Thankfully, our city officials are fighting against it.
One thing you may have noticed, my essays have very little if any structure. Its kind of like my art. I don’t start out with any single concept in mind. I just start writing and see where it goes. Thank you to anyone who has stuck with me through this post. Feel free to comment on your experiences good or bad with Substack or trying to get ahead on social media in general. It’s tough out there and I think the more we stick together and support each other the happier wel’ll all be.
Success isn’t a pizza. We don’t get less just because someone else does well. There is room for all of us. It’s just a matter of us putting in the time and the work. Some of us may see results quickly. some may take years. I will admit I get impatient quickly when things don’t go my way. But I also realize some folks have been at this for years. I just pivoted to blogging from art in the last 3-4 months. I’m doing well for where I am, but it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Do the work, set the foundation and what we will build will eventually be unshakeable.
Leave a Reply