Cauliflour
The masochist who doodles.
- Mar 24, 2025
- 368
I
've noticed this recently: when watching YouTube I have a habit of scrolling down to see the comments and related videos more than I used to. I used to only scroll down when it was clear the video was wrapping up to read the comments for a good 2-15 minutes and I still do that but I also mindlessly scroll down randomly to the point I'm starting to force myself to watch in fullscreen till the end but YouTube recently redesigned it's player (hate it btw) and now you can look at recommended videos and comments just by scrolling down on full screen. I don't use TikTok. I don't use Twitter or Instagram. I mostly use YouTube and this site actually but I'm worried the slow shift to more faster paced editing on YouTube is slowly whittling down my attention span. I don't watch YT shorts much and when I do, I never do the scroll and I click or tap off if the editing's too much but I'm worried my standards are lowering slowly due to prolonged exposure. I'm autistic so over stimulation can make me feel really tried, which is why I physically can't spend all day on social media as it'll make me tired and adjitated. I've also noticed that I sometimes go fiddle with something on my second monitor while watching YouTube, such as going to a folder on file explorer or clicking through discord server channels. It's not much I think but I swear I didn't used to do this.
I know the answer is just "stop watching YouTube then" but I can't, I use it to watch video essays on my special interests. I can't just drop it, I'll be miserable. Not to mention things like TV and ads are mimicking this faster paced editing now, allbeit in a different way but I'm worried everything will reach a point where everything is too over stimulating for me to properly function and I'll be tired all the time. I'm already tired most of the day despite how many hours I get and this was only really a noticeable problem I think from around the new year, and I think a key factor (apart from my shitty diet but vitamin pills and steak don't change anything) is that everything is designed to forcefully grab your attention now so I'm slowly being whittled away. That or all this blue screen but I have a warm overlay that automatically goes on when it's night time which I've done for years so again, the only thing I can think of that isn't depression denial is over stimulation. I've literally fallen asleep at my desk before for watching long form YouTube videos for 3 hours straight. Back in lockdown I could spend all day on TikTok and be fine. Then again TikTok in 2020 wasn't as bad as it is now (for starters those stupid 1 word subtitles weren't there) so idk.
I can still watch full length films fine...somewhat. The last time I was at a cinema I felt tired afterwards but then again it was an action film and I was stimming like mad to the point the people around me told me to shut up. I can watch films on my oomputer fine though (apart from the 6 instances of me checking the bar at the bottom and my watch which I swear I didn't used to do) so maybe I'm just getting more sensitive for some reason. I don't want to lose my attention span as then I won't have the attention to properly enjoy things or properly make things. I did like spend like 15 hours over the span of 3 days drawing something so maybe that's a sign not all hope is lost. And I guess the fact I wrote this in 1 sitting is also a sign I guess but I have ambient music playing on my headphones. The thing is though, people's attention spans are so shit now that what was considered bad like 4 years ago is considered "very good" in modern terms because everyone has AI slop brains.
've noticed this recently: when watching YouTube I have a habit of scrolling down to see the comments and related videos more than I used to. I used to only scroll down when it was clear the video was wrapping up to read the comments for a good 2-15 minutes and I still do that but I also mindlessly scroll down randomly to the point I'm starting to force myself to watch in fullscreen till the end but YouTube recently redesigned it's player (hate it btw) and now you can look at recommended videos and comments just by scrolling down on full screen. I don't use TikTok. I don't use Twitter or Instagram. I mostly use YouTube and this site actually but I'm worried the slow shift to more faster paced editing on YouTube is slowly whittling down my attention span. I don't watch YT shorts much and when I do, I never do the scroll and I click or tap off if the editing's too much but I'm worried my standards are lowering slowly due to prolonged exposure. I'm autistic so over stimulation can make me feel really tried, which is why I physically can't spend all day on social media as it'll make me tired and adjitated. I've also noticed that I sometimes go fiddle with something on my second monitor while watching YouTube, such as going to a folder on file explorer or clicking through discord server channels. It's not much I think but I swear I didn't used to do this.I know the answer is just "stop watching YouTube then" but I can't, I use it to watch video essays on my special interests. I can't just drop it, I'll be miserable. Not to mention things like TV and ads are mimicking this faster paced editing now, allbeit in a different way but I'm worried everything will reach a point where everything is too over stimulating for me to properly function and I'll be tired all the time. I'm already tired most of the day despite how many hours I get and this was only really a noticeable problem I think from around the new year, and I think a key factor (apart from my shitty diet but vitamin pills and steak don't change anything) is that everything is designed to forcefully grab your attention now so I'm slowly being whittled away. That or all this blue screen but I have a warm overlay that automatically goes on when it's night time which I've done for years so again, the only thing I can think of that isn't depression denial is over stimulation. I've literally fallen asleep at my desk before for watching long form YouTube videos for 3 hours straight. Back in lockdown I could spend all day on TikTok and be fine. Then again TikTok in 2020 wasn't as bad as it is now (for starters those stupid 1 word subtitles weren't there) so idk.
I can still watch full length films fine...somewhat. The last time I was at a cinema I felt tired afterwards but then again it was an action film and I was stimming like mad to the point the people around me told me to shut up. I can watch films on my oomputer fine though (apart from the 6 instances of me checking the bar at the bottom and my watch which I swear I didn't used to do) so maybe I'm just getting more sensitive for some reason. I don't want to lose my attention span as then I won't have the attention to properly enjoy things or properly make things. I did like spend like 15 hours over the span of 3 days drawing something so maybe that's a sign not all hope is lost. And I guess the fact I wrote this in 1 sitting is also a sign I guess but I have ambient music playing on my headphones. The thing is though, people's attention spans are so shit now that what was considered bad like 4 years ago is considered "very good" in modern terms because everyone has AI slop brains.
