I have discussed my Luddite inclinations before (destroying of machinery, opposing new technologies), and I still harbor doubts of whether technology is a net good for society (medicinal and engineering technology for sure, but Tiktok technology? Likely not good. It's surprising and a little discouraging for the future of society when I hear stats like 2 out of every 3 members of GenZ are on TikTok.....and when you're on TikTok, you watch a LOT of videos. I can't help but think that social media and TikTok are like what cigarettes were in the early 1900s without studies into its negative health effects, and I cringe at the emptiness of libraries while TikTok's cloud-based platforms are fully jammed.
Speaking of libraries, I feel for libraries and the book industry in general (as well as newspapers and that nostalgic feeling of running my fingers across the text of a newspaper and the crisp page turn of opening up a newspaper) and try to subscribe to as many publications/ periodicals as feasible without doing financial damage. Libraries are trying to dissipate all the information it can into the world, but now it's butting heads against the book publishers of the world because libraries are doing too good a job, especially with E-books, where they lend them out to patrons who can get the book for free without paying for it, and essentially follow that plan without ever having to pay for a book. The obvious problem with that is the publishers don't get paid for these books, and that trickles up to the writer/author writing the book, they don't get paid neither, and pretty soon no one wants to write a book (although Kim Kardashian, Stanley Tucci, and all celebrities still get pretty good traction from their memoirs and other media, another example that it pays to be famous). I can personally attest that I am discouraged from buying books (1. because I live a frugal life but also) because I can get all the books I need from the library, and then some; there's no way I'll ever finish everything I want to read, and the library just keeps popping up with brand new books, published 2022, that they stack at the entrance and other eye-catching areas. There's really no need ever to BUY a book unless I want my own personal copy; it'd better be a pretty special book then. Even a brand new bestseller, savvy library patrons get multiple library cards and join enough waitlists that they can probably get the book pretty soon after its release. Where's the money in the book industry?
I've also heard that China's algorithms for Tiktok are much difficult than that of the U.S......China's algorithms reward science and technology education, whereas the U.S. rewards.....junk is the best I can describe it. There's definitely something to be said for TikTok as the ultimate brainwashing device, and there's a non-zero chance TikTok will be banned in the US eventually, giving Meta stock (Facebook) a huge boost that they so desperately need after failing in its initial foray into the Metaverse. But if it's not TikTok, it'll likely be another social media forum that replaces it... once the kids are hooked on the technology, there's no going back! I once did a charity drive with a chicken sandwich chain in downtown LA whose grand opening was let's say, not well received due to its stance on gay marriage, but during that charity drive we donated books to children with the ability to leave a note in the books to future readers: mine was "Books are better than Ipads." I still believe it to be true, as the empty reading rooms I go to in the library demonstrate.
If I had won that $2.09 billion Powerball lottery this past Tuesday, I would have dedicated some to the book industry! That lucky person from Altadena, CA, if you're reading this (the chances of you reading this are likely slimmer than the chances you had of winning the lottery), the book industry needs your help! Or just buy out TikTok (or a significant portion of it and divert the younger generation back to books, the way they it was in the 1990's, the best era for human life in history!)
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