It is incredible how much stuff we read and watch every day.
This morning I listed everything I watched yesterday, thinking I would write a review for something. This was an ordinary day, where I worked more than usual and still spent quality time with both Avvai and housemates… yet I was still able to watch/read:
1) Nico Bravo (graphic novel)
2) Game Changer episode on Dropout
3) Adventure Time Fionna & Cake episode
4) Part of Mountain Monsters episode
5) Half of Catching The Big Fish by David Lynch
6) Half a podcast making fun of Mountain Monsters
7) Ten episodes of anime in the background while working
And that doesn’t include the random internet breaks.
Isn’t that nuts? A lot of it was consumed (I hate that we use this word for watching stuff by the way) while I was working, but even so I estimate I focused on the top shows and books for at least 2.5 hours.
This may have been an exceptional day — it’s only when I’m working on design stuff that I can work & watch, but I’m willing to bet that I’m consuming less than the majority of people.
So what? Well, I have a few thoughts:
My first thought now is, “How long did it take all these people to make this stuff?”. I’ve been struggling to write one book for five years, and then I turn around and read multiple in a day.
My second thought is, “How much of this am I going to remember?”. Is anything making a lasting impression on us, or do we use it simply fill time? Is there something we can do to better honour this work?
And finally I think about all the time I put into watching stuff. I can’t be working on my writing and creative projects all day, and I get inspiration from a lot of the above. Plus, the shows in the evening were a communal activity that hopefully will lead to group memories. However, I wonder what it would be like if we couldn’t consume any content anymore. What would we do with that time and space?