I know. I have my quirky indie website reminiscent on how the web used to be golly. I made a whole video talking about "My Vision for the Internet". You can even spot me chilling in some streams/discord servers like a good lil parasocial fan OH BOY! but no, I really do despise the internet and the types associated with it.

I was talking to Red and I came to this realization. The people that annoy me the most are the ones who use the internet the most. Nothing on here is REAL. Internet "culture" is just an ouroboros that constantly takes its own outputs as inputs. It's too easy to get trapped in this hellhole and lose basis of actual reality.

I've always said this but the internet should be a SUPPLEMENT to life, not a REPLACEMENT. You develop interests IRL around other people, then go on the web to learn more about these interests. You take the aspects of your unique environment TO the internet and the internet should form around them. But somewhere along the line, the internet started to form a "culture" of it's own. Once again a recycled culture of ever-so-obscure references, memes and slang, but a culture nonetheless. And now everyone is exposed to this common culture for 7, 10, maybe even 15 hours a day I see y'alls screen time out here. Sure, there are slight differences between whatever algorithm echo-chamber you prefer, but it doesn't change the fact that people become incredibly predictable as they absorb everything in their online environment.

"But Shrubs!!!" I don't hear you saying, "Didn't you say in this video that it doesn't matter if you're "boring NPC" as long as you just like what you like??!!?" you continue not to even think in your mind. But yes, to answer nobody's question, I still stand by that. My issue is that the internet doesn't even provide an avenue for people to truly explore new things. You automatically get sucked into a community that is only tangentially related to whatever you like and then you become it's vessel.

Like take Tumblr and 4Chan for example. Literal exact opposites but fundamentally the exact same type of people. Yeah, you got Tumblr-ers talking about "problematic" ships or whatever the gook that literally no one outside of their little bubble cares about, yet they make a big deal of because that's what they've observed in others and believe to be the "correct" way to act. Same with edgy 4channers slinging all sorts of stupid words and contrarian opinions because they, for some god damn reason, think that 4chan/Sharty culture is "cool". And this is coming from a dude who spends all of his "social media time" on 4chan and Reddit. Like oh my god if I'm sent another BP insta reel that mentions "evaporating a foid with truecel rage" made by some blonde white boy with a mop haircut I'm going to. man I'm not even. Furthermore if I read a comment from some dude with a soyjack pfp talkin about some "my culture is not your costume" or ANYTHING mentioning gem or coal I'm also going to. man I'm not even.

It's the peak of people who are different just like everyone else. It started off with some weirdos taking their weird experiences to the web, and as a result of their weirdness, actually create something kinda interesting/funny. Then all the normies come in, see how interesting/funny these weird people are, literally adopt everything about their weirdness (the good and the bad), then go along talking about "posers" without adding anything new themselves.

They don't recognize that the fact weirdo's don't align themselves with anything is what makes them so "cool" in the first place. But instead of going through that very embarrassing process of accepting that you may be kinda corny and that's fine, they'd rather wait for someone else to do it, have the community grow large enough to where "corny" becomes normal, then act all superior for liking something different even though they're only able to do so within the context that it's actually "normal" and everyone else is the weird one for not liking it. "To be le cringe... is to be le free" man SHUT UP YOU ARE THE BYPRODUCT OF UNRESTRICTED INTERNET ACCESS AND ALGORITHMS!!!!

It's inauthentic in the sense that these people don't just like what they like, but rather like what they "should" like in accordance to what others think. I know crazy concept literally no one has ever written about the human desire to assimilate within their communities.

At the end of the day it's not up to me to decide whether someone is being true to themselves because I will literally never know. And no matter how stereotypical someone acts, if that's how they are then that's how they are, and it's unlikely for that to change. Honestly I'm not (very) annoyed at the people themselves looking back at it. If they're happy and feel accepted, then seriously good for them. I'm more annoyed at how the internet is supposed to be this place with all sorts of different people with all sorts of different interests but I keep running into the same types.

Can't a mf have a website not because of some "indie web movement nostalgia core Y2K!!!" but because it's an easily accessible outlet for creative expression? Can't a mf watch fast paced zoomer shows like Smiling Friends but also watch slower-paced shows like King of the Hill and Home Movies? Can't a mf play deltarune and also run fades on Xenoverse 2? Can't a mf be an animator but not give a rats ass about GLITCH or Vivziepop or storytime animation? Can't a mf be introverted but socially well-adjusted? man can't a mf just enjoy all these things because he's Shrubs rather than be Shrubs because he enjoys all these things? A normal dude who likes what he likes and willing to try things out rather than a dude who is defined by what he likes.

Really the only reason I didn't end up with the cookie cutter online personality is because I was fortunate enough to explore things IRL, NOT on the internet. If I saw a cool game on game pass, then I'll check it out. Interesting cartoon? Lemme tune in for it's premiere at 6 P.M. EST. My dad randomly gave me a skateboard one day and I went outside and messed around with it. Went to this day camp during the summer which introduced me to CAD modelling and 3D printing, which eventually led to me learning Blender and animation. I would only go on the internet if I was trying to get unstuck in a game or wanted to be entertained. I ALMOST ended up on Amino because a friend tried to put me on (AHHHHH AHHHH) but I just wasn't feeling it. The second you start interacting with people on the internet as a child is when it's over for you bru

I sympathize with the dudes who had crazy strict parents who didn't let them do NOTHING so they had no choice but to spend all their time online. And once again, I'm happy that they're able to find their people even though they annoy me to no end. But these online alternative types aren't "outcasts" man it's easy as hell for them to find community now that everyone's been infected by the internet mind virus. Also some of them are attractive, too, making it even easier. So here I am watching from the sidelines as some emo jit with dyed hair gets applauded for idk drawing metal sonic while I'm in my evil hidey hole seething because I just ain't the type of guy to publicly post on social media. and I ain't the type of guy to introduce myself by talking about all the media I like. also I'm black. being alternative is a white folk's game.

seriously how the hell did these mfs who never stopped watching FNAF theories and say stuff like "multifandom hyperfixations" find themselves with romantic partners and popular art accounts and a group of friends. because there's actually a lot of these people and they're all so similar. and shieeet some these girls are baddies too. Went to watch FNAF 2 a couple weeks back and god DAMN these bonnie cosplays got me acting a fool GRRRR RUFF RUFF AWOOOOOO.

man I just wish I can talk to a guy that knows what I'm about and is willing to try the stuff I like for once. Another reason why I'm so multifaceted is because I'm always going through with other people's recommendations. then the second I say "hey man check out this 6 episode anime called FLCL it's literally less than 3 hours" I get a "oh when I have the time for sure..." and then they never check it out. oh but when it shows up on their TikTok fyp they're instantly like "DUDE SHRUBS HAVE YOU HEARD OF FLCL??? IT'S CRAAAAZZZZZZY". Rinse and repeat with literally everything, from 4chan lingo to video games etc. I got one friend who actually does listen to what I gotta say but I don't talk to him as much as I should... damn.

now I'm getting off topic so I should probably wrap this up. To summarize. People who describe themselves as "alternative" are just on the internet too much. actually, everyone is on the internet too much. Talk to your friends more, and if you don't have any, then either make cool youtube videos so you can talk to other creators or find them IRL. Do not be like me who thought that meeting people online is a great idea because the internet allows everyone to be their real unique selves!!! it doesn't, and everyone trying to "meet people" on here is cooked (unless they actually make cool stuff or engage in activities that allow for continued interaction, like video games).

Try to watch the first couple episodes of whatever you recommend with your friends, too, it makes it way easier to get into it. Same with being there as they start a game and watching them play it for a bit. 4chan subreddits are unironically the reason I have a surface level knowledge on most things, so if you're going to doomscroll, perhaps check them out if you can ignore the agenda posting and all the -isms. read the funny greentexts and long ass deep dives into Alice in Wonderland lore.

and most importantly, remember that the internet is NOT REAL and you should use it with specific purpose. Like man just watch movies or read some manga or emulate some video games; anything is better than doomscrolling and becoming influenced by things that don't even exist. Also you don't have to like EVERYTHING about a subculture and you're allowed to mix and match things you find cool even if pretentious ass hipsters can't put a clean label on it. Just be YOU, or whatever I'm just a guy who talks to himself.