Food vs. Social Media - Part One

Society has a way of projecting and pushing people into positions they may not want to be in, and I’ve felt this since the moment social media became a thing. As a tattoo artist, it became expected that I should play this new game  “for the sake of my career”. Tiny and big pokes from every direction saying I needed to follow these new society rules of engagement. Or what? Then add in Potato (most epic cat ever) and her social media following, that's next level fuckery and expectations. A never ending chorus of, “You know what you should do!?”

I tried to play within my boundaries and rules, but after so many years, it's a force I can't fuck with anymore.

I choose me! I choose my health!

And I shouldn't have to explain any of this to anyone. Nonetheless, here we go.

I call myself "queen of analogies'' because people have a way of dismissing things I try to explain about myself or outlook on things as is, but when I remove myself and use an analogy, it most of the time sets in easier. That uncontrollable need to debate another's experience is baked into our communications now, but it's always bitter if you don't use equal parts of listening in this “communication recipe”.

So here we are. Onto the analogy. Make biscuits with me.

When I was a child, I decided I didn't want to eat meat after learning what it really is. I encountered a lot of shit and no one around me was vegetarian. I knew that was something I felt wasn't me. It took a long time before anyone started to respect my choice. The food industry started to offer more alternative meat options. And society as a whole began opening up, making vegetarian and vegan foods options standard at restaurants and shopping markets.

Food allergies are also another amazing progression of how society and its establishments can adjust and accept without crazy and endless debate about peanuts or dairy warnings. Gluten-free options are plentiful even for people that can eat gluten without issue.

Sure, there will always be the occasional asshole that wants to make out with their meat sandwich in front of me upon learning I don't eat meat, but those are usually bacon people, and they have bigger issues than my dietary choices. But as much as people used to have fits over "how do you get protein?”, I have yet to die of lack of protein. Strange, where can I possibly be consuming protein and not eat meat??!!

We’re going to jump to a parallel here - now hear me out, “what if we could not shame, guilt trip, or penalize people for not wanting to be on social media the same way we can accept someone's dietary choice?!” If we can acknowledge that social media is not great for mental health the same way McDonald's could be bad for physical health in large amounts, it could be a great start. You with me? Let’s talk about it.

Breaking habits and compulsions are incredibly hard, especially ones that we can't avoid, say like food.

We gotta eat! That's a fact. We take in calories, our bodies process the stuff and things and we fuel our everyday lives. Not enough is bad, too much is bad, and everything in between is different for everybody. It depends on what you choose to consume. 

On the other side we gotta “Internet.” We gotta “cell phone.” Communication has fundamentally changed drastically the last two decades, and we were all sugar high as fuck for it! But just like food, there is a point of too little and too much and the quality of what we are "consuming".

We just need more options in our lives. We can't just consume social media “sugar”! There's a whole Internet out there! But the app people need you to keep scrolling and consuming their shit. I'm not saying take all the sugar out of your diet, but if someone you know is trying to cut some from their diet, don't be that asshole. And there needs to be better alternatives too, which is part of the problem.

Create new platforms people! They are called websites. They are super easy to cook up now, taste great and can help reach this whole other audience out there. It's the whole rest of the Internet! Stop being so close minded.

Social media has normalized things that should never have been normalized. It’s fake! Pictures are staged, situations are false, that perfect moment is fleeting. And on top of it - if you don't have my phone number you shouldn't be able to reach me. It’s called a boundary. But social media has served up this perception that everything is nutritious and there are no boundaries - except the “nutrition” is processed - often highly processed - and nothing nourishing comes out of it.

Still with me? I can't take the place of social media, fuck - I don’t want to. But I can do my small part and provide you a nourishing alternative. The whole point of me posting on Potato’s page for all these years was to have a page of cute and relaxing photos and videos. You can go back to enjoy it whenever you want. Wholesome. Joyful. Replenishing. And now I’d like to provide that same service in a bigger and better way for what the Internet was created for anyways, cat videos!

Break the app habits.

Build your focus tolerance with longer videos.

Take a real "paws" with cat videos for different moods.

Give a resource, take a resource.

And much, much more. Including the opportunity to submit yours too. Let’s nourish together!

As an artist, I've been pushed to share, engage & to literally dance (Over here! Over here!). Otherwise, I will have no business, aka no protein (get it?)! I've been told without social media I will be a literal starving artist, my new nonprofit baby will starve, my cats will starve, my career will be over; all if I don't cook in the social media kitchen!! No pressure right?

Yeah, I'm grateful I know what tattooing was before social media. That's what I know so that's the place I speak from. I know that we didn't have to dance and do the things. I'm trusting my instincts again for the first time in a couple years. I’m going to nourish myself the way I see works best for me - both physically and mentally. I encourage you to do the same, even just a little bit. Little changes every day can have long lasting impacts. Consumption doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Find your happy medium. Enough said. Kitchen is closed.