In most of these Editorials, I talk about something related to journalism — last semester I talked about the increase of news on social media (specifically Instagram), which I argued has ultimately shifted the role of editor onto consumers. While that was related to journalism, I also discussed the world of internet news, which is something I find fascinating in its ability to work with or against the public.
In this Editorial, I wanted to talk again about social media but not about news. Something I’ve been thinking about lately is the “productivity” culture online, specifically the “getting my life back on track” YouTube videos, which I think is relevant to students and deserves a closer look.
If you’re anything like me, you “fall down YouTube holes” (as me and my sister like to call them) quite often, which basically means you see a video that catches your eye and 20 minutes later you’re neck deep in a weird corner of the Internet you had no original intention of “falling” down. Just last week, I fell down a hole of watching video clips of tornadoes—like actual tornadoes—which to me was insane because I’ve never seen one. I fell down another hole of video clips of people swimming with whales, and then I found myself watching a clip from a documentary about marine life. Did you know the clicks of sperm whales can be so loud that the vibrations they produce can kill humans swimming in the sea? Then I found this video of some people helping beached dolphins get back into the ocean and…
You can see how the rest of the story goes. There’s no shortage of holes anyone can fall down, and one I’ve fallen down many times is the “getting my life back on track” or “getting my life together” video-blogs which often consist of young adult women preaching about productivity.
Initially, I really liked these types of videos. They were fun to watch, easy to consume and predict, and generally harmless. But a few months ago I started questioning these types of videos, or more specifically, questioning the phrase, “getting my life back on track.”
“Getting my life back on track” implies there is a specific, correct track to be on in life. It perpetuates the idea that although you may derail from “the track,” your goal should always be to be on “the track” and stay there. To get off “the track” is to be lazy, not yourself, unproductive, and ultimately, wrong.
I put “the track” in quotes because it’s honestly kind of ridiculous. What the hell is “the track” you’re getting back on? And why is it wrong to derail or get off it?
Can we normalize being lazy? We associate the word “lazy” with negativity, but being lazy is sometimes very much needed. And, contrary to popular belief, there’s no correct “track” to be on in life.
I know my opinion may be extreme; like I said, the “getting my life together” videos are virtually harmless, and I do understand it’s just a way of saying “I need to get some stuff done today because I took some days off.” But the point I’m trying to make is why not just say that? We should acknowledge taking days off and resting as actual things we do, instead of treating those times as us being lazy, unproductive, or “off track.” If it helps you to think of life like a “track” you’re on, then by all means, go for it. However, I hope this makes you question these phrases as potentially toxic to repeat to yourself or dwell on.
The Stute Editorial is an Opinion column written by the current Editor in Chief of The Stute to address and explain editorial decision making, discuss news and media issues, and develop a sense of trust and transparency between readers and members of The Stute.
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