I love being on substack. It’s amazing to see so many people write about themselves and their lives.

In the short time I’ve been on this platform I’ve both read pieces from people who think exactly the same as I do and completely different. It feels good to see it being encouraged to write more than just a couple sentences on a post.

Since joining substack some time ago, I’ve noticed them sending out emails writing about how to increase your reach, how you can grow your account and that they’ve added a reels-type thing. Substack is growing fast. It looks like they’re mimicking the other social platforms.

And I’ve seen a lot of people upset about that. 

Don’t get me wrong, I get it. You think you finally got away from all the aesthetically pleasing platforms where people try so hard to be liked. Where views matter more than substance. Only for your refuge platform to follow the same trends. It’s frustrating. 

But, just like substack, instagram, twitter and tiktok all started out the same way. Most platforms started out wanting to bring people together, to give normal lives a platform. They probably dreamed of their app blowing up, but everyone starts somewhere. Which is why I can’t bring myself to hate or write degradingly about the other platforms that became popular before substack.

As any platform grows they want to accommodate more people and become ‘better’. To attract more money, more data or simply more users to their app. Every little step they take towards accommodating more people, takes them further away from where they started. Even though we all want the things we cherish to stay the same, that’s not their fate. 

I think we can credit the specific ways in which things change to capitalism, but change would’ve happened either way.

When humans are involved, things tend to change. We put time and energy in what is dear to us, we invent new things and we shift the paradigm.

At least, that’s the trend I’m noticing. Nothing stays the same. Unfortunately, this also pertains to things we love and try to (gate)keep.

The funny thing is, in the city I live there’s a group that organizes this small festival every year. It’s called park sessions. Small-time artists are invited to show their work in all forms. Small bands are playing. There’s physical art or spoken-word. Families and friendgroups alike dust off their picnic blankets and enjoy the community. 

In the last couple years it’s gotten pretty big. Lots of people showed up. Inevitably, people started saying how it used to be so much more intimate. The usual: “Everything used to be better.” But for two years now the sessions were plagued with very bad weather. And so this year they’ve decided to not organize it.

They want to rethink how they’re going forward. The group is debating whether the sessions have gotten too big and they want to downsize. 

Even though I look forward to it every year, I don’t blame them. Bad weather for an outdoor event is so unmotivating. 

I also think that this is an inevitable cycle. Things start out small and intricate and grow bigger because people like it. But they don’t inevitably keep growing. There’s always a balance. 

And that’s why I can’t bring myself to hate instagram or tiktok. They are just part of the cycle. Maybe there wouldn’t even be a substack without the popularity of instagram. Who knows.