It's time we look at our content diets

Greetings and thank you to all the new folks who have subscribed over the last couple of weeks! So grateful to have you here.

Every year, I try to give myself at least one trip to disconnect, reflect, and get out of my normal environment. This year, I decided to go to Japan where I’ll be hopping around the country for 27 days.

If there are any Japanese readers out there, reply to this email. I’d love to chat & see if there’s potential for us to meet up IRL. That would be cool.

Now onto today’s piece.

A few weeks ago, I published a piece about the truth to the term brain rot. Yesterday, it was named Oxford’s Word of the Year, with increased in usage frequency jumping by 230% between 2023 and 2024.

While this is interesting (and slightly scary) in its own right, it leads me to think about a much more important issue: content diets.

In the same way that we’ve come to understand the importance of what we consume physically—calories, macros, and micronutrients—it's time we apply the same scrutiny to our content. The constant feed of information, entertainment, and noise from social media, streaming platforms, and news outlets shapes our worldview, influences our emotions, and even impacts our productivity and focus.

Just look at how the content we consume triggers mimetic cycles in our thoughts and actions. We’re constantly exposed to idealized lives, curated successes, fear-mongering, and outrage-inducing narratives.

Influencers are shoving products down our throats from every angle—half of them things we don’t need, endorsed purely for a paycheck. Add to that the rise of deepfakes and it becomes harder than ever to separate what’s real from what’s manufactured.

These become models of desire in the framework of mimetic theory, quietly influencing what we want and how we measure our own worth, shaping our ambitions, insecurities, and behaviors.

When we see others achieve or possess something desirable, it’s not uncommon for us to feel an unconscious pull to chase the same thing, even if it doesn't align with our true values. It’s no wonder a ton of young people now aspire to be YouTubers, chasing followers and clout as though they’re the ultimate currency.

And when these mimetic desires turn into rivalry, it can get even darker. Social comparison becomes unavoidable, validation-seeking becomes a never-ending cycle, and the sense of self-worth is eroded as we measure ourselves against others’ highlights.

Worse, the platforms designed to keep us scrolling often exploits this mimetic tendency, feeding us narratives that make us feel perpetually behind or inadequate.

As Luke Burgis writes in Wanting, "choose your enemies wisely because we become like them." Rivalries have a strange way of shaping us—we either emulate those we compete with or define ourselves in opposition to them. We see it all the time In literature, where a "foil character" is introduced specifically to challenge the protagonist and reveal their defining qualities.

As we head into 2025, I genuinely believe that our content diet is just as important (if not more so) than our actual diet. While a poor food diet might lead to obesity, malnutrition, or chronic disease, a poor content diet can result in mental fatigue, anxiety, and even a warped sense of reality. Not to mention the increasingly sedentary lifestyles which contribute to many of the physical effects of poor food diet.

Yet, unlike food, which comes with nutritional labels and (sometimes) warnings about overconsumption, content arrives unchecked, unregulated, and often in overwhelming volumes.

The algorithms that curate our digital plates don't care about our long-term health; they care about engagement. They prioritize what's clickable, shareable, and attention-grabbing over what's meaningful, enriching, or even accurate.

We're being fed heaping piles of brain rot (equivalent of digital junk food), empty calories for the mind that leave us feeling unsatisfied but craving more.

But just as with physical nutrition, the solution isn’t about abstinence; it’s about intentionality.

Listen, I love a good dark humor meme as much as the next guy, and sometimes a mindless scroll through YouTube Shorts is exactly what I need to shut my brain off for a bit. That’s fine. Not every piece of content has to be high-value or life-changing

But you gotta find the balance.

If you’ve made it this far, you’re clearly serious about taking change in your life so I urge to do this:
 
Take a mental snapshot of your content diet over the last week and ask yourself...

Does this content align with my values? How do I feel after consuming this? What purpose is this serving? 

If it’s meant for relaxation, is it actually relaxing, or does it leave me restless? Is it true, or is it just noise dressed up as substance?

Then take it further: What actions and beliefs have I picked up from the content I consume? 

Look at your recent purchases, habits, and your opinions. Did you want that product because it added something meaningful to your life, or because an influencer made it look desirable? Are your beliefs your own, or have they been subtly shaped by what you’ve absorbed online?

The goal isn’t to cut everything out (although you likely should cut some junk); it’s to curate intentionally, become more thoughtful about what food you’re feeding your mind, and free up space for what truly will drive you forward.

The Digital Reset Journal

If you’re thinking about making “less screen time” or “better content diet” your New Year’s resolution but don’t know where to start, I created together the Digital Reset Journal.

Each day is broken into two simple sections—morning and evening—to guide you through reflecting on your digital habits, content diet, and screen time goals.

After a few months of using the Digital Reset Journal, I’ve taken hours off my daily screen time and become far more intentional with how I spend my time and what I consume.

And I know the same will happen to you.

I’m so confident, that if you use the journal for 30 days straight and don’t reduce your screen time, I’ll send you your money back.

Other Resources

Kanso Digital Wellness Coaching: If you’re looking for 1:1 personalized digital wellness detox plans & daily accountability coaching, sign up here and use the code FIRST50 for 50% off your plan. (expires at the end of month)

Kanso Community: A Slack community and weekly calls for those dedicated to cutting digital distractions and reclaiming their time for what truly matters.

If you’re not ready for coaching, but still looking for accountability, support, and digital wellness education, this is for you. Join the community here.

Digital Detox Tools: A free directory of 75+ digital wellness products, software, and services. Access it here.

That’s all for this week. Stop scrolling and go do something great!

Randy