Nothing changes if nothing changes

YouTube recommends me these dramatic podcast supercuts sometimes. I'm a sucker for them honestly. And, regardless of how you feel about some of the individuals in the cut, the video creator is usually able to create something more profound than the original material.

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

(see note on embeds below)

In this case the main message - “nothing changes if nothing changes” - a call to actively engage in your own life - is something I needed to hear. It is an excellent shorthand phrase for a theme I’ve seen before but often forget.

“People have to save themselves. One person saving another is impossible.”

-Meme Oshino, Bakemonogatari

While the “nothing changes” version of the message is excellent branding and shorthand for the concept, It undersells the problem. I would more accurately say that things will only get worse if nothing changes.

Life requires maintenance. We’re not getting any younger. If we don’t take care of ourselves our bodies will only slowly decay.

Our minds too are constantly being hammered with ads and algorithms designed to manipulate our behavior. Driving us to uncontrolled behaviors like doomscrolling and impulse purchases.

The stuff around us is falling apart as well. Everything needs to be cleaned regularly. Computers, tools, and machines need regular maintenance to continue to function. We won’t always be able to replace these things when they break - no one is making vhs players or walkman parts anymore.

We can save ourselves from much of this reality.

Put in the effort to take care of yourself and the people and things around you. The more often you do this, the easier it will become - there will be less to do and your body and mind will already be used to doing it.

Don’t over commit to taking care of more than you can handle - remember that each thing you buy and own is a commitment. Sell your stuff if you’re not using it and it needs more regular care than you can provide. Use the money to take care of yourself and the things you choose to keep.

Build up your defenses:

Get off social media if you can.
Install an ad blocker.
Unsubscribe aggressively - emails you don’t want, youtube channels you don’t watch, mail ads you don’t want.
If you live in the US you can put yourself on the do not call list, request removal from ad sends, and remove yourself from credit card offer mailings.
On many browsers you can block whole websites so you aren’t tempted to use them either natively or with a plugin (or with pihole if you’re looking for more control like me).
- For Android Chrome go to Settings -> Apps -> Chrome -> Screentime and scroll down to find a recently used site. Click the hourglass and set the timer to 0 for a full block, or limit your access to a certain amount of time
Or switch to a dumb phone if that’s an option for you.
Build a habit of delaying purchases as the default - I’ve seen some people recommend something as extreme as 30 days but even an hour can make a difference.
Cancel or lock up your credit cards

Create the change you want to see:

Go out and do that thing
Make stuff
Vote
Donate or volunteer
Contribute to open source software
Use shared public services that you want to see continue, like buses, trains, and libraries
Patronize the businesses and artists that you love

There is hope for the future if we build it. Do the thing you want to do, not the thing that is easy.

A Note About Youtube Embeds

I've generally taken a stance of no tracking, external widgets, or JavaScript on my site. But I'm making an exception here for YouTube embeds. When I'm discussing a video, the experience is just way better if I can embed it. Since the video doesn't belong to me, I can't host it myself. So embedding is the best option. If you are browsing via a commandline browser or with JavaScript disabled, the video link is included as well. I've embedded this YouTube video with YouTube's Privacy Enhanced Mode. So hopefully the tracking will be kept to a minimum.

If you are the owner of a video I have embedded and want me to remove it, contact me on Discord - radicaledward101. Hopefully I'll update this soon with a better means of contact.

File under: Intentionality, Thinking, Decluttering, YouTube, Bakemonogatari

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skateboarding, commercialism, filmmaking
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I’ve been leaving a note at the end of a lot of my writing to “do the thing I want to do, not the thing that is easy.” I think I’ve actually been managing to do that a little. I may not be able to keep it up all the time (or at all!) but it really does feel good when I can do it. Above anything else, Obsidian has helped me to succeed in this area.

Intentionality, Reading, Games
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Nothing changes if nothing changes

A Note About Youtube Embeds

Mixed Feelings About Adidas Skateboarding

Fall 2023

Intentionality