celestinetan

Back in the day when everyone I knew had a blog,the Internet seemed so much more interesting and colourful. Now everyone just has Instagram profile.

A blog is more than just a journal, it is also a platform for one to express themselves. Instagram is akin to a rental apartment, whereas a blog is a house that you own. While you could get a really nice rental apartment and decorate it to your heart’s content, there is not much more customisation that you could do to it, and it will never be yours. Whereas with a house that you own, you could tear it down, build up, decide on its style (be it minimalist or maximalist. your choice.), you can also add a balcony, a garden, or even a swimming pool. Yes, a house that you own demands that you spend time, thought and money, but the result is a house that truly expresses who you are.

I am convinced that there is no better way than blogging to express your individuality online. Mind you, this blog is very much incomplete. I plan to furnish it with various sections: a section dedicated to photos from my street photography, another section for my art project, for all the portraits I have painted, 3. a section for everything that I recommend be it food, books, or travels.

But how would you be notified whenever I post something new? Well with an RSS reader of course! You can get on the RSS train in just 3 easy steps:

1. Download an RSS Reader. I prefer NetNewsWire (iOS), try Feedly if you are using Android.
2. Add the URL to your RSS Reader. (e.g. in the case of my blog, it is celestinetan.com)
3. You are all set! You will be notified via the RSS Reader whenever there is new content.

Another reason why I have started blogging is because I am sick and tired of doom-scrolling on Instagram and being manipulated by the algorithm to watch Reel after Reel until my phone falls on my face.

What happened to the social part of social media? While I enjoy sharing funny Reels with my friends over DMs, it does not count as being social. I have realised that my Instagram feed is by and large content from creators and influencers who I don’t care about. The only way I get updates from my friends are via Stories which stays on for 24 hours. All this is obviously a ploy by Instagram to keep us on the app for as long as possible.

It is without a doubt Instagram is designed to extract maximum attention from its users. But I am determined to give it no more. I am inviting you with me to ditch Instagram, start blogging, and start curating your very own RSS feed with only content that you care about.

When social media stops being social and starts to extract and control its users, shouldn’t it be called “fascist media”?