I don’t have TikTok. That’s evident from the title of this piece. But first, for people who thought that this might be me “dissing” TikTok, click off. I think it’s an interesting app and can see why people like them, or why these videos are helpful.
No, I don’t think I’m better than anyone else because I don’t have the app. I’ll laugh at certain trends because they’re silly but when my friends send me one, I’ll click and watch. And yes, I do see the old ones on Instagram reels.
I’ll be the first one to admit that I’m chronically online. Any app that could involve doom-scrolling and going down a rabbit hole, I’m there, thumb aching and supposedly turning my mind to mush. When TikTok first came out, I heavily considered downloading it. Privacy and security issues be damned, let me turn off my brain for a couple of hours with funny videos while I’m locked in a house and the world crashes down around me.
But I didn’t download it. And after waiting a few weeks, the hype surrounding the app died down. I started getting the videos from friends and I just had no need for it. During the pandemic, I also realized how turning my brain off through social media wasn’t actually shutting it down but making it more stressed. All of my feeds were bad news, I couldn’t avoid it and when I did, it just made me guilty.
These past couple of years, I’ve enjoyed discovering longer-form content on YouTube. Commentary channels, gamers, and other similar videos have become something I’m really interested in. Ironically, these things were popular a few years ago. I’m a dedicated subscriber to a few people and every time they post a video, I’m one of the first to watch.
Why don’t I have TikTok? I honestly just don’t find it particularly interesting at this point in my life. When my friends are excited to show me a popular Tiktok sound or explain a ridiculous theory, that makes me happy. In a couple of years, I’ll probably be that person who will download it and not have any clue about how to keep up with the trends or what videos to make.
For now, I’m fine with my many subreddits, Twitter feed, and out-of-date Instagram reels.