TikTok is All I See, AND WHY?

Why we breed sameness

From my experience in the space of technology i’ve observed that majority of people from this space are highly educated and highly capable of really jumping through the hoops of any formality. I believe this breeds a realm of followers, and listeners….there is a small percentage that actually challenge, explore or try to go against the grain. With purpose and with intent, not just too recklessly execute it.

At this point you must be asking yourself; “what does this have to do with TikTok?”. When I flip on the tv proceeding to using one of the popular platforms Hulu or Netflix. As a note i’ve downgraded my Hulu account due to the cost increase. I found myself stumbling upon many many commercials. Now to get back on topic and to provide context to go further and why I bring this up is really due to my time at TikTok and helping direct, and adapt for the US market. Douyin (china’s TikTok) to TikTok. While being there we noticed a element of Raw, and authentic content. It really got people creating just to create in a realistic authentic approach. A nod at the reality TV space, but now in our own home.

Like most people they like the ability to stand on their own without confirmation from another product or another person. Now all I see is TikTok they created a saturation of advertising, commercials, replication, etc. Not that even TikTok coined this action or type, it was also popular in the 90s when I was a young kid. Dance was so prevalent and singing as most kids revel in that space as they are trying to find their own or grow into who they really want to be. We model off of things we see, the herd.

At this point you must be asking yourself why is this guy writing about TikTok or how does this article have to do with TikTok. How it clearly relates to TikTok is really only due to the current times and society as a whole. We don’t really think for ourselves and our too scared to push ourselves off the ledge away from the rest. This suction of life that we’ve learned to live is really discombobulated from a person that comes from a counter culture or an individual that comes from a alternative sports. Not to discount anyone outside of that, but ultimately someone who lives in that space is so vastly different and are willing to take more risk to push their life in the way they want. As a product designer or as any professional it gives you an edge, which most don’t have. It provides a unique mental model that someone might not agree with or see due to their practical published programmed approach.

Most of us spend our lives doing what others expect, what others have taught us without looking at it and going well; what if we tried this, it’s not common but it might just work. The confidence or comfort to do so is so far from what they have ever been in a mental or physical form, so it’s shunned or ignored or the person is looked at like an outlier. Even though we pride ourselves on free speech and being open minded, it’s really a contradiction. It’s quite evident in the design space of tech that I can really relate to, because if you have a different thinking or mental model in how you execute it is really ignored by saying “let’s just do what they do, as it’s clear they must’ve spent a lot of time examining data.” In my mind it comes down to being clearly about the money. although the money or monetization level is very very important and valuable to your products life span, but the moment you ignore innovation, change, challenge and PEOPLE even more you really in the long run hurt only yourself, company and product, because even as much as people love to copy and be the same…they can sniff out authenticity in a heartbeat. Is it less of a concern these days in the space of consume consume consume….YES, most definitely.

It really depends on your demographic.

It is our duty as “innovators” or tech creators to challenge people, while keeping things easy and simple from an a-z. If we reduce challenge we reduce effort and with all of that there is a result, right? People become less patient, desire instantaneousness, and in return it really hurts us as a species. We may not see it at this moment or 1 year from now, but possibly in 20 years. It is clear in the tech space even more the mentality “move fast and break things” really is taken so literal. I believe the generation that adopted technology lived a life before it, can be the most valuable individuals to learn from, because anything after really has a false transient sense of thinking. It is great, it is fulfilling but is there longevity?

It really breads a world of cheap salesmen thinking they can just lie or act their way through everything. The dedication and cultivating really falls far by the wayside. We can post pretty photos or rent cars and be perceived as successful or talented, really it’s the most disingenuous approach and a complete fallacy. Now before you say “fuck this guy” I don’t agree with this, he’s just jaded or upset. Let’s look at the Engineering space…it has so much advancement, but that is due to what? Not someone telling them how to do their job only providing potential ideas or logistical approaches. You don’t have a company or a team saying this is how you do it, they do it this way..which i’m sure there are those cases, but at its purest form it takes a lot of late nights, a lot of creative thinking, a lot of hustle that builds reward based on learning the craft.

What is the craft of social posting, what is a craft of copying what is the progression, what is the evolution or change? The biggest benefit from all of this is really pushing the normal or formal way of approaching or being able to execute something. That alone is the biggest result in this new generation of thinking and processing. We have real freedom and ability to do regardless of our generational wealth or lack thereof for most of us. With that comes entitlement, Faking it, and acting as if we are leaders based on human manipulation and ego. Not saying that’s wrong or right, but it’s really something to think about when you’re in a space with other talented individuals that provide a new or different perspective. We should always embrace those people. Not to say we should completely listen to novice in the space, but they might have some interesting insight, or ignore the veteran because they don’t sell us on the idea, because experience breeds better thinking and unique solutions.

Please feel free to be bash, love comment regarding this article…

P.S. This article was triggered by the moments of television that i’ve watched in the past month of so many similarities to what’s being produced in society. (dance, dance, raw, and UGC)

(Realised I had this in a medium post from 3 or so years ago, and just decided to post it because it feels so relevant today)