Psychological Obesity →
“People consume content that stimulates their mind and senses. That which angers, excites, energizes, entertains, or otherwise creates an emotional response. This is not always the “best” or most informative content, but that which triggers a reaction.
This isn’t inherently a good thing. Consider the food equivalent. Our bodies are programmed to consume fat and sugars because they’re rare in nature. Thus, when they come around, we should grab them. In the same way, we’re biologically programmed to be attentive to things that stimulate: content that is gross, violent, or sexual and that gossip which is humiliating, embarrassing, or offensive. If we’re not careful, we’re going to develop the psychological equivalent of obesity. We’ll find ourselves consuming content that is least beneficial for ourselves or society as a whole.”
The problem with conceptualizing consumption of content with the obesity metaphor is that it is too reductive. While boyd does acknowledge that some people make rational choices about their information consumption habits, she claims it is only a few. I would argue that it extends further than that to all online users. How people use the Internet is a choice influenced by many things, but still a decision one makes for themselves. Suggesting that niches will only deepen is testament to the power of individual choice.
