Digital Life

By Positive Joe (Chief Balloon-Popper of Inflated Numbers)With commentary from Jill (Minister of Actual Humans) Dek: TikTok didn’t just build an app—it built a theme park for the ego, where numbers go brrr, applause appears on demand, and reality is optional. Here’s how to enjoy the ride without moving in. TikTok mixes (1) design that manufactures big numbers fast, (2) a steady fog of inauthentic applause, and (3) our human hunger to look big. It’s fun—until counters replace connection. Visit the park; don’t live there. “The ego doesn’t audit; it applauds.” How EgoLand Works (The Ride Map) 1) Big Numbers—Fast.Post a 7-second clip. Autoplay, loops, micro-tests. The counter jumps before you can say “algorithm.” 2) Confetti Everywhere.Some applause is real; some is suspiciously enthusiastic. Your dashboard doesn’t care, and neither does your ego. 3) Status on Tap.Hearts, views, follows—dopamine payouts every swipe. The scoreboard says, “You’re huge!” Conversation can wait. “Being seen is human. Being counted is the circus.” Exhibit A: The Overnight Blow-Up Your friend had 33.5 Facebook friends and a YouTube view every leap year. On TikTok? Thousands by Tuesday. Joe: He’s thrilled; you’re skeptical. The truth sits between you: the system does cold-start clips to strangers and does tally views generously—and the wider web does pump in fake applause that looks real enough to fool your goldfish. Jill: A hug from a counter isn’t a hug from a person. “Numbers can be true-ish; relationships are true.” The House of Mirrors EgoLand makes everything look bigger than it is. Your 8 seconds of looped autoplay becomes “10,000 views.” Heart rate up, standards down. Without noticing, you start creating for the counter, not the connection. Jill: Performative connection replaces real connection. We drift toward people we’ll never meet and away from the ones we already love. Quick Reality Checks (So You Don’t Move In) The Pineapple Test: Ask viewers to comment “pineapple.” Humans do; bots mostly don’t. Watch-Time vs. Views: Thousands of “views” with 1–2 seconds average watch = confetti, not attention. Comments ≫ Hearts: Real interest writes words. If it’s all hearts, it’s probably shallow. Mirror-Post: Reels/Shorts vs. TikTok. If one screams 10,000 and the others whisper 47, recalibrate. Repeat People: Track returning viewers and real conversations. Counters can lie; friendships don’t. “Treat view counts like fireworks—pretty, loud, and gone in a minute.” Why EgoLand Is So Tempting (And What It Costs) Joe: It’s fast, flattering, frictionless. No history, craft, or community required—just a thumb and a second. Jill: But the bill comes due—less depth, less presence, and a slow allergy to the awkward, beautiful work of being known. The Gentle Exit Ramp Post on purpose. Would you be proud with 12 views? Post that. Touch grass. After uploading: walk, call a friend, wash a dish slowly. One scroll → one soul. Trade an hour of feed for an hour with a person. Change the metric. Count deeper conversations, not digital fireworks. Say it out loud. “My worth isn’t in the count.” “Don’t confuse confetti for love or counters for community.” The Button EgoLand is exciting—lights, noises, prizes—but it’s a theme park, not a home. Visit if you like. Just remember where you live. Tired of false reality and EgoLand on TikTok (and everywhere else)?Take the exit: Be Real. Be Positive. Be Alive. About the Author By Positive Joe & Positive Jill – “Be Real. Be Positive. Be Alive.” Positive Joe, Positive Jill, and their 12 Positivity Friends show that real positivity is simply being real—and that’s the most fulfilling way to live. Through stories, books, videos, music, and the Positive