Bring Back Slow Content!

Blaike Gillshaw, 9/6/25

BefMakes.com

I am not having a good time over on the small screen so I'm shifting gears and focusing more on the medium screen. The laptop. I recently learned a shocking fact about myself that I'm quite embarrassed to admit. But, apparently i was on track to spend 22 YEARS of my life on my phone!?!?!? That is horrific. I reckon i scroll on there for about 4-5 hours a day and i also recently read (saw a tik-tok) that said mindless scrolling is destroying our grey matter in our brains. I don't want to be spreading misinformation so for clarity. This is an ideas blog, not a fact blog. Make sure you do your own research! But fact or myth, i didn't like the sound of it.

I'm trying to make a more conscious choice to read, write, draw or do any other real activity rather than scroll. A part of that, is not being obsessed with posting either.

As an artist in the digital era (and especially as an emerging artist without a huge following, finding an audience, or an illustration agent, or a writing agent or gallery representation etc.) social media does feel important in that space. And for that reason, i probably won't disapear completely. But it has changed my outlook on making, my intentions when making and i can feel myself bein more frustrated about not getting loads of views or likes rather than being satisfied with what I'm working on.

I say bring back the slow media. The other day i was watching a movie and i was frustrated at how slowly they were talking and wishing that i could play the thing in 2x speed. Then i felt grossed out by myself and got scared. I was imagining a dystopian future where we forget how to speak our native tongues because we can only comprehend words spoken in 2x or 3x speed and we physically can't replicate that. Then i got out of the bath and went to bed, you'll be glad to hear. Focusing on being present, absorbing ideas at a pace where there's enough time to think alongside the media instead of just being passive and entranced by it, that's what i'm here for. Hence the blog.

Over the past year or so, i haven't been writing all that much, or coming up with that many new theories, ideas or questions which is bad news. Especially for someone who is supposed to be writing an essay collection. Since i stopped keeping a sketchbook, a coat pocket note book and actively doing art based research i have not felt as inspired, motivated or bothered to make much intentional, ambitious or ability stretching work. I will admit part of that is because now i work full time and have other commitments but still, i want to try harder.

Take this blog post for example. Assuming that someone is reading this and that someone follows me on Instagram and doesn't know me in real life. When was the last time i communicated an idea to them in this many words with this much rawness and focus? Years ago. Maybe not even ever. I don't love that.

So, in my life and in my practice i am taking a new approach and if you are down for that too then come hang out over here! Let's bring back blogging, keeping the internet on one device in one corner of the house and only doom scrolling on the loo.

Hope you're well,

Blaike.