freak

Additional fact: Bram Stoker’s Dracula is set in 1897.

I dyed my hair. I'm bored with it now and trying to get the dye out, and I'm not stressed about it, because worst case scenario, I have the money to buy more bleach and more dye and if I need to I can pay for a stylist to fix it.

I bought shoes online. One pair didn't fit. I just gave them away. Easier than returning and the money means something totally different to me now.

I'm doing things I simply would never have done, could never have done, because I have the money to fix them if I make mistakes at these things that are new to me.

I am sure it's not every younger fanfiction-reading nerd. But....

The generational divide between old internet and new internet users is so stark sometimes. Like. That younger people don't remember the individual fanfiction websites days... okay. I get that. Some of them weren't even born and time is time and it moves on. It's fine.

But to grow up with an internet where you do not get a choice, or not much of a choice, except to be fed content? Oh wow that's a yikes I've never thought about before.

Yeah, there's some filter capabilities but companies override that all the time with subtle little changes. Youtube recommends stuff constantly (often conservative videos even to me who has no history of watching or liking that shit). Twitter and Facebook got rid of chronological posts and even when you try to get rid of suggested posts, they come back. Instagram is basically all ads now. And then TikTok literally doesn't even ask you to search (and as I recall, their search function sucks), and you can like videos to change what you see *a little* but ultimately the algorithm will lead you wherever it wants.

That's so sad to grow up with that. Choice and searching and relying on your judgment and the recommendations of people you like... those are good things.