The Reel Trap: How Short Videos Are Controlling Today’s Generation

One thing you'll find in abundance in today's generation is the habit of watching Reels. Nowadays, people are watching Reels in huge numbers, and every age group, in every city, from every background, is watching them daily. And Reels have become more than just short videos; they've become a cultural phenomenon, a significant part of this generation's identity. Today, if you see anyone opening a social media platform, the first thing they see is Reels. And while it's incredibly entertaining for us, has anyone ever considered how addictive it has become? We've become so addicted to it that if we go a day without Instagram, we start feeling restless and talking to ourselves, wondering when we'll get our phone back and when the internet will be available so we can start watching again.

scr

First, let's understand why this content shift happened. Previously, people preferred watching longer videos, such as vlogs, tutorial videos, or tech videos. This was because attention spans were longer. Now, attention spans have become so short that people decide within 10-15 seconds whether or not they want to watch a video. People prefer short-form content because it's quick, fast-paced, entertaining, and most importantly, addictive. Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and Facebook have all prioritized Reels because young audiences are most easily addicted to this type of content.

Then we understand why it's so addictive. Let's say we think we'll watch a police show for 5 minutes, but those 5 minutes turn into an hour. We don't understand why, and this doesn't just happen to you; it happens to everyone. Instagram is truly a great source of entertainment. It always provides real, quick entertainment in just 10 to 20 seconds. Then Brian thinks that when we watch this kind of content, we're making the best use of our time. That's why we watch it more. If we were to watch a 20- or 30-minute video, it would take much longer. So Brian thinks that with Instagram Reels or other short videos, we spend less time and get more entertainment.

scr

And the second biggest reason why people shifted from long videos to short videos is the endless variety available in short videos. The content in short videos is always very spontaneous, or you could say unpredictable. Nobody knows what kind of content will come next. For example, first there might be cooking, then dancing, then comedy, then fitness, then motivation, then a tech video about coding. There's good content for every mood, and when you like a particular type of content, you'll get more of that kind. The algorithm will also set you up with this type of content. Whenever you open YouTube or Instagram, you'll see similar short videos.

If I talk about myself, there was a time when I also got very addicted to watching short videos. For example, when I went home, I would watch them for 3 to 4 hours a day. But gradually, I made a big change. Instagram has a feature where you can set a time limit, and you won't be able to watch for longer than that. I set the time limit to between 1.5 and 2 hours, and nowadays, I only watch for 1.5 to 2 hours a day. This has many benefits for me, and it doesn't feel so addictive anymore because if you watch within your limits and only for necessary reasons or to pass time, then nothing is bad. Everything has some benefit. In those two hours, you'll find many good short videos. You'll find videos that are very entertaining. You'll learn something from them. Whereas, if you go to YouTube, there are so many videos, and you won't even understand what to watch. That's why Instagram Shorts are better. But the problem is that nowadays, people get very addicted to these things.

scr

Lastly, I'll say that anything you do within limits, or anything you do for the sake of knowledge, isn't bad. Watching short videos or browsing Instagram isn't inherently bad. But if you do it excessively, or beyond a certain limit, it can be very harmful because it can make you addicted. And when you become addicted to something, you start doing it regularly and excessively. There was a time when I also used to watch reels for 5 hours a day, and I didn't even realize where all that time went. But gradually, I gained control over myself. I made a lot of changes to my account. I fixed my feed, I adjusted my algorithm, and slowly, I fixed everything. I set a time limit on the app so it wouldn't open after that limit was reached. These are small things that can stabilize our lives and prevent us from becoming addicted to anything.

Posted Using INLEO