Consumption

Feb 20, 2024

🖊️con•sume /kənˈsum/

v., -sumed, -sum•ing.

  1. to use up;expend:[~ + object] The minivan consumes a lot of gas.
  2. to eat or drink up;devour:[~ + object]consumed several six-packs of beer.
  3. [~ + object]to destroy, as by burning:Fire consumed the forest.
  4. [~ + object]to keep the interest of;engross:I was consumed with curiosity.
  5. to use or use up consumer goods:[no object]If consumers don't consume, then workers won't work.


It was not very long ago when we read books, watched films, and listened to music. These days it’s all about consumption. Quite dystopic, is it not?

In the digital age, media consumption has transformed from passive engagement—reading, watching, and listening—into an active, almost insatiable hunger for content. Platforms like Netflix, Twitter, and Spotify don't just offer media; they offer endless streams of it, tailored to our preferences and designed to keep us engaged for as long as possible.

These days, the concept of consumption has expanded well beyond its traditional boundaries. It's not just about the physical act of eating or drinking anymore. It's about devouring content on digital platforms. When we say we "consume" Netflix, we're not just watching a TV show; we're immersing ourselves in a sea of content, binge-watching series after series, and letting algorithms suggest what we should devour next. Similarly, consuming Twitter means more than just reading tweets; it's about engaging with a continuous stream of information, opinions, and discussions, often without a moment's pause to digest it all.

This shift towards consumption is reflective of a broader cultural change. We've moved from a society that values ownership—owning books, DVDs, CDs—to one that values access. Access to endless streams of content, information, and entertainment, all available at the tap of a screen. And with this access comes a certain kind of expectation: that we should be consuming constantly, that to pause or to take a break is to miss out.

Moreover, this culture of consumption has implications for the so called content creators. The pressure to produce content that is immediately engaging, shareable, and capable of holding the fleeting attention of consumers has never been higher.

So consuming is the new thing you do. What’s funny about the semantics is how the word itself which was likely conceived as a euphemism at first has turned into a very weird analogy to bad habits and has made it’s way into our vocabulary silently as if it were something normal to consume anything.

Alright, I might be exaggerating. People certainly still read books, eat food, and listen to music, not everything is consumed compulsively. Or is it?