The Internet: A Fickle Bitch in the Dark Alley of Fame

You know, folks, if there’s one thing the internet is, it’s one fickled bitch. It presents itself as a tantalizing siren, luring people in with promises of stardom and wealth. But let’s not kid ourselves—this digital landscape is riddled with failure and disappointment. While some rise like the phoenix from relative obscurity, gracing our screens with their charming antics, countless others are left grappling for recognition, shouting into the void of the World Wide Web, met with nothing but silence.

Back in 2006, long before the age of AI ruled the digital roost, I delved into this strange world. You can’t blame AI for the current chaos; that one’s on us and our lovely friends on the East Coast, strutting around with their noses so high they might just take flight. But the real kicker? Age discrimination is rampant out here in the wild, wild web—especially among the Millennials. They act like the internet just materialized to amuse them, a cosmic gift for their entertainment, forgetting that those of us who came before were already plowing through the muck of dial-up and clunky modems.

And then there’s Gen Z and Gen Alpha, fixated on watching Ryan play with toys. The audacity! These kids are making millions while some of us struggle just to be heard. Sure, the Millennials enjoyed their share of candy-coated nonsense with creations like Cat-Dog—mashups that feel like nightmares given form—but corporate television? Now that’s a different beast altogether.

We’ve arrived at a juncture where half-naked influencers parade their wares like they’re in a carnival, trying to make a living amidst a torrent of skin trade that the internet has fostered. It’s become a swirling vortex of flesh and folly, each one shrinking the market for genuine talent. Why read a novel when you can watch someone get their “10 seconds of fame” on TikTok?

And let’s not forget about WordPress.com, the site that seems to delight in throttling your viewership unless you fork over a small fortune each year. That, I declare, is a scam in itself! You’d think that if you lay down a few bucks, your voice might cut through the noise. Instead, it feels like the digital equivalent of a bouncer at an exclusive club, turning away your cries for attention simply based on the size of your wallet.

So here’s what we have: a sprawling, chaotic web that was promised to give everyone a fair shot, only to have turned into a chaotic carnival where the loudest wins, and genuine, heartfelt expressions often go unnoticed. It’s a sad state of affairs when the true gems disappear into obscurity, while vapid content dominates the stage under fluorescent lights.

In this digital circus, it’s crucial to maintain your identity and worth, even when the world seems determined to tell you otherwise. Not every content provider will find themselves atop the shiny pedestal of success, and that’s okay. The key is to remember why you began creating in the first place—to share your voice, your experience, and your truth. So, let’s rise above the noise and refuse to let the ever-fickle internet define our value. We’re in this murky wilderness together, friends, and in the end, it’s not the clicks that matter—it’s the connections we make along the way.