At my 20s I just realised how useless YouTube is for me… Only few comedy channels actually gave me anything in return of my time.
I used YouTube for so long mainly with NewPipe client which has become unstable for me. And I no longer feel like dedicating a browser or using invidious to consume it.
I mainly watched tech and comedy channels and podcasts. I do continue listening some podcasts via RSS… Most channels are just advertisements and memes like waste of time…
This post is about how youtube as a platform in just about every way is bad and how I wish I could get the time spent back.
NewPipe & invidious helped me to cut back significantly on video consumption.
A big factor is also whether you’re logged in or not. Is commenting, giving thumbs up/down + subscribing really worth it? Engaging with all these things only make the platform more addicting.
I agree that most videos are a waste of time, but you can safe half of the time by watching them at 2x speed. Especially good for skimming parts and getting the gist, which is usually what you’d want from most videos.
I wholeheartedly agree with it first two paragraphs. Being logged in or not is crucial to your addiction, not just because those interactions are engaging but also because the algorithm is less tailored, and thus less efficient at trapping you with content.