Why Everything Sucks Now…
Everything Sucks—Or Maybe Just Your Dopamine Receptors
Ah, yes. The grand lament of our age: "Everything sucks nowadays!" Movies? Garbage. TV? Predictable drivel. Music? A crime against eardrums. Even pizza—pizza!—has been dragged into the cultural abyss because someone had the audacity to put pineapple on it. Truly, civilization is in decline.
Or… maybe we’re the problem. (Cue dramatic music.)
Stay with me here. It’s not that the world suddenly forgot how to make good art, good entertainment, or even a good pepperoni slice. No, dear reader, the culprit is far more insidious. It’s you. It’s me. It’s all of us, running on the digital hamster wheel of infinite dopamine hits.
Think about it. Every time you scroll through social media, every like, every notification, every little ding—it’s a dopamine snack. A tiny, fleeting thrill. And we are gorging ourselves on this mental junk food 24/7. So when you finally plop down to watch a movie at the end of the day, your brain throws a tantrum. "Where’s the constant barrage of micro-rewards? Why isn’t there a shiny new thing every 2.5 seconds? Why can’t I swipe to the next plot twist?!"
That’s why everything feels boring. Not because it is boring, but because our attention spans have been sautéed, deep-fried, and served with a side of instant gratification. We don’t have the patience for slow burns anymore. We want rapid-fire engagement, not subtle storytelling.
And then there’s the other half of this mess: the professional haters. The clout-chasing critics. The people who’ve turned negativity into a brand. Why? Because rage gets clicks, baby. "This new Marvel movie is the cinematic equivalent of stepping on a Lego!" "This TV show personally ruined my childhood!"
Really? Did it? Or did you just realize that dunking on things gets you a thousand retweets and a sponsorship deal with a trendy rage-inducing energy drink?
And here’s the kicker: this negativity is contagious. You see everyone online ranting about how much something sucks, so you assume it must suck. You watch it through a lens of pre-loaded cynicism, your dopamine reserves already depleted, and—surprise!—you find reasons to confirm it sucks. Congratulations! You’ve just completed the cultural despair speedrun.
But here’s the truth: Art isn’t worse. Entertainment isn’t worse. We have just forgotten how to be entertained.
So, what’s the solution? Simple. Put down the phone. Take a breath. Stop doomscrolling. Watch a movie without looking for things to hate. Listen to an album without checking Twitter to see if it’s "problematic." Give yourself permission to just enjoy things again.
You might be surprised at how good the world still is—when you actually give it a chance.
