💩 being alive is so f**king embarrassing

Crop from an old project. I love drawing maps. I want to draw more maps.

Hi friends,

This week I probably spent about 40 hours on TikTok.

I wish I were exaggerating.

Is this embarrassing? Yes.

Short form video is a fascinating medium! The constraints result in wild amounts of creativity. The platform's design makes it hyper addictive.

I have to stay on top of social media trends for work, and industry experts are saying short form video is the future. I'm genuinely fascinated by the way platforms capitalize on human psychology to keep people engaged. I love observing (and experimenting with) what works and what flops.

In my crunchy-granola circles it's popular to cast social media as inherently toxic, but anything is toxic if you consume too much of it (which I did this week).

I'm constantly wrestling with social media, trying to figure out how I can use it in a utilitarian way (to connect in real life, to be inspired, to learn) and not to lose myself in it (to mindlessly scroll for hours, to stay in a political and cultural echo chamber, to feel inadequate, anxious, and jealous by comparing myself to others).

For me, the most compelling aspect of TikTok is that it rewards authenticity and vulnerability. If Facebook is about fighting in the comments and Instagram is a photoshopped highlights reel, TikTok is a confessional. Or a classroom. Or a meet-up. At least my favorite corners of it are.

Creators are making me belly-laugh. They're making me cry. They're inspiring me. They're educating me.

Here are six TikToks (three isn't enough to reflect the incredible diversity of content, subject matter, and style) that enriched my life this week:
 

1.  A kind British man cleans brass fixtures around his apartment. (1m 42s)

2. Maybe my favorite creator of all time takes down diet culture. (2m 19s)

3. Being alive is so f**king embarrassing. (10s)

4. TikTok is more than just dancing. But also... I love the dancing. (15s)

5. These cats do killer muppet impersonations. (59s)

6. Surface parking in cities is the worst possible use of public space and this dude explains why in 38 seconds. (38s)

Thanks for reading! And stay tuned for more short form video from me...

Stay tender, y'all.

(Christine Tyler Hill is the human behind Tender Warrior Co.)