Oh My Gosh! Can You Believe It?

You wouldn't believe this if I told you...

But I might just choose to tell you anyways. Maybe it's because we're best buddies. Maybe it's because I'm just DYING to tell someone about it. But first...

Have you gone outside and seen the sun lately? What about the changes of the leaves bursting with colours? All the reds, oranges, and yellow hues. And the sweet sacred smell of pumpkin spi- I mean fall...

Have you noticed all the prices of food that we're still waiting on to fall too?

But you didn't click on this story to come talk about weather and economy. You came here because you got caught up in all the empty excitement! Yay! Congratulations, you fell for it once again.

Don't worry though, I don't blame you. I have fallen for it to. For the gushy titles of ecstasy that promise you hope, and deliver you... well... nothing. If anything, you pay the price. You pay with your time. And you think to yourself, "well that's okay I guess, at least I'm kind of supporting another creator with my $0.01 worth of view". (But you'll only really make that if you're a paying Vocal member of course)

Aren't you kind of tired of it though? Of the false euphoria and disappointment? Of the writers who play the game, actually winning it? And maybe that's just how the world works. Maybe I should just play the game too. Aren't I playing it right now though? But gosh, playing the game is so fuckin' exhausting.

I honestly don't know how some of you do it.

I see some of y'all out there. Producing five, six, even ten pieces of writing a day. I see my notifications light up with hope of someone reading my work, to see that you have yet again published another random piece. It creates doubt. It creates shame. It creates a lack of motivation to even try sometimes. What chance do I even have?

And then the top stories. I guess if you publish that many times a day, your name will pop up more in the algorithm. So you MUST get some recognition for all your hard work and dedication, right? What does that say about AI users though? I wonder if the stories even get vetted by human eyes anymore... I miss human eyes.

Please know though, that I am happy you're getting your lil five dollar bonus and dopamine shot every few days. I know it's a great feeling. I get it too once a month (like a bloody period but shorter and less angsty). I know it feels great to be recognized, because really, that's what we're all striving for here.

We just want to feel seen.

We want to feel heard. We want to feel like our words matter. We want to build connections with other writers and readers so that we don't feel alone so much anymore. Our world has become so coded and pixelated that we just yearn for some sort of connection.

But guys, I can't keep up.

I can't play your game so fast. I can't just pull thousands of words out of my big ass daily like some of you. I work the 8-4 grind. And I love my job. I get to pull words out of my big mouth instead and share stories and knowledge with incredible kids every day. My words are spent elsewhere.

My words are spent on helping the next generation feel seen.

Now I'm not saying your words aren't important. They are. Your stories matter just as mine do. I just wish to understand more. As many of us do. Because we're all essentially trying to do well here on Vocal. We all want a few moments of glory. And hey, if you're able to legitimately write and create multiple authentic and original stories a day- then damn. Good going. Gold star.

But if you're just writing clickbait and boasting about every little accomplishment so you have something to post, or just writing for Vocal to notice you, or using AI without saying so- boo you.

And if you're copying and stealing other people's work and publishing it as yours- you suck. Or as my wife would say: you can go suck your own dick if you can even find it.