The problem with short form videos
Ever since the short video format, or reels, entered the internet sphere I have been somewhat baffled about their existence. Not that there is anything wrong in itself with short clips, that has been a thing before smartphones, but they way they usually present themselves in an endless stream trying to hook you feels very weird to me. It has an almost frighteningly addicting and manipulative quality. This. post by Ibrahim Diallo put the problem better into words:
It’s a video that hooks you in under five seconds. Imagine your favorite movie. Now cut everything except the climax—no buildup, no tension, just the explosive payoff, right out of the gate. Your heart rate spikes. Then, ten seconds later, another video starts, and it has five seconds to make you feel that same high again. And again. And again.
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This isn’t just about wasted time. It’s about rewiring what we consider "entertaining," "engaging," or even "tolerable." When every piece of media is a fireworks finale, the absence of explosions feels like boredom. When every joke has to land in three seconds or less, a slow-burn punchline becomes a drag. And when your brain gets used to constant, effortless climaxes, the mundane—the human—parts of life start to feel like a slog.