Full-Time Content Consumer
Thanks to my YouTube subscriptions list. Or, as I call it, my “self-imposed online university.” Each channel I have subscribed has genuinely helped me, whether it’s learning how to debug a stubborn nvim plugin, figuring out why curries refuse to curry me, or finally understanding the history behind the pawn structure I keep messing up in the end game. But somewhere along the way, my curiosity spiralled out of control, and now I’m drowning in content, wondering if “YouTube Subscriber” counts as a profession.
The basics: I subscribed to all these channels because I believed they would make me smarter, more productive, and be a better version of myself. But instead, I’ve become a walking encyclopedia of half-digested knowledge, an “expert” who knows a little about everything and a lot about avoiding real work. At this rate, my productivity graph looks like it was hit by a segmentation fault.
The Productivity Paradox: Welcome to the Land of Infinite Notifications
Every day, I start with the noble intention of achieving something meaningful—maybe progress a bit on one of many coding projects lying around, or even (gasp) get a workout in. But then the YouTube notifications hit, and I’m sucked into a vortex of “urgent” videos. Watching one turns into watching five, and before I know it, I’m “learning” about medieval Mongolian war strategies… and no, I have no idea how I got there either.
On good days, I convince myself that all this content is making me more well-rounded. On bad days, I’m just a guy with many browser tabs open on “How to optimize my code” while simultaneously watching a live stream on how to lose gracefully in chess. Every notification promises something critical, like “5 Mind-Blowing JavaScript Hacks,” and here I am, choosing to watch rather than code, only to forget every single hack as soon as the video ends.
My Own Productivity Saboteur
So, what did I learn from all these channels? Well, nothing… at least nothing that can be found in a resume. Somewhere between “Geography Now” and “Fireship,” I realized I’m not as committed to growth as I thought. I’m more like a kid at a candy store, grabbing everything and savoring nothing.
A shoutout to my most favourite youtubers though
Zach Star
Sorted Food
ChessBase India(Beloved Sagar and Amruta)
Our stupid reactions
Geography now
Kings and generals
3Blue1Brown
NileRed
Roomieofficial and so many more(93 in total 😯)
The (Unpaid) Job of Watching All This: An Exercise in Futility
Honestly, keeping up with my subscriptions feels like a full-time job. There are notifications popping up at all hours, begging me to click. And click, I do. Sometimes, I think I should just add “YouTube Enthusiast” to my LinkedIn profile. But then I realize that the only endorsement I’d get would be for “Avoiding Real Work.”
And this is only my YouTube list. I haven’t even touched on Twitter, where every thread promises “insights that will change your life” (but only if you scroll past 25 tweets), or Twitch, where people are streaming chess and coding for hours while I struggle to watch without also feeling like a passive observer in my own life. Then there are all the ad-hoc suggestions from YouTube, Netflix, prime, appletv, Disney+, hotstar and SonyLiv. My multitasking skills have reached a new high… or low. Let’s call it efficiently overwhelmed.
I May Never Escape, But At Least I’m Entertained
In the end, my subscription explosion is both my joy and my downfall. I have access to endless knowledge, inspiration, and the occasional recipe that I’ll definitely mess up. But really, I’m not fooling anyone. I’ve crossed from “lifelong learner” to “lifelong procrastinator.”
So here’s to all the content creators and their neon LED backdrops, intense chess analyses, and relentless calls to “smash that like button.” You’ve created a world where every notification feels like an invitation to greatness, even if, deep down, I know I’ll be watching rather than doing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there are 12 new videos waiting for me to ignore all my responsibilities.