While the world’s experts are debating away the good and evil in communication via social media, a new time consumer has slipped in under the radar and taken over Twitter feeds and timelines. Clickbait. Specifically, those list articles. I like to think of Clickbait as a collage that you’ve cut from other pieces of the Internet. It’s online recycling where memes and themes can represent ideas we like to read because we have them, too. Of course, we’ve all read these and even written them because they’re simple and enjoyable and it’s really hard to go wrong with writing some sentences under a picture.
1. We all love the promise of a funny list.
I’m not trying to put listicles down, because trust me I love scrolling through the “15 Best Autocorrect Fails” and “'Friends' Characters As The Signs” as much as the next person. The potential for humor is usually enough to take a step back from our boring, stressful, or overwhelming lives and is usually the first tactic of much of social media.
2. But there is no real substance to a bunch of gifs and corny explanations.
There is a certain emptiness to clickbait that seems to be the essence of online communication. As you read through (or more likely skim through) a clickbait list, you’re simply reading little snippets of regurgitated pop culture that you might be able to “relate” to.
3. Yet we are drawn to this idea of being connected to what’s trending.
If other people are clicking or sharing, the interest level of something automatically goes up. Viral is almost synonymous with value. We want to know why everyone else is clicking and be on that same page.
4. And it’s not just lists.
Videos and other articles or posts that have been shared over and over again draw us in, too. The promise of witnessing something that lots of other people have witnessed is gold in today’s society. The Internet seems to be one constant scramble for other people's attention and we are willing to give it.
5. The information presented is concise.
Clicking that link is a no thinking required task. Listicles are well-organized, videos usually hook you in seconds or you’ll just move on, and images take no less than a moment to digest. We can get a general idea of current events either in the world or the lives in barely any time at all.
6. But it barely scratches the surface.
At the end of the day, gifs about the election aren’t going to teach us too much about the candidates. No, clickbait will give you a chance to really think about the real world. We can’t always rely on easily accessible fast paced information to govern our knowledge.
7. So can’t we stop clicking and start actually reading?
It’s hard, I know. But we have worlds of information at fingertips and most of the time we choose to limit ourselves to reading empty filler pieces that will never truly benefit us. Sure, it might provide some momentary enjoyment and fit in with the instantaneous nature of social media, but can’t we do so much better? Can’t we try to think about things deeper than a few bolded headings and some pictures to go along?
