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bloomzone · 21 days ago

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2025 : #24 the mental diet : How , what u consume Is secretly sabotaging ur growth

You wouldn't eat garbage all day and expect to feel energetic and healthy right ? yet most of us are doing exactly that with our minds ! . We're gorging ourselves on information junk food while wondering why we feel anxious, depressed, stuck, and constantly comparing ourselves to others. because ur information diet is probably destroying your potential and you don't even realize it's happening .

The hidden addiction that's rewiring ur brain

Every piece of content you consume is literally rewiring your neural pathways. When you scroll through social media seeing everyone's highlight reels, your brain starts believing that everyone else has it figured out while you're falling behind. When you binge-watch videos about toxic relationships, narcissistic abuse, or trauma content, you're training your mind to see problems and threats everywhere you look. When u consume news that's designed to make you outraged and afraid, you're programming yourself to live in a state of chronic stress and helplessness. ur brain doesn't distinguish between what you're experiencing directly and what you're consuming through screens. If you're constantly feeding it content about why life is hard, why people can't be trusted, why the world is falling apart, or why you're a victim of circumstances, that becomes your reality. Not because it's true, but because that's what you've trained your brain to focus on and expect.

Think about the last week of your information consumption. How much of it made you feel empowered, inspired, capable, and optimistic about your future? How much of it made you feel anxious, inadequate, angry, or hopeless? If you're honest, the ratio is probably pretty disturbing. Most people are consuming 80% mental junk food and wondering why they can't seem to create the life they want and they keep saying. "Look how x is pretty and I'm not" (bruh 💀)

The victim content trap that keeps you stuck

There's a particularly insidious type of content that people get addicted to without realizing it's keeping them trapped:

victim content. This includes anything that reinforces the idea that you're powerless, that other people are the problem, that the world is against you, or that your past determines your future. It feels validating in the moment because it explains why your life isn't what you want it to be without requiring you to take responsibility for changing it.

Trauma content, relationship advice focused on identifying toxic people, political content that makes you angry about things you can't control, self-help content about why you can't help yourself allllll of this creates a feedback loop where you become addicted to feeling like a victim because it's become your identity. You start seeking out content that confirms this worldview because it feels familiar and comfortable, even though it's slowly poisoning your ability to see opportunities, solutions, and your own power....

The algorithm feeds into this perfectly. Social media platforms make money by keeping you engaged, and negative emotions like anger, fear, and outrage are incredibly engaging. So the more victim content you consume, the more the algorithm serves you, creating an echo chamber that reinforces learned helplessness. u end up in a bubble where everyone agrees that life is hard, people can't be trusted, and there's nothing you can do about your circumstances.

The comparison trap that destroys Self-worth

Social media has turned comparison into a full-time job. You wake up and immediately start your day by looking at carefully curated highlight reels of other people's lives. Their vacations, their relationships, their achievements, their bodies, their homes ... all presented without context, struggle, or the messy reality behind the scenes. ur brain takes in this information and creates a story that everyone else has something you don't that you're falling behind, that you're not enough.

But hear me out you're comparing your behind-the-scenes reality to everyone else's highlight reel performance. For example It's like watching a movie and comparing your life to the finished product, forgetting that what you're seeing took months to create, involved dozens of people, multiple takes, professional editing, and perfect lighting. The comparison is literally impossible to win because it's not even real.

The people who seem to have it all together online are often struggling with the same things you are. The difference is they're not posting about their anxiety, their relationship problems, their financial stress, or their moments of self-doubt. They're posting the 2% of their life that looks Instagram-worthy and you're comparing it to the 98% of your life that's just regular human existence.

The self-help paradox

Even positive content can become problematic when consumed in the wrong way. There's a type of self-help consumption addiction where people become perpetual students instead of practitioners. They watch endless videos about mindset, read countless books about success, follow dozens of coaches and experts, but never actually implement what they're learning because they're too busy consuming the next piece of advice.... (No hate towards any self help youtuber ⚠️)

This creates an illusion of progress. You feel like you're working on yourself because you're learning so much, but you're actually avoiding the uncomfortable work of actually changing. Consuming content about transformation becomes a substitute for the actual discomfort of transforming. You become an expert on the theory of change while remaining stuck in the same patterns.

The strategic information diet

A real information diet overhaul requires being ruthless about what you eliminate. This is about being strategic with your mental resources and protecting your ability to see opportunities, solutions, and your own power.

ıllı Immediate cuts:

- Social media first thing in the morning and last thing at night

- News consumption beyond what's directly relevant to your decisions

- Content creators who make you feel worse about yourself or your situation

- Trauma content that reinforces victim identity rather than promoting healing

- Comparison-inducing content (lifestyle, success, relationship highlight reels)

- Political content that makes you angry about things you can't control

- True crime and disaster content that feeds anxiety without serving any purpose

- Endless self-help consumption without implementation

The 24-Hour Rule:

Before consuming any content, ask yourself: "Will knowing this information make me a better person, help me make better decisions, or improve my life in some concrete way in the next 24 hours?" If the answer is no, skip that shi . Your mental bandwidth is limited and precious protect it like you would protect ur parents or money or whatever..

The Strategic Information Diet: What to add

Once you've cleared out the mental junk food, you need to deliberately choose content that serves the person you're becoming. This requires being intentional about seeking out information that expands your possibilities rather than limiting them.

High-Value content:

- Success stories from people who have overcome what you're dealing with

- Educational content that teaches you actual skills you can implement

- Content from people living the kind of life you want to create

- Biographies and case studies of people who have built what you want to build

- Philosophy and wisdom that helps you think more clearly about life

- Content that challenges you to grow rather than confirming your existing beliefs

- Art, music, and creative content that inspires and elevates your mood ect ect ..

The aspiration test:

Choose content creators and sources based on this question: "If I consumed this person's content for a year, would I become more like the person I want to be?" If someone's content consistently leaves you feeling empowered, capable, and focused on solutions, they earn a place in your information diet. If they leave you feeling victimized, anxious, or focused on problems, they need to go.

Creating Information boundaries

Just like you wouldn't eat every meal at a buffet you need structure around your information consumption. This means creating specific times, places, and purposes for different types of content rather than grazing mindlessly all day long.

Morning protocol:

Never start your day with social media, news, or any content that puts you in a reactive state. Instead, begin with content that puts you in a creative, proactive mindset something educational, inspirational, or strategic for ur goals. The first hour of your day sets the tone for everything that follows.

Evening boundaries:

STOP consuming stimulating content at least an hour before bed pleassse . This includes news too, social media, work-related information, or anything that might trigger stress or comparison. Your brain needs time to process and wind down, and ur sleep quality directly impacts your ability to handle challenges the next day.

Purpose-driven consumption:

Before opening any app or clicking any link, pause and ask yourself what you're trying to accomplish. Are you looking for specific information to help with a decision? Are you trying to learn a particular skill? Are you seeking inspiration for a project? Or are you just bored and looking for distraction? Only consume content when you have a clear purpose this prevents mindless scrolling that usually leads to feeling worse. (We are here to protect ur mind btw)

The 30-Day information detox challenge

Real change requires a complete reset of your information consumption patterns. This means going cold turkey on the mental junk food long enough for your brain to recalibrate and remember what it feels like to not be constantly stimulated, outraged, or comparing yourself to others.

Week 1: Complete Social Media Elimination

Delete social media apps from your phone entirely. If you need them for work, access them only from your computer during designated work hours. Notice what comes up when you reach for your phone out of habit. What emotions are you trying to avoid? What gaps in your life are you trying to fill with distraction?

Week 2: News Fast

Stop consuming news entirely unless it directly impacts a decision you need to make. This includes news websites, news podcasts, news videos, and news discussions. Notice how much mental space this frees up and how your stress levels change.

Week 3: Positive Input only

Only consume content that educates, inspires, or helps you grow. This might be books, educational videos, music that u love and make u happy , inspiring vloggers , podcasts with people you admire, or content related to skills you want to develop. Pay attention to how different types of content affect your mood and energy levels.

Week 4: Mindful reintegration

Gradually reintroduce some information sources, but with strict boundaries and intentionality. Notice which sources serve you and which immediately pull you back into old patterns of comparison, anxiety, or victimization.

Measuring the impact

The real test of your information diet overhaul isn't what you're consuming , it's who you're becoming as a result. After 30 days of strategic information consumption, you should notice significant changes in ur mental state, energy levels, and outlook on ur life.

Positive indicators:

- Waking up with energy and optimism rather than dread

- Feeling more focused on your own goals rather than distracted by others' lives

- Having more mental space for creative thinking and problem-solving

- Feeling more capable and empowered rather than victimized by circumstances

- Sleeping better because your mind isn't overstimulated

- Having more meaningful conversations because you're not constantly consuming surface-level content

- Making faster progress on your actual goals because you're not mentally scattered

Warnings signs u need to adjust:

- Feeling out of touch with reality or important developments

-Becoming preachy about information consumption

- Using the information diet as another form of perfectionism or control

- Feeling isolated from friends who are still consuming the content you've eliminated

- Swinging too far into toxic positivity and avoiding all challenging information

Making It sustainable :

Like any diet, the information diet overhaul only works if you can maintain it long-term. This means finding a sustainable balance rather than trying to maintain perfectionist standards that will eventually lead to a binge .

The 80/20 Rule:

Aim for 80% high-value information consumption and allow yourself 20% flexibility for entertainment, social connection, or keeping up with current events. This prevents the all-or-nothing mentality that leads to failure.

Regular Audits:

Every month, review what you've been consuming and how it's affecting you. Information sources that served you six months ago might not serve the person you're becoming now. Stay willing to evolve your information diet as you evolve.

Community standards:

Find people who are also intentional about their information consumption. This might mean joining groups focused on personal development, finding accountability partners for your goals, or having honest conversations with friends about how certain types of content affect your relationships.

The compound effect of clean Information

The impact of changing your information diet compounds over time in ways that are hard to imagine when you're stuck in the old patterns. When you stop feeding ur brain a steady diet of problems, comparison, and victimization, it naturally starts looking for opportunities, solutions, and possibilities. You begin to see the world through the lens of what's possible rather than what's wrong.

Your relationships improve because you're not constantly triggered, anxious, or focused on drama. Your productivity increases because your mental energy isn't scattered across a dozen different sources of artificial urgency. Your confidence grows because you're not constantly comparing yourself to carefully curated highlight reels. Your creativity expands because your mind has space to think original thoughts rather than just reacting to other people's content.

Most importantly, u start to trust yourself again. When you're not constantly consuming other people's opinions, problems, and perspectives, you remember that you have your own wisdom, your own judgment, and your own ability to navigate life. You stop looking for external validation or permission because you're not constantly reminded of how everyone else is supposedly doing it better.

The person you become through a strategic information diet overhaul isn't someone who's avoiding reality they're someone who's choosing to focus their limited mental resources on what they can actually influence and improve. They're not less informed they're more discerning. They're not living in a bubble n they're living intentionally.

laaaast note :

Your information diet is one of the most powerful tools you have for shaping who you become. I’m not saying you need to delete social media forever or become some monk who never scrolls again 💀This isn’t about demonizing the internet or pretending that all content is bad. Social media isn’t inherently toxic but unconscious consumption is. The goal isn’t to eliminate connection, inspiration, or entertainment. The goal is to choose what you consume instead of being controlled by it.

@bloomzone ⌨️

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mariacallous · 3 months ago

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That's the kind of social media echo chamber bullshit that's been brought up every fucking election since 2016 (and probably before then) and it's never fucking accurate. but hey! it confirms how people *feel* about the Democrats and so it MUST be true! how can we lose when we're so sincere?! guess it must be that the Democrats are just NOT TRYING ENOUGH or they aren't SAYING SOMETHING LOUD ENOUGH for me to hear it!

What do you MEAN it's in easily accessible locations that don't require a ton of research and digging?! That simply CANNOT be TRUE because I PERSONALLY didn't see it on my algorithmically dictated social media feed which I rely on because scrolling hormones wheeeeeeeeeeee

Why don't the Democrats spoonfeed me like the intellectual and emotional baby I say I am despite being a fucking adult with agency and choice! that's THEIR problem!

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cacodaemonia · 2 months ago

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I was unfortunate enough to come across this ask from someone I don't follow a while back. It was one of those wtf moments that was so strong, I had to show the screenshot to a friend who isn't in fandom and never has been. They know the basics of how fandom works, and I've told them about the pro-censorship people in fandom, but this post really required some extra explanation, and I thought I'd share how I broke it down for them:

Obviously, most antis are very young. We all know this. That doesn't mean that all young people are anti-sex, pro-censorship, or unable/unwilling to distinguish fiction from reality, but it's much easier for young folks to get caught up in dangerous and toxic communities—in both real life and online.

From what I've seen over the years, there are all kinds of reasons why antis campaign against fiction they don't like and why they harass other fans and small creators. But I think a key point is that they seldom target big name authors, movie studios, or other media companies who make 'problematic' things.

That right there tells you a lot about one of their primary motivations: power over others.

They want to feel morally superior to people who create art (including writing, etc.) that they dislike. And because they can't influence powerful individuals and companies, they turn their personal disgust and outrage on people who are their relative equals or on those who have even less socioeconomic power—especially marginalized groups like queer and disabled people, who make up large portions of fandom.

There are plenty of other factors that impact this radicalization, of course, but I really think that the power aspect and feeling like they're one of The Good People are the most important elements.

But anyway, the screenshot above got me thinking about how someone could reach the point where they genuinely believe that government censorship of fanworks is necessary to... what? Prevent people from making (subjectively) 'gross' art because... that will lead others to commit actual real life crimes?? That's what the anti above seem to be suggesting with the slippery slope comment, and when I got to this point in the explanation to my non-fandom friend, they were BOGGLED. They simply could not comprehend the massive leap of 'logic.'

So I paused for a moment and considered how I could explain it, based on the various stages of indoctrination I've seen among antis over the years.

I think that a lot of these young people are probably very new to fandom. They find out about fanfic and go onto AO3, and they likely assume that some algorithm will handfeed them what they want—even though they haven't bothered to learn how an archive like AO3 works and haven't used any search filters to include or exclude things they like or don't like (this required a whole explanation about AO3 filters to my friend btw).

So anyway, these people who have grown up on sanitized mass media fail to heed any of AO3's many warnings, including creators' tags, and they come across something that they think is gross or that makes them uncomfortable. For example, "Ewww, fics about underage characters having sex is gross and makes me uncomfortable." That's fine. Hit the back button and use filters to avoid that. Problem solved!

But then maybe they go on social media and complain about someone making art they don't like, and they rapidly get sucked the echo chambers of cult-like anti communities. And this is where they all amp each other up by exchanging conservative talking points dressed up in ostensibly progressive language. They begin to feel angry and self-righteous and certain that they have to do something about this issue they've collectively fabricated. After all, "Think of the children!!"

I should also point out that most antis don't seem to even understand the words they use. For example, in that screenshot, it's pretty clear that the op is using 'censorship,' 'glorification,' and even 'slippery slope' as emotional catch phrases rather than words that have useful and concrete meanings outside of fandom.

Finally, their crusade against the fiction they dislike becomes such a huge part of their identities and 'friend' (more like mutual purity surveillance) groups that they just keep building it up into this huge moral panic until they're unironically saying things like, "Writing a fic about a 17 year-old and an 18 year-old kissing is actual pedophilia and the author should be harassed and doxxed and imprisoned."

When I got to that point, my friend was still boggled, but it was more of a horrified sort of boggled, where you just stare into space and contemplate the merits of a giant space rock hitting earth in the near future.

I really wish people getting sucked into anti mindsets would take a moment to consider how bathshit their beliefs sound to the average human being on the planet who doesn't spend huge amounts of time on social media.

#purity culture #antis #censorship #fiction =/= reality #fiction #fandom #fandom wank #long post #moral panics #harassment

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fyeahnix · 2 months ago

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I can only imagine that at some point most people will see how garbage AI is and probably wrap back around to preferring things made by humans instead of computer code, and that will become the new selling point for businesses in the future. But that will take a lot of education and luck I think.

It's very easy to be surrounded by your internet echo chamber of people who all hate AI but then you talk to the average person IRL and they either have no idea what AI is or they love it and think it's the second coming of Jesus Christ and I can only hope that people learn how horrible it is and slowly start to change their mind around it.

Just because a new technology can exist doesn't mean it should. And for the mfs who can't read and like to argue, no I am not saying AI as a concept shouldn't exist because it has already existed for a very long time as traditional AI which are just hand written algorithms. I'm talking about generative AI and the way it's being trained. I literally wouldn't have a problem with genAI if they solved the most glaring issues with it.

As I said in my previous reblog tags, companies are already looking for reasons to cut back on hiring because they want to focus on developing internal AI tooling to help them do their jobs faster. That's the part I need people to keep in mind. It's not just folks losing their jobs to AI, it's going to be people not being able to GET a job because of AI as well.

#personal

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thecozycat · 3 months ago

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🧡 Tuesday Tips #2 🧡

What Are RSS and Atom Feeds?

The Small Web movement is about reclaiming personal control over the internet, moving away from the corporate, ad-driven platforms that dominate the online space today. One of the biggest advantages of using RSS or Atom is that you can follow nearly any type of content from all over the web—blogs, news websites, YouTube channels, podcasts, even academic journals! As long as the site provides an RSS or Atom feed (which many still do), you can add it to your reader and automatically get updates when new content is published. You have full control over the flow of information, making it possible to keep up with your favorite creators and websites without being tracked or bombarded by irrelevant content suggestions (Facebook, I’m looking at you).

RSS and Atom feeds are a perfect fit for curating personal content feeds in this movement. You can even follow your friends across the small web as well! It’s like having your own personal news feed of all your friends, except there’s no corporation deciding when, how, or if you’ll even see their posts. You curate your own personalized feed, and using either RSS or Atom ensures that no algorithms can ever manipulate what you see.

So what exactly are RSS and Atom feeds? Both RSS and Atom are web feed formats used to publish updates from websites. They allow you to subscribe to blogs, news sites, podcasts, or any site with frequent updates so you can get all the latest content in one place, typically through an RSS reader.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication): One of the oldest and most popular formats for delivering content updates to users. Websites publish RSS feeds in XML format, which feed readers then display for you.

Atom: A more recent alternative to RSS, designed to address some limitations of the original RSS format. Atom feeds use XML like RSS but have a different structure and were developed to offer more features and flexibility.

Both formats serve the same purpose: they help you get content updates automatically.

Can Your RSS Reader Read Atom Feeds?

The good news is that most modern RSS readers support both RSS and Atom formats. This means you don’t have to worry about whether a website offers an RSS or Atom feed—most readers will be able to handle both seamlessly.

RSS & Atom Feeds vs. Big Tech Social Media News Feeds

Most social media platforms do not display posts in chronological order. Instead, they use algorithms to determine what content to show you based on your behavior—what you click on, like, or share. These algorithms analyze vast amounts of data and prioritize content that’s most likely to keep you engaged for as long as possible. This manipulation works to increase user engagement and, ultimately, profit for these companies, but it also has a profound impact on what we see and believe. Here are a few examples:

Echo Chambers and Polarization Algorithms tend to show us more of what we already like and agree with. Over time, this creates echo chambers—digital spaces where we are surrounded by similar viewpoints. When people only see content that aligns with their own opinions, it reinforces their beliefs and prevents exposure to different perspectives. This phenomenon can fuel political polarization, as users become more entrenched in their viewpoints, leading to heightened social division.

Amplification of Emotional and Sensational Content Algorithms are designed to promote content that triggers emotional responses, particularly outrage or fear, as these emotions tend to generate more engagement. This is why sensationalized news and emotionally charged political content often appear at the top of feeds. For example, Facebook’s own internal studies, revealed in the 2021 Facebook Papers, showed that its algorithm was amplifying divisive, angry content because it kept users engaged longer. This is particularly harmful when it comes to false narratives, as these stories are more likely to be shared when they evoke strong emotional reactions, leading to widespread public deception.

Surveillance and Data Harvesting Another corrupt aspect of Big Tech’s manipulation is the way these companies harvest vast amounts of user data to further refine their algorithms and maximize ad revenue. Companies track every click, scroll, and interaction to build a detailed profile of each user. This information is sold to advertisers or used to tailor the content in your news feed to keep you hooked. Beyond mere advertising, this data can be used for more insidious purposes, such as political manipulation. More broadly, Big Tech can shape the course of social movements by giving disproportionate visibility to certain voices or downranking others. This power can be used both to promote grassroots campaigns, but also to suppress dissenting voices.

Surveillance Capitalism This term describes how Big Tech companies monetize personal data by surveilling users and creating predictive models of human behavior. By using data harvested from news feed interactions, tech companies can sell detailed user profiles to advertisers, who use these insights to target individuals with precision ads. This economic model, built on constant surveillance, makes it nearly impossible for users to avoid being tracked online. Surveillance capitalism turns user behavior into a commodity, violating privacy in the pursuit of profit. Worse yet, this behavior-modifying system can be used to influence not just what we buy, but how we think and act.

The “Filter Bubble” Effect The term “filter bubble,” refers to the personalization algorithms used by Big Tech to show you only content that aligns with your previous preferences. This isolation of information creates a self-reinforcing loop where users are insulated from viewpoints that challenge their assumptions. This leads to a distorted reality in which everything we see online confirms our existing beliefs, regardless of whether those beliefs are factual. For instance, someone interested in a certain political ideology will be fed more and more content supporting that viewpoint, while dissenting or critical information is filtered out, creating an illusion that everyone shares the same perspective.

RSS & Atom feeds offer a stark contrast to Big Tech news feeds in several key ways:

No algorithms.

No tracking.

No targeting.

No data harvesting.

No distractions.

You’re in full control the content you consume without external corporate influences and manipulation.

RSS and Atom feeds allow you to escape the grasp of these algorithms, trackers, data harvesting, as well as corporate and political agendas. When you use an RSS reader, no one is tracking what you’re reading or recommending content to you based on targeting you and your activity. You can browse in peace, knowing you’re not being manipulated by a hidden algorithm. Using RSS and Atom feeds gives you complete control over the content you consume. Instead of relying on a platform to decide what’s relevant or interesting to you, RSS and Atom empower you to curate your own digital experience. Isn’t that great? You can subscribe to as many or as few feeds as you like, organize them into categories, and stay informed on your own terms to the content and people that matter to you most.

TIP: As you subscribe to multiple RSS feeds, organization becomes key. Most RSS readers allow you to categorize feeds, grouping them by topic or priority. For example, you might have separate folders for news, tech blogs, personal interest websites, or even specific topics like web development. Organizing your feeds ensures that you never miss important updates while keeping your content stream manageable.

...........................................................................

Choose Your RSS Feed Reader

Browser Extensions:

If you’re looking for a list of user-friendly, privacy-focused, fully free and actively updated open-source RSS feed readers for (primarily) Firefox and Chrome-based browsers, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive right in! ........................................................................... FEEDBRO Feedbro is an RSS feed reader that is compatible with both Firefox and Chrome browsers. It offers a user-friendly interface and has features such as feed filtering, sorting, and a built-in search engine. > Get it for Firefox > Get it for Chrome > Get it on Microsoft Edge ........................................................................... SMART RSS Smart RSS allows you to follow new posts on your favorite websites exposing RSS and Atom feeds in a three pane view, providing background loading of new articles and allowing you to organize sources into folders. > Get it for Firefox > Get it for Chrome ...........................................................................

Android & IOS Apps:

Mobile apps are notorious for tracking and harvesting user data, possibly even moreso than pc given the modern smart phone’s ability to record audio, video, and keep track of your location in real time. Here is a list of free, open source, privacy-focused RSS feed reader apps for both Android and iOS so you can enjoy your favorite RSS feeds on the go. ........................................................................... FEEDER Feeder is a fully free/libre feed reader. It supports all common feed formats, including JSONFeed. It doesn’t track you. It doesn’t require any setup. It doesn’t even need you to create an account! Just setup your feeds, or import them from your old reader via OPML, then get on with syncing and reading. > Get Feeder on Google Play (Android) > Get Feeder on F-Droid (Android) ........................................................................... Flym News Reader While no longer being updated, Flym News Reader is still an excellent news reader for Android. Flym News Reader is a simple, modern, totally free (no ads) and opensource project which keeps you inform by fetching your websites/blogs and displaying them in a mobile-optimized way. > Get Flym on Google Play (Android) > Get Flym on F-Droid (Android) ........................................................................... Fiery Feeds Fiery Feeds is a powerful and highly customisable feed reader and read-it-later client that syncs with most services. It features article view modes, feed management, flexible layouts, smart views, color themes, and more! While I wasn’t able to uncover if it was open source, the developer does have a good privacy-respecting policy here. It’s one of the better alternatives for IOS. > Get Fiery Feeds for IOS ...........................................................................

Other PC Software:

So, it looks like you’re on the hunt for the perfect RSS feed reader. Luckily, there are a ton of great open-source options out there that are user-friendly, privacy-focused, free, and actively updated. Let’s dive in! ........................................................................... QuiteRSS First up, we have QuiteRSS. This RSS feed reader is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, making it a great option for those who use multiple operating systems. The interface is simple and intuitive, with a clean layout that’s easy to navigate. To add a new feed, simply click on the “Add Feed” button and enter the URL of the feed you want to subscribe to. You can learn more about their features here. Pros: • QuiteRSS is lightweight and doesn’t use up a lot of system resources. • Available for multiple operating systems. (Windows, Mac, and Linux) Cons: • Some users have reported issues with syncing across devices. > Download QuiteRSS ........................................................................... FEEDREADER For those who want a simple, no-frills RSS feed reader, there’s FeedReader. This reader is available for Windows and Linux. The interface is clean and easy to use, with a basic layout that won’t overwhelm users with too many options. Pros: • FeedReader has a built-in browser, making it easy to view articles without leaving the app. • Available for multiple operating systems. (Windows and Linux) Cons: • Some users have reported issues with syncing across devices. > Download FeedReader ........................................................................... Tiny Tiny RSS Another great option for those who want a privacy-focused RSS feed reader is Tiny Tiny RSS. This reader is self-hosted, which means you’ll need to have your own server to run it on. However, this also means that you have complete control over your data and can ensure your privacy. Adding a new feed is as simple as clicking on the “Add Feed” button and entering the URL. Pros: • Tiny Tiny RSS supports plugins, allowing you to customize it to your needs. Cons: • Setting up a self-hosted RSS feed reader can be daunting for users who are inexperienced with self-hosting their own servers. Best avoid Tiny Tiny RSS if you are unfamiliar with this process. > Tiny Tiny RSS Installation Guide ........................................................................... Feedly Last but not least, we have Feedly. This RSS feed reader is available for Android, iOS, and web, with a paid version available for those who want even more features. Feedly is known for its clean, modern interface that’s easy to navigate. Pros: • Feedly integrates with a ton of other apps and services, making it easy to save articles to read later or share them on social media. Cons: • Some users have reported issues with the free version being limited in features. > Sign Up For Feedly ...........................................................................

Getting RSS feed URLS

In order to subscribe to a website’s RSS feed and add it to your feed reader, you will first need to get the RSS URL (aka link or web address) to the feed you want to follow.There are a few ways to do this, so if you’re totally new to RSS, let’s start with the easiest way first.

First, you’ll need to know what website or blog you want to subscribe to. If you’re not sure, try searching for it in Google.

Once you’re on the website or blog, look for the orange RSS feed icon. It looks like this: Sometimes it’s located in the top right corner of the page, or at the bottom of the page.

Click on the RSS feed icon. This will take you to a page with a lot of code on it. Don’t worry, you don’t need to understand any of this code!

Look at the address bar in your web browser. This is the URL for the RSS feed. Copy this URL.

If you’ve chosen an RSS Reader from the options previously discussed, open your RSS reader. This could be an app on your smartphone, browser extension, or a website or program on your computer.

In your RSS reader, look for an option to add a new feed. This option might be called “Add Subscription” or “Add Feed”.

Paste the URL for the RSS feed into the field provided in your RSS reader. Then click “Add” or “Subscribe”.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully subscribed to an RSS feed. Now you’ll be able to read new articles from this website or blog as soon as they’re published.

What if there is no RSS feed icon on a website I want to follow?

Unfortunately while many websites are RSS compatible, many websites do not offer RSS directly as a subscription option (ex. Youtube, certain blogs, etc). In this circumstance, it gets a little trickier if you aren’t very tech savvy. Have no fear! I will walk you through the process.

The easiest solution if you are not tech savvy is to use the Get RSS Feed URL extension below for your web browser. This extension will automatically grab the rss feed of the page you’re currently visiting (if it has an rss feed available), and then you can simply copy and paste it from your extension to your reader if your RSS reader is on PC. If your RSS reader is on mobile, however, you can use your PC to create a list of all the feed URLs you want to follow, email the list to yourself, and the copy/paste each url from your list by accessing your email from mobile.

> Get RSS Feed URL for Firefox > Get RSS Feed URL for Chrome

If you are a bit tech savvy, however, there is a more straightforward way to get RSS URLs that is much faster.

If you are on PC, check the source code: If you can’t find the RSS icon, you can check the source code of the website. Right-click on the website and select “View Page Source” or “Inspect Element”. Look for the “” tag with the type “application/rss+xml”. The URL located in the “href” attribute is the RSS feed link. Copy and paste the link into your preferred RSS reader.

One other thing you can try is experiment with adding each of the following to the end of the URL of the page you want to follow: /feed /feeds /rss /rss.xml /atom.xml .atom In most cases where an RSS feed is available, adding one of these options to the end of the page’s URL will bring up the page’s RSS feed. This method is hit or miss but always worth a try as it often comes up successful.

For example, if you wanted to subscribe to my status updates (located at https://status.cafe/users/thecozycat) you would add https://status.cafe/users/thecozycat.atom into your RSS feed reader. Or if you wanted to subscribe to my website activity feed (located at https://smallweb.thecozy.cat/activity/feed/), you would add https://smallweb.thecozy.cat/activity/feed/ into your Feeder app. Now, you’re probably asking, how do you know which one is the right one? You will need to test each of the six options in your web browser by trying each of those options at the end of the url you want to add to your feed. If it’s wrong, you’ll likely get an error page. If it’s right, you’ll see a page with code on it OR your browser may prompt you to download the feed file. That’s how you know you’ve got the right one.

How to Make a Website RSS-Compatible

If you’re building a website and want to offer RSS feeds:

WordPress: By default, WordPress generates an RSS feed at yourwebsite.com/feed. You can also customize it using plugins like RSS Post Importer.

Static Site Generators: Static site generators like Jekyll and Hugo support RSS feeds natively, allowing you to create them automatically as part of your build process.

Custom Websites: For custom sites that don’t offer automatic RSS or Atom feed functionality, you can create an XML file that complies with RSS or Atom feed standards, which includes your website’s content updates.

The RSS feed is essentially an XML file that contains metadata about your website’s posts and updates. This file is structured in a specific format so that RSS readers can interpret and display your content.

Example of a Basic RSS File:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <rss version="2.0"> <channel> <title>Your Website Title</title> <link>https://yourwebsite.com</link> <description>Your website description goes here</description> <item> <title>Post 1 Title</title> <link>https://yourwebsite.com/post-1</link> <description>Summary of your post goes here</description> <pubDate>Mon, 01 Jan 2024 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate> </item>  </channel> </rss>

Step 2: Modify the Feed for Your Site

Replace the text between the , , and tags with details about your site.

Each tag within the block corresponds to a single blog post or update. Add or remove these as necessary.

Ensure the reflects the correct format as shown in the example above.

Step 3: Save and Upload Once you’ve created your RSS file, save it as rss.xml (or another name you prefer, like feed.xml). Upload this file to the root directory of your website so that users can access it via https://yourwebsite.com/rss.xml.

Making Your Feed Public

Now that your RSS file is live, you’ll want to let people know they can subscribe. Add a link to the RSS feed URL on your website, usually in the header, sidebar, or footer (though, you can place it wherever you like). Many sites use an orange RSS icon, which is easily recognizable.

Keep It Updated

Since this is a static feed, you’ll need to manually add new posts to the RSS file as you create them. Simply update the feed XML file with new <item> blocks whenever you add new content, then re-upload the file.

Big Tech and RSS/Atom Restrictions

RSS and Atom are incredibly useful, though you’re probably wondering: if it’s so great, why aren’t more people aware and using it? Personally, and this is just my belief due to what I’ve witnessed with big tech censorship over the years; it is by design that it is not often spoken about anymore. Big tech (and/or “big brother”) companies want everyone to stay stuck in their own information silos, because it is much easier for them to control narratives and the information you consume there, as well as have more control over your private data for their own capitalistic gains. Those who control the flow of information ultimately control the minds of the masses, and that control can make them a heck of a lot of money.

Unfortunately it is big tech websites such as Facebook that block people’s access to retrieving RSS/Atom feeds from their websites, because if they allowed you access to their RSS/Atom feeds from outside of their website, then they wouldn’t be able to contain you to their controlled information silos, track you, or profit off of you using your data. It’s against their own best interests to allow you this freedom, as keeping you contained to their walled gardens allows them to continue their data harvesting monopolies. So that is probably the biggest downside about RSS and Atom feeds when it comes to big tech social media platforms, is that if the information you care most about comes from your loved ones whom are contained within the walled gardens of these big tech social platforms, you won’t be able to retrieve RSS/Atom to create feeds from your friends there.

Not all social platforms are like this, however. You will just have to experiment with retrieving the feeds from different platforms to discover which big tech platforms have blocked RSS access and which ones haven’t.

Conclusion

I think that covers all the bases! The reason for this article, while a bit lengthy, I feel it is important to teach those who may not be tech-savvy in simple terms that are easy to understand. I think it is important for everyone to know how to use RSS and Atom, and create their own feeds independent of Big Tech social media platforms. Especially in this day and age where Big Tech has so much control and grasp on the information we consume and our private data is so heavily abused, there has never been a better time to start using RSS and Atom feeds. Aside from TheCozy.Cat being my own personal space, I also want it to double as my personal contribution to helping folks break free from their relationships with corrupt corporate entities.

If you have any questions or suggestions to add to this post that could make it even better, leave me a comment letting me know! As I receive feedback, I will make adjustments accordingly to make this article as simple as possible for those who are just getting started with RSS/Atom feeds.

And as always, if you found all this information useful, be sure to bookmark this page so you can easily find it again. Consider sharing it with your friends as well so they too can discover how to curate their own RSS and Atom feeds!

This post was originally shared from my small web blog here.

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#rss #rss feed #tutorial #masterpost #small web #indie web #webcore #web revival #neocities #old web #early internet #internetcore #2000s web #decentralizedfuture #decentralized social media #decentralization #blog #old internet

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jedi-enthusiast · 5 months ago

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I’m gonna be honest, I’m actually glad TikTok is getting banned and I hope it goes away, so at least I won’t have to pass 3 videos in a row talking about how “evil” Israel is just bc I looked up kosher recipes- (gotta love that algorithm) -or I won’t be scrolling through the comments of a video about a TV SHOW about a NANNY just to find some random jackass calling it “isnotreal propaganda” because one of the main actresses is Jewish 🙂

Yeah, they’ll probably still be antisemitic on other platforms, but hopefully taking them out of the Echo Chamber Extreme™️ will force them to learn some common fucking decency, plus-

#jumblr #tw antisemitism #leftist antisemitism #antisemitism #tiktok ban

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jeonscatalyst · 5 months ago

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as someone whos been on army twitter since 2018, it only seems like armys dont support jikook's bond the way jikookers do is because shippers are in a sub-fandom and within that subfandom they are in an echo chamber. its nothing unusual it's in literally every fandom but thats the only reason lol. like taekookers are saying the exact same thing, that the fandom is full of jikookers and everyone dismisses taekooks bond. solos and shippers all have their own "evidence" and "proof" or armys "not defending ___", and 9.9/10 its something 1) armys have never seen or even heard about bc twitter and the internet is a biiiig space or 2) something taken completely out of context. i like to be in this tag bc ive been an ot7 biased army since 2019 with jikook being my fav duo, and while i dont care to know if theyre in a relationship with each other, its not something crazy either because friends to lovers is like the oldest trope ever and also theyd be cute as hell together lmao. i dont follow any solo focused accounts or pairing accounts, literally only armys and when are you sure came out my tl looked like this tag 😭. armys are well aware of jikook's bond and are supportive of it, the issue is taekookers. i could make a thread of vmin, namkook, sope are married and get 10k likes, but i couldnt do that bc of taekookers. theyd swarm the quotes and no thats not armys doing it or armys fault, thats the twitter algorithm being 100000000x worst after elon musty took over bc it was not like that at *all* pre-him. with likes being hidden and the algo pushing deplorable disgusting terrible tweets, it makes it infinitely harder to take accts down.

also its like the way straight armys and lgbtq+ armys experience being a fan. you notice subtexts and clues that may or may not actually be there or mean what you think/want it to mean but its still your fandom experience and youre able to talk about it with other like-minded people. perfect example for this: like crazy. the queer coded-ness of it all, the makeup & earing on one side, jimin in my eyes created the bisexual Iliad in song form ! but thats not how most het armys wouldve viewed it at all, and that doesnt even mean my interpretation of it is correct or the only way to view it. im not going to look down on those who viewed it differently. so shippers are experiencing something different; they watch their pairing to see how they look at each other, touch each other, speak to each other, treat each other compared to everyone else. armys simply arent doing all that; and that doesnt mean we dont care or that shippers love them more (lol), it just means that within the shipping culture and sub-fandom, thats what yall do. which is cool, but like i said its not the *only* way an army can love and appreciate their bond. there's also the echo chamber aspect of the subfandom culture i didnt really get into but it also plays a huge part in why jikookers think armys dismiss or dont love jikook in the same way jikookers do. all this isn't necessarily a slight against you but i think conversations like these are necessary bc talking points like "armys dont actually like seeing jikook together" or "majority of the fabdom is taekookers who hate jikook" are extreeeemely slippery slopes that discourage any type of meaningful thought, and only encourages and eggs on solo rhetoric, which as we hopefully all know is directly antithetical to what any of the boys would ever want.

Hi anon,

I completely understand the points you’ve made, and I do agree with you to an extent. It’s true that in every sub-fandom within the main fandom, whether it’s Taekookers, Jikookers, other shippers, or solos, everyone essentially complains about the same issues, each armed with their own “proof” to justify their arguments. That part, I fully agree with.

However, while I see your point, I do want to emphasize that Jikook’s bond is often undermined by many within the fandom. And it’s not just Taekookers or solos; even some OT7 fans contribute to this. The reasons for this vary. Yes, you’ll find other groups complaining about the same things we do, but when you dig deeper to understand their grievances, it often turns out to be something taken out of context or just bitterness over someone highlighting Jikook or saying something positive about their bond.

The truth is that Jikook’s bond stirs mixed feelings in this fandom for many reasons. It has never been the simplest relationship to understand…or even to love, if I’m being honest. Many people join fandoms and sub-fandoms as an escape from real life issues, seeking something that feels lighthearted, comforting, or entertaining in their spare time. Because of this, a lot of people dislike grappling with more complex dynamics like Jikook’s. They either reject it outright because they don’t understand it or ignore it altogether. This lack of understanding often leads to their bond being undermined.

Jikook’s dynamic has historically made many people uncomfortable for a variety of reasons that I won’t delve into here. But when we talk about this fandom ignoring or undermining their bond, there is more than enough evidence to support that claim.

In contrast, what’s complicated or complex about Taekook? Their dynamic is fun, easygoing, and comforting, qualities that are universally appealing. There’s no need to overthink their interactions or navigate any layers of complexity when watching them. Everything that has ever appeared complex about those two is largely a result of shippers fabricating explanations to reconcile their behavior with the expectations of a romantic dynamic. These narratives are often crafted to justify why they don’t exhibit the typical actions or interactions one might expect from a couple… I.e Taekook not seen spending much time with each other = the company separating them or regulating their interactions on camera. Most people in the fandom, except for some Jikookers and solos, have no reason not to enjoy their dynamic. An easy way to see this is by observing the response to their content. A Taekooker can make up lies, edit photos, or take moments out of context, and it will gain over 20k likes, with the fandom eagerly eating it up. Meanwhile, Jikookers can post real, authentic moments of Jikook, only to have their posts reported. So, no, for the most part, Taekookers don’t have a strong basis for their claims. (This isn’t the bone of contention but just had to mention this)

I also agree with you that many fans don’t pay attention to the same things shippers and solos focus on. Sometimes they’re simply unaware of certain dynamics, which can come across as indifference. I also don’t entirely agree with the narrative that ARMYs dislike seeing Jikook together. I’ve seen the fandom be supportive of Jikook as a duo but I still firmly believe Jikook is one of the pairs whose bond is most heavily undermined. A clear example of this is how much of the fandom dismisses Jikook’s interactions as mere fanservice, simply because some of their moments appear too “intimate” or “gay” for their liking.

This is definitely a topic that deserves more discussion because there’s so much to unpack here.

#jikook #fandom discourse

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