100 years ago, you could go your whole life never seeing anything but your hometown. Now? The metal rectangle you carry around contains the entire world, available in just a few clicks. In an age where we can scroll past images of famous landmarks, natural wonders, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, peppered in-between AI Reddit stories and war updates, the world can start to feel strangely blegh. This was felt by actor Gabriel Basso when he revealed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that he deleted Instagram after seeing a photo of someone standing on the summit of Mount Everest. Basso felt that he had not earned the privilege to see this product of years of hard work and human resilience from his couch. This highlights an unusual modern feeling: that witnessing extraordinary places online might change how we value experiencing them ourselves.
This effect shows up in everyday life, not just in adventures like climbing Mount Everest. Seeing a sunrise over the Sahara Desert on Instagram or scrolling through TikToks of cherry blossoms in Kyoto can make experiencing similar moments in our own lives feel less special. Even visiting local landmarks can seem ordinary after we have already witnessed spectacular versions of them online. The constant stream of global images can quietly take away the sense of wonder, reminding us that no matter where we are, the magic of a firsthand experience can always be dulled by a screen.
If you watch someone complete a marathon on TikTok, it can sometimes feel as though you have already shared in the moment, making the idea of doing it yourself seem less exciting or urgent. The same feeling can happen with smaller experiences too. Watching a concert through a livestream, seeing countless travel vlogs, or scrolling past clips of people trying new activities can create the sense that you have already “been there”. This effect becomes even stronger when we consider the gap between what we see online and what real life experiences are actually like. Social media often presents a perfect version of the world with perfect lighting and angles. Because we encounter these filtered versions first, the real experience can sometimes feel underwhelming. Instead of experiencing something for the first time, we end up measuring it against the perfected version we have already seen on our screens.
Therefore, in short: go touch some grass. If once-in-a-lifetime experiences are starting to feel monotonous, it might be time to put the phone down and rediscover moments of joy and wonder for yourself. Simple things like watching sunlight filtering through leaves or trying a new restaurant without watching a dozen reviews first can make experiences feel fresh again. Do not wait until you hit your Everest. Take a step back and smell the roses before you reach that point. The internet can still have its place in our lives, but perhaps it is better used for watching orca videos than living vicariously through others.
