How to create your own media ecosystem

Beyond the Algorithm Vol 1

Welcome to the first installment of Beyond the Algorithm, a monthly segment where I share guides and essays from the knowledge I have gathered regarding mindful media consumption, media literacy, the digital landscape, and escaping the algorithmic ways of the internet. Now that I have shared with you some resources where you can find a wide range of media, I thought it could be useful to share the system I have created in which I manage to seamlessly integrate long-form content into my routine :)

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Gustav Klimt. Bauerngarten, 1907.

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I approach my phone as a little world I hold inside my pocket, full of living, ever-changing environments, one in which I plant the seeds of my digital garden. This little world is as full of beautiful things as much as evil ones, what matters is to tend to the seeds that you planted in order to see the beautiful ecosystems thrive or else the ground will remain barren. Creating a media ecosystem is not something that you just put into place, it is something that evolves and grows as long as you are committed enough to maintain it.

I have noticed that finding ways to integrate long-form content into my already existing habits and routine, has been the key to making it sustainable. Perfectionism is your enemy, sometimes I am not where I want to be regarding my media consumption habits, but I have found that creating systems to help me stay on track even when I’m burned out and unmotivated has been extremely helpful.

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Step 1 - Curating

Finding the media you want to consume is not always so simple in the current digital landscape which is not only overflowing with information but greatly driven by algorithms whose goal is to generate revenue. Thankfully though, with a little bit of time, curiosity, and effort, you can find exactly what you’re looking for. If you don’t know where to start—and in case you haven’t checked it out yet—here is the resource guide I put together which all of my favorite publications, podcasts, YouTube channels, and more:

Where to find media to consume instead of doomscrolling

Something I struggle with is object permanence, meaning that often, unless I actively see something, I forget it exists. That is why I make sure to prioritize constantly having multiple visuals of the resources I like so that they show up consistently across my most frequented digital places.