We are immersed in a sea of immediate, inexpensive content. We’re so accustomed to this reality that encountering a paywall or a wait time elicits a groan, if not an immediate rerouting.
But this behavior betrays an unavoidable truth: Anything of quality requires time and/or money. So why do we think our media consumption is any different? And what do we think happens when we prioritize the fast and the free?
Food, as an analogy, once again provides insight into what is required to produce items of quality, and what is sacrificed in favor of instant, inexpensive gratification. The Food vs Media Quality Chart is designed to help visualize the similarities between food and content production and impact.
Dive deeper into what food can teach us about content quality
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How to use:
- Follow the path for each food and media type, from what it’s made of all the way to the larger impact on our personal + collective wellbeing
- Make a list of your favorite 2-3 food brands, along with your favorite 2-3 news + entertainment sources
- For each brand or source ask yourself the questions at the top of your chart and see where their products tend to fall
- If possible, look up high-quality replacements for any brands or sources that fall along the lower quality paths
Benefits:
- Helps visualize media production
- Makes it easier to assess content quality