Everything Behind A Paywall…
We are wired to pay every damn day!
You might have seen several articles on Medium.com behind a paywall nowadays.
You wonder why you cannot read them.
You ask yourself if you should pay $5 a month to read them.
It’s not much, you say to yourself.
Go out — Enjoy life!
It’s not just articles on this platform, it’s almost everywhere.
You have to pay to get in.
May it be an entrance to an event or a simple website.
They want you to hand over your money to get in.
It is $5 there and $7 there and sometimes $14 and sometimes more…
At one point you say “Woah! I am not going to pay that!”
Usually this happens when people run out of money.
…and then it is too late.
You are wired to pay
That’s a great pun too, but let’s dive right into the problem.
You have accepted the fact that
everything costs something.
You are paying for “value”, they might say.
You are paying for “access”, you might believe.
Everything true.
Or not… we really do not know.
All I know is that everyone wants your money.
All the damn time.
Spend consciously…
And by that I do not mean to spend “green” — it’s still nice, do it anyway.
What I mean is to think about what you are spending your money on.
Be aware every time someone asks you for money, it is the system limiting many people from accessing said information, area, etc.
A system of exploitation.
A system that is holding many people back.
A system that makes the same people believe they can become rich if they work hard enough.
Let me ask you this:
- When was the last time you paid for something?
- When was the last time you built something?
A constant reminder…
But coming back to my initial topic, why it is a good thing that everything is behind a paywall nowadays…
It’s not because creators get money or anything like it (still nice, not my point though). It is a constant reminder of the system we are living in and that you are actively participating in every damn day.
A system of exploitation…
Next time someone asks for money in order for you to be able to enter, get more info, or whatever…it is time to pause and reflect. Do not go further. Do not pay the money.
Yes we all know you can afford it.
That’s not the point.
Find something else instead which you can pursue without paying.
Rewire your brain into finding things that do not cost money.
Some people do this every day, because they have no choice…
You might have a choice — and that is a good thing.
However, take the time to pause,
reflect,
be grateful…
Then do something else…
The End.
