Why Does Everything Have to Be a Subscription?

I have subscription fatigue.

There. I said it.

I don’t even know how many things I’m currently subscribed to. Television channels. Streaming services. Apps. Fitness things. Probably something I’ve completely forgotten about that is quietly taking $4.99 out of my bank account every month.

At this point, I’m pretty sure I’m one free trial away from needing a subscription just to manage my subscriptions.

And now apparently I need subscriptions to people.

I follow quite a few influencers on Instagram, and I’ve noticed a trend.

They’ll pop onto my feed and say something like:

“I’ve been eating THIS for lunch every day and it has completely changed the way I meal prep…”

Oh?...Tell me more.

“…I shared the entire meal plan over on my Substack!”

Great! Click.

$7 a month.

Never mind. I guess I’ll make eggs.

Or they’ll show you a product without actually telling you what it is.

“This is the BEST thing I’ve ever found for—” CLICK HERE.

SUBSCRIBE HERE.

JOIN HERE.

COMMENT “GIRAFFE” AND I’LL SEND YOU THE LINK.

Just tell me what the damn toaster thing is!

This was actually part of what inspired my new little corner of the internet, “I Found It So You Don’t Have To!” If someone online is waving around some mysterious product but refusing to tell me what it is unless I perform a small scavenger hunt, apparently I’ve appointed myself the person who finds it.

I literally "picture searched" this wooden giraffe thingy just because I couldn't figure out what it was. (It was toaster tongs. That's right. Thongs specifically for the toaster. Giraffe style!)

You’re welcome.

But here’s where things get annoying.

Not with them.

With me.

Because lately I’ve been trying very hard not to immediately decide that my first reaction is the correct one.

And my first reaction to all of this was:

Why does everything have to be a subscription?!

Then the other side of my brain showed up.

Wait.

These people are creating content.

They’re researching.

They’re writing.

They’re filming.

They’re editing.

They’re developing recipes and workouts and meal plans.

Why exactly do I think I’m entitled to all of that for free?

Well…

Dammit.

That’s a fair point.

So maybe I should subscribe.

Except I already subscribe to approximately 4,782 things.

...that I know of.

And do I really need another weekly meal plan?

Especially when I might open it and discover Monday is quinoa bowls, Tuesday is salad, Wednesday contains something else I don’t eat, and by Thursday I’ve altered the recipe so substantially that I’ve basically invented another meal.

I just paid $7.99 for someone to remind me I know how to cook chicken.

So maybe I don’t subscribe.

Maybe I enjoy the content they’re willing to share for free on Instagram and accept that the rest belongs to the people willing to pay for it.

That seems fair.

Except…

What about affiliate links?

Because now things get even muddier.

Many influencers are already earning money when we purchase something through their links.

And—plot twist—I recently became an Amazon Associate myself.

So now I’m standing on both sides of my own argument.

Excellent.

I share products I’ve found through affiliate links. If someone purchases through one of those links, I may earn a small commission.

I think that’s fair.

But of course I do.

I’m the one with the affiliate links now.(Well, associate link, so even less commission but I am ok with it. I am doing to ease the frustration I have so that hopefully you don't have to get frustrated.)

This is the problem with trying to see both sides of things.

It’s much easier to have strong opinions when you don’t examine them too closely.

A few years ago, I think I was much quicker to decide how I felt.

Good.

Bad.

Right.

Wrong.

Reasonable.

Ridiculous.

Crazy! -IYKYK

Pick a side and defend it.

Lately, I keep doing this incredibly inconvenient thing where I argue with myself.

I’ll hear something and think, “That’s ridiculous.”

Then I’ll hear the explanation and think, “Okay…I can understand that.”

Then I’ll hear the counterargument and think, “Nope. I’m back over here.”

And eventually I realize something.

Maybe I don’t need to be anywhere.

I can believe creators deserve to be paid for their work and still decide I’m not paying $8 a month for their meal plan.

I can appreciate someone’s free content without believing I’m entitled to everything they’ve created.

I can use affiliate links myself and still be annoyed when someone makes me jump through seventeen hoops before they’ll tell me what they’re selling.

I can agree with someone today and disagree with them tomorrow without deciding they’re a good person or a bad person.

I can even change my mind.

Apparently we’re allowed to do that.

We’ve gotten very comfortable dividing things into sides.

Politics.

Health.

Food.

Parenting.

Fitness.

People.

Even stupid subscriptions.

Choose your team.

Plant your flag.

Defend your position.

But the older I get, the less interested I am in planting flags.

Sometimes both sides have a point.

Sometimes both sides are being ridiculous.

Sometimes I agree with 70 percent of what someone says and think the other 30 percent is complete nonsense.

And sometimes I simply don’t know enough yet.

Maybe that’s okay.

Maybe we don’t have to immediately decide how we feel about every person, every idea and every issue that crosses our screens.

Maybe we can sit somewhere in the uncomfortable middle for a while and look around.

As for the subscriptions?

Creators deserve to be compensated.

Consumers get to decide what something is worth to them.

And I reserve the right to enjoy your free Instagram content without paying for your Substack.

No hard feelings.

But if you make me comment “GIRAFFE” just to find out where you bought your toaster tongs…I may almost do it but, then...

I’m Googling it myself.