When I first look at the above picture of Pyongyang, it looks like any other city. However, something about looking at it makes me feel relaxed. Upon closer inspection, you’ll find that it is completely devoid of adverts. No signs, posters, billboards, or logos of any kind. Some photos from street-level are similarly devoid of advertising, or only use it in a limited fasion.

This means that there is nothing to draw your eye, which, counterintuitively, allows you to really see what’s going on around you, (like the architecture, for example) or just lets you relax, as there are fewer distractions. This photo of Belorusskaya Metro station has a similar thing going on. Now, on the other hand, imagine if I were in a room with you, and you were trying to read a book, and I kept on saying “hey, look at me! over here! hey! look at me! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! I’M OVER HERE! FUCKING LOOK AT MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE” (pic rel)

I think I have ADHD (never diagnosed because I never knew how things were supposed to be, so I only realised recently that something was up lol), and that’s kind of what going through any public space is like for me. Sometimes it’s actually just draining, as anything which draws my attention also tires me out to an extent. I never really realised this until recently, as I have grown up in ad-heavy environments, but the contrast is absolutely night and day. Maybe it’s just because I’m a commie now and I hate consumerism, but I think there’s more to it than that.

The same is true of online environments. I highly suggest using an ad blocker, and, if you use Firefox, the Unhook YouTube browser extension. You can use it to hide end cards and recommendations (amongst other things), which has helped to stop me from going on huge YT binges. I didn’t make that add on or anything, I just find it useful.

So yeah, fuck adverts.