It sounds like a video game glitch—because it is. Only now, the game is real life, and the cheaters are us. In a video game, a "cheater" doesn't play the level. They clip through walls. They find the infinite ammo exploit. They skip the boss fight. They get the reward (the high score, the loot, the ending) without the struggle. They live in a bubble where the rules of physics and effort don't apply.
We are seeing a cultural backlash. The rise of "slow living." The popularity of hardcore physical sports like Hyrox or ultrarunning. The renaissance of vinyl records and film photography—mediums that force you to wait and make mistakes. bubble butt cheating
Streaming services allow us to "cheat" the schedule. We don't wait for next week’s episode; we binge the entire season in one night. We don't sit with a cliffhanger; we skip the intro, skip the recap, and skip the emotional resonance. It sounds like a video game glitch—because it is
Meaning is forged in the friction. The guitar player who struggles for years to nail a solo feels a joy the AI-generated soloist never will. The athlete who trains through the rain feels a pride the spectator never knows. The couple who fights through a misunderstanding and repairs the trust has a bond that no algorithm can simulate. They clip through walls
Play the long game. Without the cheats. Have you noticed yourself "cheating" your own life for convenience? When was the last time you did something hard just for the sake of doing it?
People are starving for real friction because they are drowning in simulated ease.