Things that the Substack algorithm has introduced me to

I recently started using Substack and I've discovered that I love it - it reminds me a little of how Twitter and other social media used to be. Lots of interesting people sharing their thoughts, their art, and well-written and long-form articles, and most importantly no adverts!

Although I've subscribed to a few creators, I've found that I spend most of my time in the main, algorithmically generated feed. It's generally pretty good, although I have found that once I read an article on one topic I do find myself being flooded with similar content for the rest of the day. Because it's the only social media platform that I really use, it's opened my eyes to the topics are trending among people with similar interests to myself.

These are some of the current trends that I've learned about after spending time on Substack:

The Analogue Trend

This inspired me to write a blog post about the analogue trend - it's a shift to living a life that prioritises physical media and screen free hobbies. I think I'm a little old for this trend as I can still remember a life before the smartphone. Instead it's something that has been embraced by the younger millennials and Gen Z who have grown up with screens and are ready for a break. I sometimes find it really funny to read these posts, and then imagine them all carefully filming and photographing their analogue activities with their digital devices and sharing them online.

The Whimsical Trend

This has apparently been around for a while now, with 2025 being declared a year of 'whimsy'. To me it's about embracing your inner child, and doing the things that you either weren't allowed to or couldn't afford to do when you were younger. It's about adding a little more interest and fun to your monotonous days - picking fresh flowers for the breakfast table, decorating journal pages with sweet stamps and stickers, collecting cute stuffed animals and trinkets. It's a little bit of escapism from everyday life, and it's something that I can definitely get on board with. 

Photo credit Tim Wing via Unsplash

Personal Curriculums

A personal curriculum is a way of taking a 'deep dive' into a subject that really interests you or one that you want to find out more about. You can find a guide here - Setting your 'Personal Curriculum' - and in a nutshell it involves choosing your topic then selecting primary and secondary written sources as well as complementary films, television shows or podcasts. Ideally at the end you will have something to show for your hard work - perhaps a completed notebook or your own Substack article. With a bit of research you can easily put together a curriculum for yourself on any topic. I have actually been doing this unwittingly since the beginning of the year, as I've been immersing myself in everything to do with Mount Everest. I'm even keeping a notebook with maps, diagrams, and notes of things that I've learned! 

The thing that I love about all of these trends is that they are a way of disconnecting from the online world (even if there is then an urge to then share your experiences on your social media platform of choice!) Have you embraced any of these?