@alexwhoisalex
TikTok · Vlog
@alexwhoisalex My algorithim is cooooked, so I’ve decided to get out of the house and wander to Univeristy of Washington where I meet Muro and Toasted, a 1 year old business that has done something special for community #seattle #shortfilm #videoessay #seattlewashington #bagel
Performance
Video #18074 · Vlog
[01]
The creator uses a voiceover to narrate his experience of going through a breakup, describing how his social media algorithm is feeding him unhelpful 'hope core' and 'voodoo' content. He gets out of bed and walks through the city while reflecting on how the internet has changed. He then shows his attempts to cope, such as emotional eating at the grocery store and listening to sad music, before deciding to explore his city.
[02]
[03]
2.8M8.7×Wants relationship, remembers breakup trauma@nick_lloyd_
123.2K5.8×Breakup speech reveals earbud ad@jennalitner · Satirical Product Pitch
103.5K2.8×Explains voice memo breakup hack@squidpakter · Tutorial / How To
609.5K5.6×Vulnerable text over emotional montage@diogo.jared · Expectation vs. Reality
301.4K517.8×Relatable reaction to ex comment@wallylaflair · Relatable One Shot
1.3M43×Text-driven story of mindset shift@timmchiusano · Vulnerable Monologue
2.6M42.8×Relatable memory in warehouse setting@urdadnoel · Relatable One Shot
266.2K7.5×Voiceover explains relationship over montage@honeyahimsa · Vulnerable Monologue
1.2MBreakup advice over contemplative shot@joshfraseryoung · Listicle One Shot
373.4K4.6×Man processes story with snacks@willeygoat · Skit
3.7M51.1×Relatable quote over night walk@tonito.rt · Relatable One Shot
1.6M10.7×Relatable text over low-angle shot@sitwithmandy_ · Relatable One Shot[04]
[05]
What stops the scroll in the first 3 seconds
Verbal hook · 55%
You're reclaiming your sovereignty is what it is.
Visual hook · 45%
An intimate, close-up shot of a man lying in a dark bed, his face illuminated solely by the glow of his smartphone screen, creating a moody and relatable atmosphere.
[07]
The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back
Hook
The video opens with a hyper-relatable visual of a modern frustration (doomscrolling in bed) while the narration immediately and bluntly states the central conflict, hooking the viewer with a shared experience.
Payoff
The narrative transitions from internal reflection and past failures to external action. The protagonist physically leaves their environment, signaling the start of a search for a new, and presumably more effective, solution in the real world.
[08]
The structural pattern this video runs on
Framework
The Digital Malaise Journey
To frame a personal struggle through the lens of a universally relatable modern technological problem (e.g., a broken algorithm), then use that frame to launch a journey toward a real-world solution.
The Algorithmic Prison
Establishes the specific personal struggle and frames it as being actively worsened by a flawed technological system. This beat uses a powerful metaphor ('waterboarding') to articulate the emotional weight of the problem.
The Nostalgic Diagnosis
Broadens the personal issue into a wider cultural critique, contrasting the current negative experience with an idealized past. This validates the viewer's potential similar feelings about the state of technology or culture.
The Cynical Subversion
Immediately undercuts the serious cultural critique with a moment of dark humor or self-aware acceptance ('I'm here for it'). This acts as a pattern interrupt, preventing the tone from becoming preachy and keeping the viewer engaged through wit.
The Catalogue of Failures
Visually and narratively recounts previous, ineffective attempts to solve the core problem. This builds empathy for the protagonist and establishes the stakes, creating narrative tension by asking the question: 'If these common solutions failed, what will work?'
My algorithim is cooooked, so I’ve decided to get out of the house and wander to Univeristy of Washington where I meet Muro and Toasted, a 1 year old business that has done something special for community #seattle #shortfilm #videoessay #seattlewashington #bagel
contextual · beginning
YOUR
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INDIVIDUAL
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REALIZING
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YOU
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OTHER
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YOU
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BIRD?
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I'M
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AND
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CURSES
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PLACED
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OR
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FAMILY
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IF
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MY ALGORITHM IS COOKED
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IS
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WATERBOARDING
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STEADY
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NONSENSICAL
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CORE
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VOODOO
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IS
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KILLING
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SPIRIT
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THERE
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WHEN
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FUN
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AND
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BLISSFULL
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THE
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DEEPEST
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FOR
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PAID
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ADVERTISEMENT
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WHAT
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I'M
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I'VE
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CREATIVE
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DISTRACT
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I'VE
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PAST
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FEELING
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THAT
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DIRTY
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DIDN'T
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THE
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COLDPLAY
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STAGE
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DARK
You're reclaiming your sovereignty is what it is. You're reclaiming your power as an individual and realizing that you don't need better. Yes see a bird? I'm going to break and remove any curses that may have been placed upon you or your family. If this is something you would like My algorithm is cooked. See, it knows I'm going through a breakup and is slowly waterboarding me with a steady stream of nonsensical hope core and voodoo that is slowly killing my spirit. There used to be a time when the Internet was fun and cute, and now we blissfully handed over the reins to the deepest part of ourselves for nothing more than a paid advertisement, and you know what? I'm here for it. I've tried to find creative ways to distract myself. I've gotten past the eat through your feelings stage. That was dirty and totally didn't help. The Radiohead Coldplay stage was a dark one.