The journalist found herself experiencing a concerning shift in her social interactions and professional life. She caught herself impatiently mentally rushing a stranger at a party, desiring them to "get to the point." This was not an isolated incident, as she had observed a growing irritation when loved ones recounted stories she felt she had already heard. Professionally, she struggled to maintain focus during interviews if they weren't consistently stimulating. Despite her usual deep curiosity about people, she couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling that her attention span was diminishing. This internal change was unflattering and made her question her natural inclination towards human interaction. She realized that real-life conversations were starting to feel like a drag. The root of this problem seemed to stem from the influence of short-form video consumption. She was actively confronting a personal transformation she found deeply concerning.