In real life, if you’re being followed, you have a sense of it. A sensation. A sense of knowing that someone is following you and monitoring you. Without a question.

And then there are instances when you swear you are being followed even when no one is.

It’s the polar opposite on the internet.

If you’ve been doing good work for a while, you’ve probably developed a following.

The social networking platforms even tell you how many people have followed you.

Spotify even informs you how many people are currently listening to your music. Even though there are many people following you, you feel like no one is following you.

The constant scrolling and swiping culture contribute to a sense of fleeting attention and impermanence.

The online world provides a different set of cues and challenges to our sense of being followed or noticed.

While numbers and metrics can give us a sense of validation or recognition, they may not necessarily fulfil our deeper human needs for connection and belonging.

No amount of likes, retweets or shares can replace a hug.