There are millions of people posting on different reading platforms. And I’m one of those people who reads them. Sometimes just casually. Sometimes when I need to feel something. Sometimes when I’m trying to understand my own thoughts through someone else’s words. And I’ve noticed something.

People even pay money — actual money — for premium subscriptions just to read stories from big profiles. And honestly, I get it. When I read something good, something that feels real, I don’t feel like I’m wasting time. I feel like I’m connecting with someone. Like someone out there felt the same thing I did… and managed to put it into words. But then, somewhere along the way, I started realizing something else. Not everything I read… is actually written. Some of it is generated.

And the strange part? Sometimes those posts get way more attention than the ones written by people who actually sit, think, feel, and spend time writing. I imagine myself sitting for hours, trying to find the right words. Writing something. Deleting it. Rewriting it again. Thinking if it makes sense. Wondering if anyone will understand. And then I imagine someone else typing a prompt, getting a response in seconds, copying it, pasting it… and posting it. And suddenly — Thousands of likes. So much appreciation.
People sharing it everywhere. For something that barely took effort. And I won’t lie.

Sometimes, when I read those pieces, they do feel good. They’re perfectly structured. Grammatically clean. Emotionally convincing. They sound deep. They feel relatable. But then I pause and think —

Did someone actually feel this?

Or am I just reacting to something that was built to sound like a feeling? Because when I read something written by a real person who has actually gone through it… It feels different. It’s not always perfect. Sometimes the sentences are messy. Sometimes the words are simple. Sometimes it doesn’t sound “impressive.” But it feels real. I can sense the hesitation. The emotion. The honesty. It feels like someone is speaking… not performing. But with generated content, I sometimes feel like I’m reading something that knows how emotions look, but hasn’t actually lived them. And maybe the problem is not even the content.

Maybe it’s me. (And people like me)

WE scroll. WE read. WE like. WE move on.

If something sounds good, We accept it. If it feels relatable, we believe it. Without asking —

Where did this come from? and that’s when it started bothering me. Because I’ve appreciated posts. Shared them. Even recommended them to others. Without knowing if they were actually written by someone. And I’m not saying everything is AI-generated.

I know there are people out there who genuinely write. Who sit with their thoughts. Who turn their emotions into words. Who take time to create something meaningful. And I respect that. A lot. But at the same time, I also know that there are people posting generated content and getting recognition for it. And that makes me question something. What am I really valuing? The effort behind the words? Or just how good the words sound? Because if I can’t tell the difference anymore… Then what am I really reading? And I know this isn’t just me — there are others out there who have noticed it too, but just never put it into words. This is not about hating technology. I know technology exist. I know they can help. But I also believe there’s a difference between using something to express yourself…and letting it replace you completely. Because I don’t just want to read perfect words. I want to read something that was actually felt. Something that came from confusion, pain, happiness, overthinking — anything real. Even if it’s imperfect. So now, when I read something that feels deep, I pause for a second.

And I ask myself — and maybe you too..

Was this written… or just generated?

Not to judge. But to understand.