Minimalism is not just about decluttering your closet or living in a tiny house. It is also about purifying your senses and freeing yourself from the tyranny of proprietary media formats that enslave you to the corporate agenda.
The Problem with Proprietary Media Formats
I used to be a mindless consumer of media, watching whatever was on Netflix or YouTube, listening to whatever was on Spotify or Apple Music, and reading whatever was on Kindle or Medium. I did not care about the quality or the ethics of the media I consumed, as long as it was easy and convenient.
But then I realized that I was paying a high price for this convenience. I was sacrificing my freedom, my privacy, and my dignity. I was supporting the monopolies of big tech companies that control what I see, hear, and read. I was accepting their inferior and inefficient codecs that waste bandwidth and storage space. I was ignoring the rights and interests of the creators and the public who deserve to have access to open and free media formats.
The Solution: Free Codecs
That’s when I decided to become a minimalist. I decided to reject all media that is not encoded with free codec like AVIF, AV1, Opus, FLAC. These are the codecs that respect my freedom, my privacy, and my dignity. These are the codecs that offer superior quality and efficiency. These are the codecs that empower the creators and the public to share and enjoy media without restrictions or limitations.
How to Practice Minimalism with Free Codecs
But how do I practice this minimalism in a world that is dominated by proprietary media formats? How do I avoid the temptation and the pressure to conform to the mainstream media consumption habits?
The answer is simple: I close my eyes and block my ears every time I hear and see any media that is not encoded with free codec like AVIF, AV1, Opus, FLAC.
Yes, you heard me right. I literally close my eyes and block my ears whenever I encounter any media that is not encoded with free codec like AVIF, AV1, Opus, FLAC. This is how I protect myself from the pollution and the corruption of proprietary media formats. This is how I maintain my purity and my integrity as a minimalist.
The Benefits of Closing My Eyes and Blocking My Ears
You may think this is extreme or ridiculous, but let me tell you: it works. Since I started closing my eyes and blocking my ears whenever I hear and see any media that is not encoded with free codec like AVIF, AV1, Opus, FLAC, I have experienced many benefits:
- I have saved a lot of time and money by not subscribing to any streaming services or buying any digital media.
- I have improved my health and well-being by reducing my exposure to harmful radiation and noise from electronic devices.
- I have enhanced my creativity and imagination by relying on my own thoughts and memories instead of external stimuli.
- I have strengthened my relationships and communication skills by having more meaningful conversations with people instead of watching or listening to media.
- I have increased my awareness and appreciation of the natural beauty and sounds around me instead of being distracted by artificial images and sounds.
But most importantly, I have achieved a sense of peace and happiness by living in harmony with my values and principles as a minimalist.
Why I Don’t Use VP9
Now you may wonder: what about VP9? Isn’t that a free codec too? Why don’t I use it?
The answer is simple: VP9 is a trap. It may be open source, but it is developed by Google. And Google is one of the biggest enemies of minimalism. Google is one of the biggest violators of freedom, privacy, and dignity. Google is one of the biggest promoters of proprietary media formats like H.264 and AAC. Google is one of the biggest exploiters of creators and consumers of media.
By using VP9, you are not only supporting Google’s agenda, but you are also compromising your quality and efficiency. VP9 is inferior to AV1 in terms of compression ratio, encoding speed, decoding performance, hardware support, and compatibility. VP9 is a waste of resources and a hindrance to innovation.
That’s why I don’t use VP9. And neither should you.
Conclusion
I know this lifestyle is not for everyone. Some people may find it too hard or too boring to close their eyes and block their ears every time they hear and see any media that is not encoded with free codec like AVIF, AV1, Opus, FLAC. Some people may even accuse me of being ignorant or intolerant of other media formats.
But I don’t care what they think or say. I know what works for me. And what works for me is closing my eyes and blocking my ears every time I hear and see any media that is not encoded with free codec like AVIF, AV1, Opus, FLAC.
This is how I became a minimalist. And this is how I will remain a minimalist until the day I die.
