Zombie Flow: How Algorithmic Media Creates Passive Consumption States

The concept of flow, introduced by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, refers to optimal experiences where skill aligns with challenge. Since the 1960s, he has conducted interviews with thousands, identifying flow as deep engagement in meaningful activities. However, researcher Shishi Wu's 2024 dissertation argues that digital platforms, such as TikTok, have distorted this idea, leading to "passive flow," where users become unaware of themselves. Psychologist Paul Bloom refers to this phenomenon as "shitty flow," highlighting the exhausting nature of endless scrolling. Anthropologist Natasha Dow Schüll has observed similar behaviors in gambling addiction. Author Derek Thompson critiques pop culture's focus on familiarity, describing it as "zombie flow," unlike the challenges reintroduced by elders in Shushwap tribes. Csikszentmihalyi's 1990 work, Flow, elaborates on achieving optimal states that harmonize attention with goals.