Ok, those are a lot of questions. But in the age of fifteen seconds Instagram reels those are still a lot of questions. Let’s answer them one by one.
What is RSS feed?
You can Google the above query to understand what is RSS feed. But in the age of generative AI who wants to do that. So let me dump the explanation that ChatGPT gave right here.
An RSS feed (Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary) is a web technology that allows users to access updates to online content in a standardized, automated format. It is primarily used for distributing frequently updated information, such as blog posts, news articles, or podcast episodes.
Let me breakdown it down. Your favourite websites, podcasts, YouTube channels usually share RSS feed for the latest 10 posts. These RSS feeds can be subscribed to by using a tool called as RSS reader which periodically updates in the background so that you get the latest posts published on your favourite websites. Below is the symbol for RSS.
Which RSS reader to use?
While I use NetNewsWire, I feel Feedly would be a better option for general users. It is simple, available across platforms and provides core features of RSS reader free of charge.
You can go to Feedly’s homepage, sign up with username/password or using your existing Google account.
Using Feedly is straight forward. You just need two clicks.
Why I use RSS? Why should you use RSS?
I am going to combine the third and fourth questions in one section because the reasons why I use RSS would be the reasons why I would recommend you to use RSS. See, now there are only three questions.
Many of us follow our favourite websites on social media. But along with them we follow our friends, celebrities and more. All of which is controlled by a proprietary and opaque algorithm which usually doesn’t have our best interests in mind. The algorithm prioritises content which everyone else is watching and not the content that we want to see. RSS reader helps avoid those distractions.
RSS readers have an unread list where you see which posts you have already gone through and just focus on the latest ones. While this feature is very small, it is very powerful. It avoids you from going into doom scrolling mode. Once your unread list is empty, you know you are all caught up. No more scrolling.
Another reason is a bit more subtle and doesn’t have a scientific proof. Reading longer form posts helps you to understand nuances of what is happening around the world. There is an insightful article on The Atlantic, The elite college students who can’t read books, which emphasises how reading helps. Below excerpt nails what I am trying to say here.
Books can cultivate a sophisticated form of empathy, transporting a reader into the mind of someone who lived hundreds of years ago, or a person who lives in a radically different context from the reader’s own. “A lot of contemporary ideas of empathy are built on identification, identity politics,” Kahn, the Berkeley professor, said. “Reading is more complicated than that, so it enlarges your sympathies.”
On example from my personal experience is the recent FII sell off in Indian equities in Oct-Nov 2024 . Reading around the internet you will find a lot of short form reasons for the FII sell off. Listening (or reading the transcript) to more than hour of podcast by Capitalmind —Are Foreign Investors (FIIs) Less Important Now?—would have given you insights and historical context to the FII sell off.