Digital Void Validation

[Intro] Refresh. Nothing. Refresh. Still nothing. Refresh again. Oh good. A stranger with no profile picture has approved your existence. You may now continue living. [Verse 1] I posted a thought at 12:03 Then checked if the world had remembered me One little heart, two little flames Three fake laughs from forgotten names I said I don’t care I said I’m above it Then watched the view count Like I was trying to love it I fed my soul to the algorithm light And asked, “Am I beautiful now?” tonight [Pre-Chorus] Why does a stranger With a cartoon avatar Get to decide If I matter so far? Why does a number On a glowing little square Feel like a prayer When nobody’s there? [Chorus] WHY DO WE CRAVE THE VALIDATION OF STRANGERS IN A DIGITAL VOID TONIGHT? WHY DOES A LIKE FEEL LIKE A LITTLE SALVATION FROM A FACELESS CROWD IN THE LIGHT? TELL ME I’M FUNNY TELL ME I’M SEEN TELL ME MY SADNESS LOOKS GOOD ON A SCREEN WE’RE ALL JUST GHOSTS WITH RING LIGHT EYES BEGGING THE VOID TO SAY WE’RE ALIVE [Verse 2] You posted your breakfast Like the toast had lore Then deleted the caption And wrote five more “Too desperate.” “Too cringe.” “Too real.” “Too much.” Then someone typed “real” And you felt God’s touch You said, “I’m healing” In a carousel post While refreshing the comments Like a terminal ghost The pain was private The branding was clean Your breakdown looked gorgeous In seventeen themes [Pre-Chorus 2] The crowd doesn’t know you But you need them to clap That is the tragedy. That is the trap. [Chorus] WHY DO WE CRAVE THE VALIDATION OF STRANGERS IN A DIGITAL VOID TONIGHT? WHY DOES A HEART FEEL LIKE FOOD FOR THE DAMAGE WHEN THE ROOM IS EMPTY AND WHITE? TELL ME I’M SPECIAL TELL ME I’M RARE TELL ME MY SUFFERING HAS MARKETABLE FLAIR WE’RE ALL JUST KIDS IN ADULT DISGUISE ASKING THE SCREEN “DO I DESERVE TO SURVIVE?” [Bridge] Maybe it started smaller. A gold star. A clap. A “good job.” A look from across the room that said: “Yes. You are acceptable.” Then the internet arrived And turned approval into weather. Now we check the sky every five minutes. Cloudy with rejection. Sunny with engagement. Scattered shame after midnight. [Verse 3] I made myself funnier Sharper Less human Cut off the weird parts That didn’t get movement Smiled for the feed Cried off-camera Turned my personality Into shareable damage The void said: “More.” So I gave it my face. The void said: “More.” So I gave it my grief. The void said: “More.” So I made it a brand. And the worst part is… It worked. [Breakdown] REFRESH REFRESH REFRESH REFRESH No love. REFRESH REFRESH REFRESH REFRESH One like. FROM WHO? Doesn’t matter. The machine has spoken. You are temporarily worthy. [Villain Monologue] Oh, you thought you wanted connection? Adorable. You wanted to be understood. But I gave you something faster. Metrics. Hearts without intimacy. Comments without care. Followers without friendship. Attention without witness. And you took it. Because being seen badly felt better than disappearing quietly. [Final Chorus] WHY DO WE CRAVE THE VALIDATION OF STRANGERS IN A DIGITAL VOID TONIGHT? WHY DOES A NUMBER FEEL LIKE A BODY HOLDING US THROUGH THE NIGHT? TELL ME I’M WANTED TELL ME I’M REAL TELL ME THIS EMPTINESS CAN STILL BE A DEAL WE’RE ALL JUST GHOSTS IN THE NOTIFICATION LIGHT SINGING: “PLEASE DON’T LET ME VANISH FROM THE FEED TONIGHT” [Outro] Refresh. Nothing. Refresh. Nothing. Refresh. One heart. You smile. Then hate yourself for smiling. And somewhere in the dark, the void whispers: “Post again.”