On gaming the system: a 7-step plan towards algorithm autonomy
February 15, 2021
Full disclosure: I don’t know jack shit about algorithms and I don’t want to give the impression that I do.
Remember that brief moment when it seemed everyone (in my bubble at least) could talk about was that Netflix documentary/awkward mini-movie The Social Dilemma? Upon watching it, two thoughts prevailed:
- “Oh man, this is baaaaad. I kind of knew social media was toxic but now I’m going to have to delete everything!”
- “This is just the tip of the iceberg. People with a real understanding of algorithms, their design to up my screen time and increase the value of ad slots must be thinking: ‘we told you so Charlie, you’re just now getting in on this?’”
This temporary episode of anxiety made me feel part of the sheeple. Not a great feeling.
Highly uninformed and highly impressionable, I imagined myself the target victim of big tech corporations’ dopamine-driven feedback loops & rabbit holes. All I was to them was just another cow to milk.
And I thought I was special!
Again, full disclosure: I probably am just that - another cow to milk. The Social Dilemma did not diminish my daily social media intake (big whoop: I did not in fact delete everything, did you?).
However, the unadulterated teenage soap opera on the ‘flix had me asking myself some long overdue questions: How do I engage with algorithms?
How much influence do they have on my life?
How do they inform my decision making?
Was it all just a dream?!
Once that medium-sized personality crisis was over, I started plotting & scheming. God damn it, I’m not part of the sheeple, I’m a right-minded guy.
I can use these algorithms in a way that enhances my life. If I’m going to binge, I want to binge content that gives me energy. If I’m going to fall down one of those infamous Youtube rabbit-holes, I want to come out of it inspired; having learned something.
Let me elaborate on my plan.
You undoubtedly know the feeling: you snap out of a boredom-induced scrolling sesh thinking: “what the hell did I just spend 20 minutes of my life on?”
Social media platforms understand our lizard brains, our primary reactions and emotions to all things colorful, shiny and potentially interesting. They understand what keeps us engaged better than we do ourselves.
This is why you may find yourself watching a staggering 7 minutes worth of bridesmaid-catches-bouqet Instagram reels, while you are not particularly interested that subject (…right?). Again, not an expert; just spitballing here - you can trust me though.
Now I don’t know about you, but I hate zoning out like that. I don’t enjoy feeling like my autonomy is being stolen.
So what’s a boy to do?
How can you win a fight against a system that is smarter more powerful than you? Maybe someday I’ll give it a try, but I just don’t feel like deleting everything right now.
This is where my 7-step plan comes in. Don’t worry, it’s tried-and-true, totally scientifically substantiated and definitely effective:
- Don’t stop consuming content
- Do start watching content intentionally:
- Write down a list of things that give you energy and enhance your life (for me: cooking, running, art, music)
- Follow accounts related to these subjects
- Binge content related to these subjects
- Repeat until the algorithm understands that you have changed your ways
- Take pride in the fact that you, my friend, are not part of the sheeple