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betty_staplestoday at 4:21 AM2 repliesview on HN

I will say I am strongly against what social media algorithms do.

But I am fascinated by the black mirror element. They said "hey algorithm what gets likes, what gets views - look into human nature and report back" - "human nature shows polarization does! emotional charged divisive content!" - that's just fascinating. Not learning, philosphophy, growth, education, health, no, the naughty stuff, the bad stuff. That's not to exonerate social media companies, no, such would be the same as exonerating big tobacco for what they do.


Replies

slgtoday at 6:06 AM

We like to pretend that we aren't just dumb animals, prone to getting scared and angry in order to protect our pack. These algorithmic feeds almost dehumanize us with the way they play off our innate animalistic psychology. Big tobacco really does seem like the best analogy.

trinsic2today at 5:06 AM

I kind of wonder if it creates it rather than shows us a mirror.