Fight The Algorithm
Got To Give Us What We Want
Got to give us what we want
Gotta give us what we need
Our freedom of speech is freedom or death
We got to fight the powers that be
If I could write a new version of Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, it would be “Fight The Algorithm”. The algorithm is shoving junk down our throats like some kind of digital foie gras. Podcasters like Sam Sanders often lament the end of monoculture. However, I don’t miss the idea of a national monoculture because there has always been niches. Hip hop, comic books and punk rock were niche. They were underground fifty years ago, but they are mainstream now. Today, there may not be a traditional monoculture where most Americans watch the same tv shows, listen to the same songs on the radio, or go to see the same movies. What is happening in 2025 is a selective monoculture where conversations and controversy bubble up to the top of social media feeds because everyone has to comment. The culture is really focused on commenting on everything. BTW, it is totally OK to not have an opinion on everything.
I have preferences. I follow people who love books, music, food and tv. No matter how much I try to teach the algorithm to show what I want to see, it continues to override my preferences. How can I fight the algorithm? I can choose to spend less time on social media. However, there’s always a group chat that will clue me in. I could mute the group, but I might miss something important. There is no solution without curation. It is important to curate quiet. Silence is golden.