We Can't Rewind We've Gone Too Far
Written while streaming "Video Killed the Radio Star."
I listened to this week’s episode of The Ezra Klein Show, “How to Discover Your Own Taste,” featuring a conversation with Kyle Chayka, a staff writer at The New Yorker and author of the forthcoming book Filterworld: How Algorithims Flattened Culture.
The discussion is taste forward, essentially about the importance of discovering what you like as an individual, which is an interesting thing to consider, but much of the conversation veered in a direction much more fascinating to me: the effect of the internet and, by extension, algorithms in shaping our taste. At a time when more people have access to more ideas, art, and information than ever, culture seems to be oddly flattened and derivative due to the algorithms increasingly lording over what we’re exposed to.
This conversation really resonates with me as I’ve long realized the internet and the spaces we hang out in seem to become less and less fun the more they are tweaked and “optimized” and I increasingly grapple with the ratio of benefits vs detriment of being Online.
I know for me it’s driven in large part by the algorithmic nature of the platforms we socialize on. No longer am I primarily in charge of who and what I interact with, the Abominable Algorithm decides much for me, which ostensibly means I spend less time interacting with the people and content I appreciate, more time navigating a feed I’m not interested in. But as Max Fisher discusses in The Chaos Machine (one of my favorite books of 2023!) social media algorithms don’t care about us having an enjoyable or positive experience on their platforms, they are primarily concerned with keeping our eyeballs on the screen by any means necessary, and, seemingly, if they can keep us unsatisfied we’ll just keep scrolling… and scrolling… and scrolling seeking that next dopamine hit.
No longer an internet of curation, but rather one of endless consumption dictated by what others like, and what the algorithm has decided I should like. When we use social media apps we think we’re primarily interacting with our friends, followers, and community, but what we’re actually interacting with first and foremost is the algorithm and the app itself. *We* are the product, the producers, and the consumers, and really, we’re what’s being consumed.
And this is why I’ve decided to launch this silly little newsletter, detailing my silly little thoughts, and my silly little tidbits. Just because. Just because it’s something I enjoy. And it’s something other people who also enjoy a little curation of what I’m up to can see, and we can interact free from algorithmic interference. Amen.
What I’m…
Reading:
A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella - an incredibly cozy read to start January and the new year.
Mercury by Amy Jo Burns - a small town, Rust Belt family saga that utterly captivated me.
The Postcard by Anne Berest - Jewish identity/family/heritage; this gave me chills. I have no idea how I’m going to gather my thoughts to write a review. First 5-star read of the year.
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez - I liked this enough; part of the Aspen Words Literary Prize longlist I intend to read in its entirety.
Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn - lesbians at the end of the world; I really appreciated the ideas in this speculative story.
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice - the end of the world as we know it hits a First Nations reservation in winter; incredibly compelling and excellent winter reading.
Watching
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - this was my first watch; what a trippy movie. It ran a little long for me personally, but I can imagine it being an incredible viewing experience in its original theatrical release. And I always appreciate a seminal work. We also recently watched Eyes Wide Shut, which is a Christmas movie(?!) and was really disappointingly lacking in the sex cult content if you want my honest opinion.
The Great - this is a period dark comedy about Catherine the Great of Russia and I am looooving it! So funny and absurd. We just started season 2.
Golden Globe Awards - loved seeing Succession and The Bear clean up as they’re favorites; Beef deserved its recognition; Barbie was snubbed though Poor Things winning so many awards landed it a spot on my to-watch list; big cheers for Lily Gladstone making history as the first indigenous woman to win best actress for her role in Killers of the Flower Moon, a true crime story, turned book, turned movie, which is also on my watch list. I don’t care about Jo Koy’s monologue or any others.
Listening
I am currently making my way through Barbra Streisand’s memoir My Name Is Barbra on audio. I am (finally) 90% of the way through and… I still have 5 hours to go! This beast is more than 48 hours long, but Babs has had an epic multi-decade career so I’ll allow it.
The Ezra Klein Show: “Should Trump Be Barred from the Ballot,” truly informative and fascinating discussion of Trump and the 14th amendment, diving into the intent and limitations of this Civil War era addition to the U.S. Constitution.
Novel Pairings: “The Best, the Backlist, and the Buzziest Books of 2023,” Chelsey and Sara’s annual “Superlative Soiree” is a delightful listen.
Eating & Drinking
Beef & Barley Stew made in the Instant Pot with Sourdough Dinner Rolls (longtime sourdough-er, first time roll-er; there will be many more!)
Mongolian Chicken (a new to me and now recommended recipe) and my favorite Crispy Asian-inspired Brussels Sprouts (highly recommend replacing a bit of the soy sauce with fish sauce.)
Vegetarian Lentil Tortilla Soup (also from the Instant Pot), or as I call it: Bean Chili because I don’t want my family to stop liking this super easy staple recipe.
Trader Joe’s Winter Wake Up Tea, which I always call Winter Warm Up Tea in my head. A staple this time of year.
Links + Loves
Just placed an order for refills on my favorite Maelove serums: Glow Maker and Fade Away. I use these constantly and they are very much needed in the depths of January.
S/O the depths of January… very thankful for my booklight; she is getting a real workout during these dim days. I’ve had this for 2 years, it’s rechargeable, and my favorite booklight I’ve owned.
I can’t stop lighting this Winter Keep candle with notes of everygreen and bonfire from Frostbeard Studio. It somehow makes me feel both wintery and warm; cozy.
Just ordered more of these elderberry gummies because one of my kids is sick AGAIN. Do they work? Idk. Do they make me feel like I have control over something I have no control over? Marginally.
How Many Books Did You Read in 2023? This WaPo article is so interesting! Hint: if you read more than 1 book last year, you’re already ahead of more than 50% of Americans!
I'm a Supercommuter. Here's What It's Really Like. For more than a year this Wall Street Journal writer has commuted from Columbus, OH (where I live) to his job in NYC where he’s required to be in the office at least 3 days/week. Fascinating! Meanwhile, Columbus is a VERY commute-friendly city and driving anywhere further than 15-20 minutes feels to me like a huge chore!
ICYMI
This week’s blog posts:
That’s it for this first edition of The Weekly What! Thanks for reading and stay warm, friends!