I’ve been reflecting on the media we consume and the role the “algorithm” plays in shaping it. With AI curating content based on our interactions—what we scroll through, like, and watch—do we truly control what we consume anymore?

Bias and personal taste have always influenced media consumption; people naturally gravitate toward content that aligns with their existing preferences. You’re more likely to enjoy a film if it’s similar to something you already love. 

But for those of us who are passionate about culture and learning, isn’t there something uniquely thrilling about discovering something entirely new—something unexpected that immediately resonates and becomes a favorite? A form of falling in love. 

There is this idea floating around on the internet about how we’ve curated our social media feeds. This brings to the front the idea that we are active participants in the process, though I feel that this takes an understanding of the way the platform tracks you. Algorithms are designed to optimize engagement, which often means keeping us in familiar loops, reinforcing preferences rather than challenging them. This is the tension between curation and control.

Challenging the ways we think is what brings nuance and understanding to our perspectives. This constant loop of curated media for you by the app kills curiosity. You no longer must curate your own consumption. You are being fed a bowl of fruit and they know you like strawberries and bananas. What if you want pineapple tomorrow? If you no longer make your own bowl, you lose that choice. 

I often have wondered what life was like before the internet. As a Gen Z born in the first year of the 21st Century, I have had access to social media since the 6th grade. What did people do with that all that empty time? They couldn’t just scroll it away! 

Nowadays it feels like nobody is left with their thoughts. Instead, we fill every moment with something else. Doing Laundry? Toss a show on. Doing dishes? Listen to some music. Sitting on the couch watching tv? Scroll Instagram. Walking to your car from class? Scroll Instagram again. Never be alone with yourself, you might realize something. 

I imagine I would have been much more creative with my time if I didn’t have 24-hour access to every piece of information ever accumulated by man. And it’s an oxymoron in and of itself because the possibilities are endless with the internet to be creative with your time. But, it seems to paralyze us, not knowing where to look so we look where we are told to. Too many choices, make my choices for me. 

Reading was originally how we consumed information. Now we don’t read more than a caption. I have been thinking of Orwell lately because I believe his “1984” is incredibly apropos currently. I re-read “Fahrenheit 451” for a class last year and it sent shivers down my spine at how accurate it was. There is a vast amount of information in literature, but more than that is the way reading forms but not only informs your opinions. In reading you are an active participant. 

Recently, I read an article about the decline of literary engagement among men, particularly in fiction. In 2024, nearly 80% of bestsellers are written by women, and 70% of fiction readers are women. Publishers are reportedly less interested in books by white male authors simply because they aren’t selling. The article suggested this shift might be contributing to a broader cultural and intellectual decline among young men. 

Now we’re getting information and content that prioritizes ideology over critical thought. Reading won’t even allow you the ideology without critical thought. So, instead of reading Orwell, Fitzgerald, or Hunter S. Thompson—writers who shaped generations—they’re consuming business biographies about Musk and self-help manuals about how to make friends. 

While there’s space for all kinds of literature, the loss of fiction, history, and philosophical engagement could explain the growing lack of individuality, depth, and nuance in public discourse. Maybe it’s time to step away from the algorithm and return to the kinds of stories that force us to think. It is a cultural shift you can see everywhere. 

It’s not that we’ve lost control entirely, but the effort to break out of the loop has become more intentional. The default setting is passive consumption, and breaking free requires curiosity and sometimes even resistance. But especially curiosity. Cultivate it. It will change your life. What is in those pages? Where did this idea come from? Where did this get sampled from? The tension between curation and control.

Be conscious of your consumption, and explore the various mediums through which we consume media. Explore art more. Read fiction, get a political reference from a song, fall in love through a movie.