Why are we so obsessed with our For You pages, Discover Weekly playlists, and the “Movies For You” section on Netflix? Is it because we like the feeling of being seen? Of having someone (or something) know us so well that they can predict exactly what we want, before we even know we want it? Even if that someone is just an algorithm. Or is it a sign that, as a society, we’re slowly losing our sense of individuality and relying on others’ (or AI’s) opinions to tell us what to watch, listen to, or care about?
I think it’s a mix of both. We enjoy the convenience and find comfort of having our taste curated to exactly what we enjoy. It’s personal, even if not real. On the other hand, there’s a sense of disconnection. Are we becoming too overwhelmed with the choices we have to make that we need external filters to navigate media we engage with? Maybe we have lost the ability (or the desire) to figure it out ourselves, so we turn to machines to create what they see as perfect for us.
The more personalized our recommendations get, the more we lose touch with our individuality, letting algorithms decide who we are instead of discovering that for ourselves.
Thinking Weekly 
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