We aren’t watching what we want anymore. We are watching what the algorithm has determined is the path of least resistance for our dopamine receptors. The result is a monoculture that isn't a monoculture—it’s a billion personalized silos. You have your "Hot Ones" interviews; your neighbor has his "Dark History" podcasts; your cousin has her "unsolved mystery" rabbit holes. We are simultaneously more connected and more isolated than ever.
Look at the charts. Bob's Burgers has never been bigger. The Great British Bake Off is a geopolitical peacekeeping force. "Lo-fi hip hop radio beats to study/relax to" has billions of views. Even video games have turned into Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley —simulations of a simple, manageable life where your only enemy is a weed in your garden. BellesaHouse.E155.Ryan.Reid.And.Damon.Dice.XXX....