“Our habits and our fears make our choices. We are an algorithm of ourselves--if you liked that you may also like this.”
― Jeanette Winterson, The Gap of Time
Corporations invest billions in algorithms to make them sticky places for your attention that will lead you down a path to purchase goods and services.
Disney invested the most in advertising on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in the United States in 2020, with an estimated ad spend of 311 million U.S. dollars. Procter & Gamble followed with ~ 284 million, and Amazon used 235 million for ads.
Even though - the media and algorithms have grown in power and the scope of their profound influence - human beings - You and I still retain power to shift our attention.
It’s gotten easier to see the two-way influence of the media. How our preferences influence what we see, and what we see influences our preferences. In slang, this is our bubble. A reinforcing circle of bias, belief, and opinions. How we dress, feel, think and act gets inspired by and profoundly influenced by the values and images of what we encounter every day.
I believe that we humans need to improve our algorithms - to get strategic about what we focus on and do – so that our thinking and results of our actions measurably improves the quality of our lives (in ways that matter to you).
Are you getting the results you want in life? If not, what are you voting for with your attention?
You can see the results of your vote - in the media you see and habits you practice. What do you see ads for? Does your entertainment include things to inspire fear, anger, and include sex appeal to keep you hooked and addicted to reacting and watching?
What I’m discovering: the more I watch - the less I do. There is an element of watching that I do for my work - so I can’t go cold turkey - and delete apps. And there are a few things I watch that feel relaxing and educational - that sometimes inspires me to write. That said, my “Doom Scrolling” finds its way to my thumb more often than I would like. By searching for some weird things with the companies that invest a lot in ad spend - I now use those ads as reminders to put down the phone - and engage with life.
A Musical Interlude -
I often hear stories of how people invest hours or years exploring and evolving their musical preferences and tastes. In this process they often curate their ultimate playlist. Then on a random day, with a new friend - the friend introduces you to a new type of music that inspires you, gets you tapping your toes, and you find an unexpected joy in your heart. As you add new songs to your playlist - you start to see new suggestions and soon you’ve listened to new albums, artists, and opened your mind to a broader range of music and enjoyment.
We can do something similar with the external algorithms of social media, and seo - influencing our lives. Give the programs that influence you - some new music to dance to - every month. Add new flavors to your searches from time to time - and play a game to try to keep your bubble expanding to include a divergent perspective on truth. I bet you know a few people you wish would expand their bubble… (Do you think they wish the same for people like You)?
Ready? Break!
Program a pattern interrupt. Find a way to stop your doom scrolls, (or better, to keep you from even beginning). Maybe set an alarm, or limit your time on auto-pilot tasks. Find ways to be present and awaken to moments - so you can actively choose your response to situations.
Ads and Apps - work so well because they take advantage of the architecture of our brains. When we better understand the workings of our own minds we can choose to explore and guide more attention towards doing life improving activities.
The basal ganglia - the Ancient Brain - is thought to play a key role in action selection (what to do next), aiding in the choice of behaviors to execute. It takes a few pulses of energy to bring neurons to send signals. With repeated actions these energetic signals become stronger and protected. Is it surprising that this portion of the brain is known for habit formation? Because you have an organic brain - you need the precursors of signaling atoms (that come from healthy foods) and enough sleep to replenish them to where they work best.
Invest in people you want the best for.
Human minds are wired for stories. We shape much of our understanding of the world from our interactions. Until artificial intelligence understands the outcomes you want in life - without being programmed to manipulate you against your self interest - other human beings you admire are the best sources for being influenced.
It’s easy to get access to other people’s deeper, more structured stories in books or articles. And I find it easier to be inspired by passion or conviction when listening in person.
What I didn’t expect was the philosophical pit I fell into when I decided I wanted to be of service to the people I cared about in my life. In my teenage years I didn’t clearly see the value I could offer the world. I didn’t know that human beings craved attention, and wanted to be heard and understood - and I had the power to give that to them. When I began to hear appreciation for my listening skills a few dot’s connected, and I started to see the worth of my caring
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Today, I’ve reached a new point in my understanding. That by seeking to understand the meaning and purpose of other people's lives - our dialogue often becomes an act of discovery. Where we both become more clear on what matters in life. Once - this meaning bubbles to the surface - a desire to create and craft methods or ways to bring more of this into existence.
It can be transformative to get clear on what we want in life - and understand that we do in fact have the power to create or practice more of what we value. Because all human beings have this power to positively transform lives, I feel we have a responsibility to listen to the people we admire and care about. In some ways we may become that soft quiet voice encouraging the people sharing our journey of life with to follow their dreams.
I hope that we can find several people to be that voice in our lives - to compensate for the effective loud voices of advertisers and influencers - so you can stay focused on what matters most to you.