‘Have I been influenced, or is this actually me?’ How personal taste fell out of fashion
Summary
The article explains how the internet and algorithms used by streaming, social media, and shopping sites have changed the way people develop their personal tastes. Instead of discovering new and varied interests, users now often see content tailored to past behavior, which can limit their ability to form true individual preferences.Key Facts
- Personal taste used to develop by experiencing diverse culture through community, media, and chance encounters.
- Today, algorithms on platforms like Spotify, Instagram, and Amazon show users content similar to what they have already liked or viewed.
- These algorithms focus on keeping users engaged by offering familiar and easy-to-consume content.
- The amount of personalized content is so large that people find it hard to fully consider or appreciate what they see.
- This shift has caused some people to feel disconnected from their own genuine likes and interests.
- The promoted content tends to be safe, non-controversial, and less meaningful to encourage continuous scrolling.
- The author recalls how personal taste was shaped in real-life settings before the internet’s influence became strong.
- The trend reflects a broader impact of technology on culture and individual choice.
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