The Loving Algorithm
A recent tweet by Brie Code, maker of the highly-acclaimed Self Care app, got me thinking.
Listening to a boring playlist that the boring algorithm thinks I would like. Reading a boring article recommended by a boring algorithm. Ads in the sidebar for things I looked at and decided not to buy. Boring as fuck. Not bored though, because of the sky, the water, plants.
— Brie Code (@briecode) July 29, 2020
At first, algorithms look quite stupid. And if you think of them from a technical point of view, they are relatively basic. Dig a little deeper, and I think for many implementations, their purpose is decidedly unfriendly. The aim is to either sell you on something, or hook you in for a selfish, one-sided goal.
What if the algorithm we experience on social media could recommend posts, articles, potential friends, or sure, even products, whose purpose was to be of aide to your peace of mind, soul, or simply happyness? Better yet, imagine the ability to program the algorithm based on emotional, human criteria rather than for the purpose of a cold financial return?
Maybe you're looking for help with relaxing. Or you're curious about epidemiology but worried about triggering stories or images. What if you want to learn more about a political issue but from sources that match your own ideology (perhaps based on the level of diverse people and content that you interact with. Imagine a "tolerance for overly emotional content" slider or a checkbox for "feel good stories."
The Loving Algorithm.
