If you think about it, this makes a lot of sense: seeing coincidences means finding connections or patterns that are usually hidden from view. That helps us overcome mental blocks, think outside the box, and come up with new ideas.

Why does it feel so much better to recount the story of a meet-cute than a Hinge match? I don’t think dating apps are that stigmatized anymore. Rather, saying “we met on Hinge” is a conversation ender, while explaining how you bumped into each other on the street prompts further conversation. Meeting someone through a neatly ordered, algorithmic pa... See more

If I get two videos about the same thing on my For You Page, for example, I don’t see it as serendipitous because I know it’s targeted. So I don’t make a story. I get confined to the disjointed yet predictable reality of the algorithm, a narrative prisoner of efficiency.

Rather, the coincidence must feel random, beyond imagination—only then does it become a story.

social media algorithms are fundamentally designed to eliminate coincidences. They optimize for predictability, since more predictable consumers are more profitable. They want us to stay indoors and isolated so that they can mediate more of our interactions. They neatly categorize us into separate filter bubbles, making it easier to impose their or... See more