There is no "us"

However, even the act of training the algorithm comes with the egotistical assumption that individual videos were meant for you in the first place. By identifying with a piece of content, you implicitly assume that you were part of its intended audience. After all, why wouldn’t you be? It was on your “For You” Page.

Unfortunately, the very notion of... See more

Another reason for all the division: the self itself is fragmented. As Yancey Strickler says, we are in the era of the post-individual. Strickler’s essay is deep and illuminating, but it is best summarized by a Sean Monahan quote he includes in the article: “Once upon a time people were born into communities and had to find their individuality. Tod... See more