We built machines that prize acceleration and then act puzzled that everything feels rushed and slightly manic. The networks of the past were slower and at a scale that was adaptable. I wrote about this years ago, and nothing since has disproved it. So when the author of “beliefs outrun facts” says nothing works, now you know why.

None of what I am saying is new. Decades ago the media sage Marshall McLuhan summed it up in his timeless phrase, “The medium is the message.” The medium, the technology or channel of communication, influences society and individuals more profoundly than the content, altering our senses and habits and, in turn, our perception, interaction, and... See more

Algorithms on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter do not optimize for truth or depth. They optimize for motion. A piece that moves fast is considered “good.” A piece that hesitates disappears. There are almost no second chances online because the stream does not look back. People are not failing the platforms. People are behaving... See more