It’s wild how in the last 15 years we have given over almost all of our entertainment and information diet over to corporations who use algorithms to ensure we spend more and more of our attention in their sandbox. More often than not, these changes are a net negative. That sounds dramatic, but think about it: how often do you open an app “just to check one thing” and find yourself half an hour later feeling worse than when you started? Hell, how many times do we open said app after a push notification invited us to do so? We get sucked into these systems in ways we don’t intend.

The outcomes aren’t subtle either. People get radicalized, feel depressed, follow rage bait, fight pointless culture wars, and consume an endless feed of vibes-based, samey music and video slop designed to keep us clicking, watching and listening.

This shows up in a ton of places, especially where we are entertained and informed:

• Music (endless playlists and “for you” mixes that all sound alike)
• News (anger drives clicks, so anger dominates)
• Social media (engagement above all else)
• Streaming video & YouTube (just one more recommended clip!)
• Reddit and forums (dopamine hits from karma and hot takes)

None of these categories are inherently bad. Music streaming is an incredible bargain. YouTube can teach you almost anything. Social networks can connect you with real community. But the defaults are tuned for addiction, not for your well-being.

So how do we stay intentional about what we consume without becoming hermits? A few things I’ve been focusing on lately:

• Take back your music. Apps like Albums or Longplay are great for focusing on the music you chose, not whatever the algorithm feeds you. Advanced mode? Buy your music outright and play it on something offline. I’ve legitimately considered tracking down a last-gen iPod Classic — though I do love my Bluetooth headphones too much to go full retro. (Apple bringing back an iPod in the age of streaming is probably a pipe dream, but I’d be first in line.)
• Use RSS. It’s still the best way to follow sites, YouTube channels, subreddits, and even individual social accounts without surrendering to a feed. Tools like Reeder or Tapestry can help bring it all together.
• Rely on people, for reccomendations. Want a good movie to watch? Services like Letterboxd let you see what your friends enjoyed instead of what Netflix thinks will keep you awake longest.
• Avoid algorithm-first social media. Bluesky, Mastodon, Pixelfed — all of these prioritize community and human choice over recommendation engines. Or, if none of it serves you, quit entirely.

For me, the general guiding principle is that I need to pause and ask whether the thing in front of you is content you actually sought out, or “content” being pushed at you by a company whose only metric is time spent in-app.

One last angle that’s not algorithmic but still worth calling out: audiobooks over podcasts. For me, podcasts increasingly feel like junk food – especially in politics-  where so much is just topical rage bait. Audiobooks, on the other hand, feel like vegetables: a slower, more nourishing way to spend time listening.

We’re never going to escape algorithms completely. But if we can recognize where they’re shaping our attention and make small choices to push back, we stand a better chance of keeping them from running our lives.