The result is a culture of hyper-niche saturation. You no longer need to like what your neighbor likes. The algorithm will build a bespoke universe just for you: a non-stop parade of ASMR cooking videos, deep-cut 1970s funk, true-crime podcasts, and Korean dating shows. This is, in one sense, a golden age of abundance. A queer teenager in rural Mississippi can find representation and community. A fan of experimental jazz fusion can find thousands of hours of obscure performances.
This democratization is exhilarating. It kills the snobbery of the critic and the tyranny of the network executive. The best ideas can come from anywhere. But it also creates a new kind of pressure. Franchises are now held hostage by the most vocal fans. Creators are harassed for not adhering to “headcanon.” The story no longer belongs to the author, nor even to a broad audience, but to the most aggressive online faction. bukkake xxx
Underpinning all of this is a brutal, invisible war: the war for your attention. The business model of nearly every major media platform is advertising. And the most effective way to sell advertising is to keep users feeling —preferably intensely. The result is a culture of hyper-niche saturation
The Infinite Scroll: How Popular Media Became a Mirror, a Megaphone, and a Maze This is, in one sense, a golden age of abundance