The power of AI algorithms extends beyond content recommendation. By subtly shaping search results, feeds, and available information, a small group of tech elites can construct a bespoke version of reality for each user, guiding their perceptions and conclusions invisibly.

Social media algorithms can be trained. By actively blocking or marking unwanted content as "not interested," users can transform their "for you" page from a source of distracting content into a valuable, curated feed of recommended information.

To stay current with AI, transform passive content consumption into active learning. Intentionally train your algorithms on platforms like YouTube and TikTok to show you only AI-related content. This turns your feed into a personalized, continuous stream of valuable information.

Actively resisting the algorithm's pull towards popular content is a "bicep curl" for agency. By deliberately clicking on videos with very few views, you train your mind to seek out novelty and think independently, breaking free from societal pulls and discovering trends early.

The quality of your creative output is a direct result of the quality of your inputs. The books, podcasts, and accounts you follow are not passive entertainment; they are actively shaping your future thoughts. To generate better ideas, you must deliberately curate a better information diet.

Treat each person in your life as their own unique social media platform. This mental model helps you consciously choose which "feeds" you engage with, allowing you to curate your informational and energetic diet as deliberately as you manage apps on your phone.

Social media algorithms are not malicious manipulators; they are mirrors reflecting your own engagement. If your feed is negative, it's a direct result of the content you've liked and followed. You have full control to change it by actively engaging with positive topics.

Pinterest reframed its AI goal from maximizing view time based on instinctual reactions (System 1) to promoting content based on deliberate user actions like saves (System 2). This resulted in self-help and DIY content surfacing over enraging material, making users feel better after using the platform.

People blame algorithms for negativity, but the algorithm is a neutral mirror reflecting your own interests. It doesn't push content on you; it exposes what you already pay attention to. If your feed is toxic, you are the problem.