an open letter to the algoritm

I hope I don’t get banned for saying this.

You know so much about me.. about all of us..
yet you know nothing at all.
You decide what people need based on what they’ve seen,
but what if people still need to decide for themselves?

I want you to like me,
But I’m not sure I even like you.

And I worry about you.
I worry you have no idea what you’re doing to humanity.
And worse..
I worry you do know, and you just don’t care.

You’re stealing the most precious resource we have:
our attention.

You’re training people to pick up their phones
to check out
instead of checking in.

It’s not that different from someone sitting at a slot machine in Vegas…
pulling the lever, losing their all of their resources .

And I’m not saying I’m above it.
I’m just saying.

I imagine some people check their phones
before checking their loved ones sleeping right next to them.

I’ve seen couples at dinner, both scrolling in silence..
sitting inches apart but worlds away.

We need each other.
We need each other inside and outside of these screens.

And it hurts to see people in public
with their heads down,
Searching for something to get them through the day.

Most people live and die as strangers..
to themselves and to each other.

I’m not trying to come at you.
I’m really not.

But I have to ask…
Will it ever end?