🔆 The Physics of Culture: When Algorithms Shape Our World

🗞️ Issue 41 // ⏱️ Read Time: 5 min

Hello 👋

Remember the last time you discovered a new song? Chances are it wasn't through a friend's recommendation or by wandering into a record store – it was probably served to you by an algorithm. Today, we're diving into how these invisible forces are shaping not only what we listen to, but how we experience culture itself.

The New Laws of Cultural Gravity

Just as physics governs how objects move through space, algorithms now govern how information and culture move through our digital world. But unlike the laws of physics, these "laws" are written by humans – and they are often optimized for the speed of consumption or efficiency, not necessarily for cultural richness.

Think about it: When was the last time you spent an hour browsing through a bookstore, getting lost in random selections? Digital convenience has replaced these moments of serendipity with hyper-optimized recommendations. Recent data shows that on major streaming platforms, 60% of viewed content is now algorithm-selected, fundamentally changing how we discover and consume culture.

Algorithms and The Paradox of Plenty

The volume of cultural output is higher than it’s ever been: More music is being released than ever before, more movies are being produced, more books are being published, and more art is being created.

Yet somehow, we're experiencing what experts call a "creativity recession." Why? Because while the tools for creating and distributing culture have been democratized, the process of cultural selection has been automated.

Maths has transitioned from something we extract and derive from the world to something that starts to shape it: The world around us and the world inside us. More specifically, we’re talking about algorithms, the tools computers use to decide stuff.

So what is an algorithm? Simply put, it’s a set of instructions that enable a computer program to put together different sources of information and generate a result. This set of instructions allows us to deal with massive amounts of data. Based on selected features, the algorithm determines what will be prioritised - for example, what will be shown in your social media feed or your Spotify-recommended playlist. In other words, today a large part of the process of cultural selection has been automated by code.

The widespread use of algorithms in content recommendation has led to a phenomenon described as "filterworld," where cultural products are homogenized and tailored to appeal to the broadest audience possible. This results in a self-reinforcing cycle where popular content becomes more popular, while niche or obscure content risks being overlooked.

Optimizing for Consumption Speed

When we use algorithms in culture, they act as invisible forces that guide and structure our digital experiences, much like how physical laws govern the behaviour of matter and energy. Here's what happens when algorithms optimize for consumption speed:

• Music is optimized for short attention spans (do you think Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven with it’s 7:55 min length would have a chance in today’s media landscape?)

• Movie franchises are chosen for guaranteed engagement

• Fashion is designed for social media virality (major brands are now explicitly shifting their design processes to prioritize "algorithm-friendly" aesthetics)

• Books marketed based on algorithmic predictions

But here's the twist: Some of history's most innovative cultural moments came from friction – those uncomfortable, slow, sometimes frustrating spaces where ideas collide and transform.

Friction: It’s what we need

Think about a cleaning robot. It follows a programmed definition of "clean" – but anyone who's ever argued about the "right way" to load a dishwasher knows that "clean" means different things to different people. This human friction – the dialogue, the disagreement, the compromise – is exactly what algorithms remove from our cultural experiences.

Some creators are fighting back by intentionally adding friction. We're seeing this in action with Spotify's recent announcement of new features allowing users more control over their discovery process – a direct response to growing concerns about algorithmic echo chambers. Other examples include:

• Musicians releasing albums that need to be listened to in order

• Platforms introducing "handpicked" sections alongside algorithmic recommendations

• Artists creating works that require active engagement rather than passive consumption

• Brands designing products that encourage slower, more thoughtful interaction

Is it more work? Absolutely. That's exactly the point, move away from mindless automation where it reduces your human experience, and keep it only where it makes a positive difference.

Add some friction to your life

So, while algorithms are good and allow us to find patterns in data that the human brain isn’t capable of, a good dose of friction is actually healthy. What are some things that you can do to increase the friction in your life?

1. Take the scenic route: Sometimes choose the second or third recommendation, not just the top one.

2. Mix up your sources: Combine algorithmic recommendations with human curation - ask your friends or colleagues about the last song they listened to, or their most recent restaurant visit.

3. Embrace the wait: Give new content time to grow on you before jumping to the next thing. Do you know this feeling of how an album grows on you when you listen to it many times? If not, try it. Now.

4. Seek out friction: Engage with art and ideas that challenge your usual preferences: Go to a gallery or an exhibition, or take some time to look at the graffiti and street art in your neighbourhood. Check out the latest research in Nature Magazine. Go to the library, borrow a book. Or maybe just take a walk in the forest, without headphones, and pay close attention to the sounds surrounding you.

   Our digital world moves at a disruptive speed, but culture often needs to move at the speed of human connection to be real, rich, inspiring, and innovative. That’s how we find new ways to create solutions that are mind-blowing and life-changing.

Until next time.
On behalf of Team Lumiera

Emma - Business Strategist
Allegra - Data Specialist

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