On Discovering Taste
No, not talking about finding one of your six senses. But that could apply! This week I listened to Ezra Klein’s interview with Kyle Chayka, a staff writer at The New Yorker, about Chayka’s newly released book, Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture, which is about how the modern Internet has dulled our wherewithal on what we like. I enjoyed their discussion on how humans have eroded their ability to be intentional in the search for individual preference and taste and in doing so, have lost their humanity. My thoughts drifted during this discussion, thinking of items I owned or activities I engaged in because it fit into the mainstream, a box, a stereotype, a “well, everyone else owned it and did it”, without pausing to think if I even enjoyed the experience or item.
I am probably preaching to the choir. It is no secret that the internet is a powerful tool that shapes not only how we access information but also how we perceive and engage with culture— music, art, fashion, design. To give it credit where credit is due, it has lead to access to an immense amount of knowledge that would otherwise go unlearned by generations before us, inevitably leading to groundbreaking work to improve lifespans/quality of life/freedoms. Don’t fact check me, but I remember hearing that the information in a single New York Times Sunday paper would be the total news a human would hear in his or her entire lifetime 300 years ago. That’s nuts. And, for that, I am so grateful to be alive in this century. However, we can fix how we interact with those technologies. I believe our life can be enriched if we are more intentional with our consumption.
Today, algorithms are designed to maximize engagement and profit. The result? Users are served content that is broadly appealing, creating an echo chamber, reinforcing existing preferences and minimizing exposure to diverse, challenging, or avant-garde content. How have we generally responded? Instead of being explorers in the vast knowledge-sphere that is the Internet, we have become passive consumers fed by a relentless stream of algorithmically curated content that prioritizes mass appeal over individuality— all-white kitchens, flower crowns at weddings, sourdough starter, Patagonia vests, ivory boucle interiors, mason jars, scripted wall decals, Where the Crawdads Sing, The. Stanley. Quencher.
(Please, please forgive me if these examples are indeed your taste.)
Essentially, I am discovering my taste with this blog. It's a journey towards self-awareness in my preferences, aesthetics, and values. Like I say in my bio, I am doing a lot of manifesting here. If I were to only copy and paste what I am being served on the Internet, it would be a disservice to my intellectual ability for critical thinking and reflection. I want to understand why I like what I like. I want to develop a sense of identity in my choices and express myself authentically through them. My goal is to continue to explore smaller, niche websites, follow independent artists and creators, and participate in local cultural events that lie outside the mainstream, beyond the algorithmic influence. The advice is not to do this for every purchase you ever make— that would be exhausting. But do it for topics you get a kick out of. For me, that is travel, architecture and interior design.
Let’s enrich our lives with a wide range of experiences and perspectives, then contribute to a more vibrant, varied cultural landscape. As argued by Chayka, in a world increasingly dominated by algorithms, the quest for individual taste and style becomes not just a personal endeavor, but a cultural imperative. On a less dramatic note though, simply be curious and intentional in discovering taste. No blog required ;)