What the $fight for the algorithms says about you

If your imagination is worth billions, then the world's most expensive real estate is actually between your ears.

As always, punchline upfront in case I lost you:

If billionaires are willing to spend billions to control what lives in your imagination, then your imagination is worth billions… Scratch that, MORE than billions: it’s powerful enough to liberate. Which means you don’t have the luxury of distraction.

Here’s the context, what it means, and what we should probably do about it.

Context.

The prime minister of israeel met with famous influencers to discuss how billionaire money should be used to buy the TikTok algorithm. All to shape what appears on your “For You” page and dull public outrage.

So, “governments” are fighting to pay billions to own an algorithm that decides which videos show up on your mobile phone screen. Making the “for you page” the closest thing these governments have known to a “personal reality creator” for every person who scrolls social media.

In this meeting:

Netanyahu singled out the US government-backed deal to force TikTok into the hands of an American consortium, describing it as “the most important purchase going on right now, … number one.” - Press TV

So, this feels like a good time to discuss just how powerful it is to control our shared perception of reality and what that means for the way we consume information.

The world’s most expensive real estate

Is actually your imagination. Not a mansion in some physical place.

If buying this algorithm was inconsequential, they wouldn’t need billionaires to brain wash you this way or that way. We’d just be allowed to believe whatever we wanted and listen to whoever we wanted.

But it very clearly matters that we’ve been listening to the people on the ground telling us their experience vs. billionaires shaping reality.

“But Saffana, I’m just watching make up tutorials and car cleaning videos. Why do they care what’s on my feed? What difference does it make to me who owns the algorithm? I’ll still scroll…”

Then you do so knowing your distraction is ideal for oppressors.

Because your distraction = injustice can happen.

Here’s a story:

Years ago, my husband and I were dining al-fresco in north London. A lady whose English wasn’t good enough to verbally communicate that she needed help, pointed to a paper that asked for money which we diligently read.

Before we could respond, a passer by shouted at her and she ran away frustrated. Several minutes later. We realised my husband’s phone was missing. She swiped it from the table as she covered it with the paper we read.

We were distracted for a few seconds, but that’s all it took, because that’s all she needed.

She didn’t need to use force, she didn’t need to make us move, she literally needed us to do nothing. Just be distracted by the spectacle.

That’s all power ever needs: a sliver of your attention, willingly given.

So, while, yes. You’re just out there dining, enjoying. You’re not in a vacuum. And if your distraction is worth billions, and you’re willingly distracting yourself. Then you must accept your part of the responsibility of this injustice too.

Your enjoyment is momentary, justice to others is permanent. And they just need you distracted long enough to not cause a ruckus as they cause injustice

Which can only mean that your awareness is currently an inconvenience.

If you do not want this responsibility, then, here’s what we’re gonna do. First, we’ll acknowledge the reality…

Only an oppression-causer would want you distracted.

If someone is truly on the side of justice, they would do the exact opposite of reality-curation. They would give everyone on the ground the ability to show what they are experiencing. That’s what they would invest money in. The broadcasting of reality, not mass sedation and suppression of truth.

Clearly this new algorithm will silence the voices on the ground documenting their experience because they wont want us to hear them.

We are not designed to witness oppression in silence. They know this, so us witnessing oppression caused by their actions is no good.

But they also know we chase comfort, so we might welcome some suppression, because witnessing in justice is uncomfortable.

But these uncomfortable feelings are information.

They are there to tell you that you are viewing injustice.

So you must stop the injustice, with any mechanism you can. And we know that whatever mechanisms you and others are using now are INCONVENIENT enough to cost billions.

So, carry on being inconvenient

Boycott,

• Starbucks closed down 450 shops,

• people are losing money.

• Artists are quitting gigs because they don’t want to be aligned with oppression.

• Running brands are no longer sponsoring certain marathons.

Carry on being a complete nuisance to oppression.

Cause an absolute inconvenience at work.

• Go to court and win for it.

• Discuss it with neighbours.

• Convince colleagues to engage in it.

• Educate your children about it.

ani.says2

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Let them take the feed and waste billions. BUT you must continue to affect your lived reality.

Them parting with billions can only mean that we are fast approaching critical mass. So approach it faster. Run towards it.

I’m not even telling you to not consume the hair tutorials and car cleaning videos, I’m just saying consume them knowing that reality is still unfolding around you whether your feed is showing you or not.

Consume the shopping hauls on your way to the protests. Consume the cat videos while you wait on the phone line to cancel your disney subscription.

Just do not let it be that we’ve come this far for it to be in vain.

Create change in your reality knowing that they’ve wasted their money trying everything they could to silence truth.