Article: Welcome to our new ‘bespoke realities’

[Ken]

None of this changes the fact that Grace merely stated facts. The response has been to somehow attack that she shouldn’t have gotten to learn those facts because of “search bubble”, which is an odd position to take.

Everything she said that I could check was valid and true. So why the discomfort with what she said?

You are completely missing the point.

Which is?

Is anything Grace said false?

That isn't the point. The point is that Grace lives in a reality in which she is obsessed with Biden and the Easter Bunny or whatever. Because that is the media she is consuming and that is fed to her by YouTube and other algorithm driven social media.

Whereas everyone else lives in their own separate social media reality generated by their own personal algorithms. Our reality isn't just what is true. It is what we pay attention to. The stream of information circulating the globe at light speed every second is so enormous that each of us can only consume a tiny microcosm of it. So our reality is determined by what tiny fraction of that information is pushed to the top for us to consume.

This is a completely different world from the one that existed pre-internet in say the 1950s. When everyone in the country basically consumed the same printed news produced by the same few wire services and big newspapers where editors decided what information to present and what to ignore. And we had just a couple TV and radio networks that also did the same thing and screened what we heard through people like Walter Cronkite and Paul Harvey. And then a few popular magazines like Life, Readers Digest, Saturday Evening Post, Time Magazine, that did the same thing for longer-form news and information.

In the 1950s All Americans were basically living in the same information reality and mostly heard the same news. Which isn't just about what things are true or false. It is about what things are elevated to the top of the pile as news and what things are not.

Those days no longer exist and today we all inhabit different realities based on what our algorithms are pushing, each one different from the other. At least those who consume information via social media. Grace bringing up Biden's foibles in this thread is a perfect example of that. Each one of us has a different "bespoke" reality custom tailored just for us, and a different set of information that we consume.

[Josh]

... I'm not sure what "bubble" you think any of us exist in who decided to watch Biden's press conference that he gave a few days ago. I watched it without commentary and formed my own opinions of it based on that.

Or is that a bespoke reality now, too?

[Grace]

... I'm not sure what "bubble" you think any of us exist in who decided to watch Biden's press conference that he gave a few days ago. I watched it without commentary and formed my own opinions of it based on that.

Or is that a bespoke reality now, too?

I suppose in some people's mind it is "bespoke reality". Heaven forbid anyone get their information straight from the actual source and form their own opinion that is NOT based on a media newscaster's slant. I watched Biden's angry press briefing as well and formed my own opinion. Same as I do when there is a White House press briefing. I almost always know when KJP is lying without anyone telling me.

As for the Easter Bunny Ken mentioned. Watch and form your own opinion.

[Josh]

I don't usually watch too much TV news or YouTube. I do generally watch press conferences, as I prefer to get my information "straight from the horse's mouth". So I watched Biden's press conference this week.

Is that a "bespoke reality"?

[RZehr]

I don't usually watch too much TV news or YouTube. I do generally watch press conferences, as I prefer to get my information "straight from the horse's mouth". So I watched Biden's press conference this week.

Is that a "bespoke reality"?

At his age, Biden may be living in an ultra bespoke reality.

[Grace]

That isn't the point. The point is that Grace lives in a reality in which she is obsessed with Biden and the Easter Bunny or whatever. Because that is the media she is consuming and that is fed to her by YouTube and other algorithm driven social media.

Just because one follows the news pertaining to the country and the leader of the free world, they are now labeled as being "obsessed". We have seen Trump negatively brought up here almost every day. Of course, that isn't an "obsession" (sic).

[Ken]

That isn't the point. The point is that Grace lives in a reality in which she is obsessed with Biden and the Easter Bunny or whatever. Because that is the media she is consuming and that is fed to her by YouTube and other algorithm driven social media.

Just because one follows the news pertaining to the country and the leader of the free world, they are now labeled as being "obsessed". We have seen Trump negatively brought up here almost every day. Of course, that isn't an "obsession" (sic).

I'm only using that example because that you post about Biden endlessly here. Some might say I'm obsessed about housing policy because I've posted about that a whole lot here. And they'd be correct since I live in a high cost of living area and I have 3 daughters who are reaching the age where they are starting to want to find their own housing and discovering that it is exceedingly expensive. Much more so than when I was their age. And so I wonder why that is and what can be done about it to help out the next generation.

There are people here obsessed about trains, Anabaptist standards for dress and comportment, and all kinds of other things.

We could bounce over to another forum and find people obsessed with K-Pop or knitting or sheep rearing or any of a bazillion other things. And they'd each be in their own "bespoke reality"

[MaxPC]

At his age, Biden may be living in an ultra bespoke reality.

At 94 I might be living at that same beach. There are times that one day seems to run all month long.
Do not worry OJ; I double-checked with my wife and she confirms I am 94.

Wait: does that mean I can apply for the US Presidency job?

[ohio jones]

Wait: does that mean I can apply for the US Presidency job?

If you can convince Colorado to put you on the ballot, go for it.

[barnhart]

I suppose I have created a sort of bespoke reality for myself by refusing any news sources that are angry, overly negative or demonize their opponents.