#algorithmic life

[trendsnova]

Reclaiming the Pleasure of Struggle in a World of AI

The Seduction of Convenience

I caught myself observing Western commercials and film clips where individuals gave clipped orders to Alexa: "Alexa, play me… Alexa, guide me… Alexa, locate me…" The orders were crisp and utilitarian, bordering on sterile. I mentally made a note, fascinated by this changing dynamic between man and machine.

And then I spoke to my friends. "Do you guys actually speak to Alexa in that way?" And they all said no. The voice was different. The dynamics of interaction were different. In Southeast Asia, we still name individuals—Alexa Maria from the Philippines, Kak Esa from Indonesia. There's still some aspect of relationship, of closeness, in how we request assistance. But in this expanding ocean of artificial interfaces, I couldn't help but ask myself: What are we really outsourcing?

And more uncomfortably, what are we giving up?

The Disappearing Struggle

Smart devices are engineered to remove friction. One voice command and music, directions, even existential answers are yours. We're promised liberation through convenience. But here's the irony: the very thing that's meant to free us may be turning us into passivity.

When we no longer have to struggle to remember, to learn, to search, or to decide — when it is all pre-filtered for us by recommendation systems and forecasting models — what becomes of our agency? What becomes of the quiet discipline of mastering a new piece on a guitar, the challenge of learning to navigate a new city, the pleasure of cooking a meal entirely from scratch without following a recipe?

These small struggles used to define the texture of our lives. They taught us patience, curiosity, and perseverance. Now, we’ve started to see them as inefficiencies to be eliminated. But isn’t there something deeply human in the very act of effort?

Algorithmic Living: A Quiet Surrender

Behind it all lies a more profound issue — the outsourcing of decision-making. AI no longer assists us; it directs us, frequently unbeknownst to ourselves. It encourages our palates, trims our feeds, organizes our playlists, and even suggests potential mates. It does so based on what we've done in the past, rather than what we currently aim to do. And within this economy of convenience, we stand the chance of becoming predictable caricatures of our former selves.

It's subtle, but it's a quiet surrender. Not of tasks, but of thought. When algorithms make choices for us about what we might like, when to sleep, what to eat, and whom to date, we sacrifice more than control. We sacrifice the pleasure of becoming, the pleasure of taking the harder road, the serendipitous detour.

Rediscovering the Joy of Effort

Struggle is now a dirty word in our technology-governed lexicon, but maybe it's time to take it back. Not masochistically or romantically, but as a site of necessary growth and meaning. Struggle requires presence. Struggle focuses us. Struggle grounds us in the present and in each other.

Picture learning to code without autocompletion à la GPT. Or navigating a foreign city without Google Maps. Or having a tough conversation without seeking the counsel of a chatbot. These aren't just tasks about completing things. They're about becoming someone in the process.

The Human Choice

Technology will only become more advanced. AI will just become smarter. But the debate is no longer about what can be done by machines — it's about what we still wish to do for ourselves. Retaking the pleasure of struggle involves making a choice to be fully engaged in our own lives. It involves recognizing friction not as failure but as form. It involves refusing to live algorithmically and instead deciding to live intentionally. Convenience might be the money of the future, but effort-real, bumbling, human effort could just be the soul we have to guard.

[prokopetz]

I swear the Algorithm's decisions about what to try and sell me have become even less comprehensible ever since LLMs became the new hot thing. I just received two separate, apparently unconnected emails informing me there's been a price drop on helical cutter heads for DeWalt DW735 thickness planers.

[ionomycin]

Welcome home

[moastudiess]

Daily Productivity Challenge: 4/10

04.08.2025~ Getting started on my complexity theory homework that was due yesterday :D, also working on my computer graphics GPU programming project on the side. Working towards finishing the wrapper assignment for my Bayesian Net project as well :)

[so-i-did-this-thing]

So, I have a big advice post to write, but until I have the spoons, I want to warn everyone now who has legally changed their first name:

Your credit score may be fucked up and you need to:

check *now* that all your financial institutions (credit cards, loans, etc) have your current legal name and update where necessary

check that all 3 credit bureaus, on their respective sites, not via a feed like Credit Karma (so, Trans Union, Equifax, Experian) are collecting that info correctly and generating the right score - you might need to monitor them for a few months if you made any changes in #1

I am about to apply for a mortgage and learned that as of 2 weeks ago:

Experian suddenly thinks I am 2 different people - Legal Name and Dead Name (none of whom have a score)

Equifax has reported my active 25 year old mortgage as closed and deleted one of my older credit cards, hurting my score by 30+ points

Credit scores influence everything from big home/car loans to insurance rates to job and housing applications.

And for whatever reason, the 3 bureaus that have the power to destroy your life are shockingly fragile when it comes to legally changing one's first name.

So, yeah. Once I get this mess cleaned up for myself, I have a big guide in the works if you find yourself in the same predicament. But with the mass trans migration out of oppressive states, odds are there are a lot of newly renamed people who are about to have a nasty shock when applying for new housing.

Take care, folks.

[asgardian--angels]

mage viktor discourse again on twitter and all i can say in my little corner over here once again is, I don't know why the entire fandom takes it as canon that mage Viktor failed to save every world he manipulated.

Canon does not provide evidence of this. This is fanon speculation. It's a fine headcanon to have, but everyone talks about it like it's canon when it isn't. Canon is ambiguous about the outcome of the timelines mage Viktor altered. The little nods we are given point, in my opinion, towards the opposite conclusion, that he successfully averted destruction.

I've written meta on this before but in summary:

1) 'In all timelines, in all possibilities' is worded precisely, it's not 'out of all timelines'; the implication is that every time, Jayce brings Viktor back from the brink, not just in our timeline. 'Only you' doesn't refer to our timeline's Jayce, it refers to all Jayces. Jayce always brings him home. If Viktor continuously put the fate of each timeline in Jayce's hands and Jayce failed over and over, I don't think he'd say those words. And the way he says them matters. His words are tinged with wonder, not sorrow. As if over and over again, he is shown that Jayce saves him, and it continues to amaze him. He doesn't sound defeated, like this is the next in a long line of Jayces he's sending off to die. The feeling is that Viktor's faith in Jayce has not been misplaced.

2) If mage Viktor doomed every timeline, there would be hundreds (or more) mage Viktors. All running around manipulating timelines. I highly doubt the writers wanted to get into that kind of sticky situation. The tragedy of mage Viktor is that he is singular. Alone. Burdened with the responsibility of the multiverse. The emotional gut punch of his fate is ruined if other timelines led to the same outcome, and from a practical standpoint, having multiple reality-bending omniscient mages would rip apart the fabric of the arcane.

There are other points, such as there being only one corrupted Mercury Hammer and our Jayce is the only one to receive it, and the fact that if mage Viktor is as omniscient as he is implied to be, he could easily step back into other timelines and correct course, because it's highly unlikely he could sit still and watch things go down in flames. But these things can be argued elsewhere.

While I love conversations about mage Viktor's motives and selfishness vs altruism, the writers & artbook have expressed that Jayce and Viktor care greatly about Runeterra and want to fix their mistakes to save it, and that their reconciliation is symbolic of Piltover and Zaun coming together as well. Yes, they make disastrous decisions towards each other, making choices for the other or without the other, which has negative consequences for their relationship and for Runeterra - but I think fandom pushes their selfishness even past what's canon sometimes, as if their entire goal hadn't always been to selflessly help the world around them. Their final reconciliation is about bridging the gap that grew between them - the pain and grief and secrets, betraying themselves and each other - to mutually choose each other openly and honestly. Part of the beauty of their story, as expressed by the creators, is that in their final moments, they chose each other and took responsibility for their actions by sacrificing themselves to end what they started, together - and that choosing each other saved the world. TPTB have stated this - that Jayce and Viktor are the glue holding civilization together, and when they come back to each other, they can restore balance. It's when they're apart, when they hurt each other and miscommunicate, when they abandon their commitment to each other and their dream, that the greater world suffers. Their strife is mirrored in the story-world at large.

Mage Viktor is framed as a solitary penitent figure, damned to an eternity of atoning for his mistakes. He paid the ultimate price and now is forced to live his personal nightmare of exactly what he was trying to avoid for himself with the glorious evolution. The narrative clues we're given point more in the direction that he saves timelines rather than dooms them. If Viktor's actions kept killing Jayce, the very boy he couldn't bear to not save each time, it would undermine these narrative choices. Yes, Viktor couldn't stand to live in a world where he never meets Jayce, so he ensures it keeps happening. But in that same breath, he couldn't bear to see a world where his actions continue to destroy Jayce and destroy Runeterra. His entire arc in s2 is born of his selfless desire to help humanity, help individual people. He would not lightly destroy entire worlds. That's his original grief multiplied a thousandfold, and narratively it would lessen the impact of the one, true loss he did suffer, his own Jayce. It wouldn't make sense for him to be alright with damning other timelines to suffer the same catastrophic tragedy that created him. I mean, maybe I'm delusional here, but is that not the entire point? Because that's what I took away when I watched the show.

As I said, I love discussions about mage Viktor, as there's a lot to play with. All I wish is that the fandom at large would not just assume or accept the Mage Viktor Dooms Every Timeline idea as canon, when there is nothing in the actual canon that confirms this. Maybe people need to just, go back and rewatch the actual episode, to recall how mage Viktor is presented to us, and what it's implied we're supposed to take away from his scenes, and separate that from the layers of headcanon the fandom has constructed.

[vanhelsingapologist]

Publishing has always been a fucking nightmare, but now it’s a layer of hell. It’s not enough that writers be good at what they do. Writers have to maintain an active social media presence and cultivate a following. Be available.

They have to be conventionally attractive enough to look good enough to see on a screen, aesthetically pleasing, kind, funny, up-to-date on trends, socially aware but not so controversial that they turn off a brand from California from slapping their discount code on a video promoting a book.

They have to do all of this with no media training, with little help from the companies that are supposed to be doing this for them.

Of course, a lot of this isn't possible for say, the 40-something mother of two who teaches English at a school and writes on the side. She’s boxed out of an already complex industry that already has enough walls.

On some level, I think authors have always marketed themselves a little, but we’ve reached such a crazy point where we’re demanding the author become the influencer. Accessibility in publishing has narrowed from an inch to a sliver. And that inch was hard enough to get in as is.

[neodymiumcuilz]

ADOPT/HELP A PALESTINIAN FUNDRAISER(S) - CALLING FOR SUPPORT. (GOOGLE DOC WITH MORE ACTION HERE)

PLEASE READ THESE POSTS, HERE, HERE AND HERE.

Hello everyone, the IOF has continued to escalate their genocide and kill/humiliate those who are starving. Israel has weaponised starvation. They are giving people the BARE MINIMUM of aid and are massacring people waiting to receive aid, don't be fooled thinking aid is getting in. Please keep demanding a PERMANENT CEASEFIRE, a PROCTECTIVE FORCE, ALL AID to be let in and SANCTIONS against Israel.

Recently, my mother has told me I had to leave tumblr, and that I had "no choice in the matter". Since I am only 14, I do not know what to do, I write this behind my mother's back as I cannot live with the guilt of leaving families alone in their time of dire need.

During my time on tumblr, I have had the pleasure of meeting some Palestinian families, and I have spent hours writing posts and sharing fundraisers in an effort to raise donations. And while I am posting alot on other platforms where hopefully they can reach a wider audience, it would be great if anyone here on tumblr could reach out and adopt a fundraiser.

Please, if you have the time/recourses to adopt a campaign. I am begging you, their suffering is incomprehensible, the bombardment/attacks on civilians keep escalating, claiming 100+ lives almost daily. I will never forgive myself if these families in need cannot find the support/help they need from this community. If anyone can take on the responsibility of adopting a fundraiser please do so, the people of Gaza need our support/voices;

@samirahmed125 - 45% RAISED

@kareman33 - 85% RAISED

@wesam75 - 20% RAISED

@abuyasin156 - 7% RAISED

@hopeformusab - 21% RAISED

@mahmoudayyads - 26% RAISED

@gazamaha4 - 14% RAISED

@aligaza4 - 6% RAISED

@raniagaza - 6% RAISED

@abood-3 - $1,066 RAISED - ENDS IN TWO WEEKS

@asmaa-family99 - €911 RAISED - ENDS IN 4 DAYS

@enasfamily55 - 11% RAISED

@enas67ha - $3,251 RAISED

@a-hero-from-gaza / @student-hassan- 13% RAISED

@mazen-fmaily - $8,080 RAISED

@suhailaalwan2 - 11% RAISED

@mahmoud3sblog - 28% RAISED

@yousefhasan55 - 13% RAISED

@moomenmeshal3 - 12% RAISED

@hanan95s - $1,541 RAISED - ENDS IN 6 MONTHS

@yosefgaza122 - 8% RAISED

@eileenfamily14 - €637 RAISED

@help-family11 - $2,461 RAISED

@hildanasr - 24% RAISED

@aisha-family - $2,643 RAISED

@maramgaza6 - 11% RAISED

@lailaa1989 - $518 RAISED - ENDS IN THREE WEEKS

@sharifmoody - 6% RAISED

@rehamo3cats - €1,945 RAISED

@saharfamily89 - 31% RAISED

@khloud-family1 - 2% RAISED

@maimabuhamda - 69% RAISED

@lobnafamily1 - €7,879 RAISED

@amal-family2 - £4,302 RAISED

@familykhetam3 - 21% RAISED

@samarsh1l - 66% RAISED

@abedallah-gazza - $1,700 RAISED

@lamahouranii12 - $14,445 RAISED

@yosef-gaza5 - $6,064 RAISED

@ahmadahmadgaza - 34% RAISED

@arijfamily - 6% RAISED

@fatoam232 - 3% RAISED

@shadialwan1 - 82% RAISED

@olagazza4 - 4% RAISED

@weamfanona - 4% RAISED

@leangaza - 1% RAISED

@jwanandsham - 58% RAISED

@randasobh23 - 4% RAISED

@life-111 - 61% RAISED

@hane-qazaz - $1,384 RAISED

@mohammedkassab2 - $1,931 RAISED

@aydaabushanab - 45% RAISED

@wasimhourani6 - 80% RAISED

(Not a Palestinian fundraiser, but @ashleymilesphil is in dire need of donations too !! )

I have tried to explain to my mother the situation(s) unfolding, however to no avail. I have cried and pleaded. I will keep posting fundraisers and talking about Palestine on social media - but I hope the tumblr community will help bring support that I cannot provide (especially adults here).

If you have made it this far (THANK YOU !!) I would like to share some methods of LOBBYING to hopefully pressure action on Gaza to be taken to ease the suffering we are seeing.

LOBBY THE HAGUE GROUP about an International Protective Force.

LOBBY OIC

If you are in Ireland, you probably heard about the Occupied Territories Bill, so lobby the senators to get it passed, here is a website where you can find senators and their emails/contacts.

Here is a post I made on how to help Palestine in small ways, (links to help Palestine here) here is a post about Congo and Sudan, and the Uyghur people in China, I hope I can educate myself on more world/human rights issues in future.

Donate to Sudan here and here

Donate to Congo here

But IN SHORT !! Please don't deny anyone on here help (especially if you have the means to adopt a fundraiser). KEEP LOOKING/BEARING WITNESS to the atrocities going on and DOCUMENT (accountability archive here), keep protesting/rallying, boycott, SPEAK UP, donate if you can, EDUCATE YOURSELF, FOLLOW BRAVE JOURNALISTS and lobby. Please do what you can to demand a permanent ceasefire & a free Palestine (If I can try do this at the age of 14 yall grown adults have no excuse to be complicit asf, be on the right side of history).

[cloveang3l]

My realisation that I cannot draw any batboys except for Tim has resulted in this. They are in space. Tim is very used to this. Damian is not.

(Jason's still on Earth, his helmet just launched into space)

[risibledeer]

@liekadae 's , aka the eefo-est artist out there's, dtyis i did like a month late lol. i hope i did it justice!!

[mardibot]

[prokopetz]

In ongoing the-Algorithm-trying-to-figure-out-what-the-fuck-I-do-for-a-living news, my sponsored YouTube search results now consist exclusively of promotional videos for aerospace machining firms, which implies several fascinating things about its present conclusions.

[kirrryash]

@kagomes-hanakotobamatsuri week 4 Endurance and Adaptability

Globemallow: strength

I only ever wished softness for you. For pain is the other side of strength. But you bleed and bore the injuries of life, and you survive and thrive despite all.

[fifi-goes-to-hollywood]

(Source on screen)

Bojan is wearing My Voice My Choice t-shirt! 🩷

Sign My Voice My Choice initiative (European Union citizens only!)

[tecnestheim962]

I need more RG in my feed and less of literally everything else, the brain worms are seeking food and all they’re finding is stress and isolation

[disparition]

herbie hancock, who has been one of my musical heroes since i was a teenager, recently confessed that his latest album was delayed 15 years because he “fell down too many youtube rabbit holes” and that honestly makes me feel a lot better about myself