sociological and psychological theory... of pet peeves

[cimorene]

Somehow recommendation algorithms always manage an insane oversupply of my pet peeve, whatever it is, and they're so DETERMINED about it that there must be an underlying function that produces the peeves in reality (or in my mind) - and it must be one simple enough to be described by an algorithm.

Sommmmmmmmething about intersections that occur exactly one ring outside my area of interest and the much higher likelihood of those things turning into peeves, when other more distant (but fundamentally even less congenial) things, even things I dislike more on an absolute scale if I take a step back, never have a chance to do that. Oh, like the dynamic that determines what music you hate and find 'overplayed', which is also contingent on your particular exposure.

Comments

[phosfate]

Amazon's have, for reasons I don't understand, become much worse in the last couple of years. They are no longer based on things I've actually bought, but on things I've looked at. And they're crammed with (often really offensive) paid ads for horrible self-published novels.

[cimorene]

That seems unlikely to be useful to, like, anyone. I suppose they must do it for a reason, though. I don't know if I really want the algorithm to be better or if that would be worse in some new way. It probably would. It always is, somehow.

[phosfate]

At least when it worked it would let me know authors I liked had something new earlier than publication day. "Thanks. I ordered it from you a year ago. You just texted me to tell me it's on my porch."

[cimorene]

Actually I feel like this isn't the only algorithm that's become notably worse lately! Netflix and Google are no longer suggesting sequels in the related works when I view a work, for example. Twitter's suggested users algorithm doesn't eliminate a suggestion when you dismiss it... they just bring it back up again as soon as possible regardless of whether you've, you know, explicitly told them you aren't interested in that account.

[phosfate]

Netflix basically gave up after they dropped most of their library. Google's responses are so full of paid content that it takes ages to get past it.