UTOPIA OF THE 21ST CENTURY: Social Media Channels have stopped Individual's algorithms.

 https://www.bing.com/images/create

What is Utopia?

The word Utopia, coined by Sir Thomas More in his 1516 book titled Utopia, typically refers to an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or near-perfect qualities for its members. Utopia describes a place of ideal perfection, an impractical scheme for social improvement, or an imaginary and indefinitely remote place.

The word “utopia” originates from Ancient Greek, combining “ou” (meaning “not” or “no”) and “topos” (meaning “place”). It translates to “no place,” signifying any non-existent society described in considerable detail.

Nature: Hypothetical utopias focus on various aspects such as equality in economics, government, and justice.

I am not trying to suggest we will ever achieve this perfect and ideal world. For simple reasons, we are in the reality of a mimetic world. Now before getting to the Mimetic World, let's understand how an algorithm works.

What is an Algorithm?

In the 21st Century, all literate people would know about the term Algorithm. But you know how it works?

Here is the story behind the Algorithm.

The word “algorithm” dates back about 900 years and has its roots in the work of a Persian mathematical genius, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. The term “algorithm” evolved from the Arabic word “al-Khwarizmi”. Al-Khwarizmi’s name became associated with sophisticated mathematics introduced to the West. The word “algorithm” itself emerged in the 1690s, refashioned from the Old French “algorism”, which referred to the Arabic numeral system. Al-Khwarizmi’s surname, “al-Khwarizmi”, means “native of Khwarazm” (modern Khiva in Uzbekistan).

Cut to the modern day;

An algorithm is a sequence of instructions that a computer follows to solve a well-defined problem. An algorithm is a set of finite rules or instructions to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations. It can also be described as a procedure for solving a mathematical problem in a finite number of steps, often involving recursive operations. Algorithms are the foundation of computer programming. They are used to solve problems ranging from simple sorting and searching to complex tasks like artificial intelligence and machine learning. Algorithms underpin AI and machine learning, enabling tasks like image recognition, natural language processing, and decision-making. algorithms are essential for solving complex problems efficiently, automating tasks, and enabling modern technology to function effectively. While the algorithms do a lot of useful things in the field of science and technology, they are also key methods of pushing your favorite content on your mobile phone, social platforms, and even on your smart TVs. This is the basis for the social media channel to make money through advertisements and other promotional posts. This is one of the important tools for social platforms to survive and evolve and the basis for AI and other latest innovations.

You know Mimetic we are?

Now before we understand how, let's understand the etymology of the word. The term “mimetic” traces its origins back to ancient Greece. Let’s explore its etymology: Mimetic refers to having an aptitude for mimicry or being good at imitating. Greek Roots: It comes from the Greek word “mimētikos”, which means “imitative” or “good at imitating”. This word is derived from “mimeisthai”, which signifies “to mimic, represent, imitate, portray” in art. The root of it all lies in “mimos”, which translates to "mime". Originally, it described persons who excelled at mimicry, but later it extended to include animals and plants as well. In summary, mimetic captures the essence of imitation and expressive representation, making it a fascinating word with a rich history.

Have you ever noticed, that children tend to fight for the same toy when they might have many options to play with?

The reason is that we are by the design of our evolution from embryo to fully formed body inside the mother’s womb and after birth as a child till the time we die, we all continuously follow our evolutionary instinct of mimicking.

“Man is the creature who does not know what to desire, and he turns to others to make up his mind. We desire what others desire because we imitate their desires” – Rene Girard, the French Philosopher of Social Science.

The mimetic theory of desire, an explanation of human behavior and culture, originated with the French historian, literary critic, and philosopher of social science René Girard (1923–2015). In mimetic theory, mimesis refers to human desire, which Girard thought was not linear but the product of a mimetic process in which people imitate models who endow objects with value.

The mimetic theory posits that mimetic desire leads to natural rivalry and eventually to scapegoating - Girard called this the scapegoat mechanism. In his study of history, Girard formed the hypothesis that societies unify their imitative desires around the destruction of a collectively agreed-upon scapegoat.

The reasons why think the stopping of Algorithms can save humanity from rapidly progressing towards destruction.

Let’s look at some data. As per various sources like statista.com, dataportal.com, forbes.com, etc

Social media usage has increased by 75% from 90 minutes per user per day to now 158 minutes per user per day. The date can be seen in the table below.

Data from available sources.

What is the purpose of a social media channel?

The main purpose of social media is to connect people and facilitate communication globally. Social platforms allow users to share information, express themselves, and interact with broad audiences in real time. This fosters the building of relationships, communities, and networks. Social media also personalizes your brand and spreads your message in a more conversational tone.

Why do social media channels use algorithms?

Social media channels use algorithms to sort, rank, and recommend content to users based on their preferences, behaviors, and interests. Algorithms help social media platforms to filter out the noise, show users more of what they like, and increase user engagement. Algorithms also enable social media marketers to target their audience, optimize their content, and measure their performance.

While the Algorithms are meant to do good for the social media companies by keeping the engagement level high for the users, at the same time, the actual users are actually being dopomined to death. The algorithms make it possible to create a different world for each user based on what they like. Hence it is possible that the users are not getting exposed to the wider world view of what is happening around them. Rather they are just getting cocooned into their own world. Advancements in Algorithms, AI, ML, etc, are not only making the usage of social media more also creating a different world for each user where they are fiercely competing with others with similar interests in a mimetic rivalry. So, when you post your new photo or status on your Facebook, Instagram, X, etc think again. You are just creating more jealousy from everyone from your own world of mimetic rivals.

Will the social media channel ever stop their algorithms; the answer is a big “NO”. Because their business model works on more user engagement. Imagine if your Facebook, Instagram, X, or other channels stopped updating the latest posts from your connections, followers, and friends? Probably soon many will stop engaging with the platforms.

In a utopian world, if that happens, people will still access social platforms but more functionally and not get addicted to them. They will be in the mimetic world, but they also have more time to spend time in the real world and probably do some more useful work for the family, society, country, and the world.

Is there a way out?

You can not be alone in the Utopian world, but you can create a personal utopian zone. It is possible but not easy. If you are ready to overcome FOMO (fear of missing out), start using your consciousness while using social media channels.

• Use to the extent to benefit from them.
• Restrict Usage as much as possible (should be part of your to-do and not-to-do list)
• Remove live notifications.
• While posting a new post, think -will it help you or create more mimetic rivals?
• Get out of some of the channels if can handle FOMO.
• Fill that duration with something more physical or in the real world.
• Reduce the number of followers/friends – especially if you think they are your mimetic rivals.

Let me know what you think about this idea.