About this article

Read time:

4 minutes

Category:

Opinion

My take on: Are algorithms stopping us from thinking outside the box?

Renowned film director (and personal favourite of mine), Martin Scorsese, recently claimed that streaming services are devaluing cinema by reducing films to content. Scorsese commented that “If further viewing is ‘suggested’ by algorithms based on what you’ve already seen, and the suggestions are based only on subject matter or genre, then what does that do to the art of cinema? Are these algorithms stopping us from thinking outside the box?

Scorsese’s comments don’t just ring true to the film industry. Algorithms are playing an increasingly important role in shaping our lives, making decisions on what news we access, what routes to take on our journeys and even who we date and how we voteAnd while they offer convenience, structure and informed decision making in a world full of choice, could it also be true that they stifle our interests and creativity by putting us into boxes that are becoming increasingly hard to climb out of? 

Algorithms are making significantly consequential decisions in our lives, to the point that if every algorithm suddenly stopped working, our world as we know it would cease to exist. And as we live in an evemore digitalised worlthrough lockdown, there’s just no escaping our reliance on algorithms. don’t think it’s even a question of whether they are structuring our lives but more a question of whether we are happy for them to do so. We live in such a fastpaced world where we look for instant gratificationthrough an increasingly limited concentration span. These algorithms might be stopping us discovering something we might otherwise have done. 

Struggling to integrate marketing and sales?

Click here to access resources on how to fix the challenge.

For the most part, we don’t want to think much about our everyday decisions. Why spend hours searching for the best energy supplier when a machine can do it for you, faster and more accuratelyLiving in such a fast-paced world has meant that we rely on our environment to be just as fast and straight forward. Instead of spending hours trawling through energy supplier websites, we would much rather be relaxing and watching Netflix, but even then, as Scorsese pointed out, we don’t want to spend time deciding on what film to watch, mainly because there is so much choice available to us through the rise of the streaming service. 

But while algorithms provide us with convenience in a world filled with choices, most would argue that there comes a point where freedom of thought is criticalA shared version of reality is paramount to any progressive, democratic society and it could be said that by boxing people up into segregated echo chambers, we are preventing the opportunity to connect with things outside of our own limited worlds. Be it through art, music or television, or even areas such as the news that we consume and the people we connect with, these algorithms could siphon off opinion sharing, political discourse and nuanced conversation.

While a structured life offers comfort and ease, we know that often the best experiences happen when we step out of our comfort zone and try new things. And while we may be physically locked away from the rest of the world during this pandemic, it might be a better time than ever to grow within ourselves by trying something new.   

Struggling to measure success and prove ROI from your B2B PR and marketing campaigns?

Click here to see what you need to consider when setting up a campaign.

I’m definitely not saying to go with a more expensive energy supplier as some sort of enlightened way of taking the power back – no pun intended. But if algorithms are stopping us from thinking freely, perhaps avoid the watch next button on YouTube or try a book recommendation from someone outside of your immediate social circle. You could have a go at cooking something you’ve never eaten before (get it from that old recipe book that you haven’t picked up for years, instead of that aesthetically pleasing insta-post)Avoid limiting all of your news and information consumption to what you see on your social channels. Trying something new can open up a world of possibilities, of which we know there are plenty out thereAfter all, we all know the saying you are what you eat and it’s not called a ‘feed’ for nothing.  

About this article

Read time:

4 minutes

Category:

Opinion

Sustainability – how our team is crushing plastic and saving the planet

B2B thought leadership PR – everything you need to know

Browse more blog posts

Posted on
byClaire James
In B2B PR, thought leadership is one of those concepts that gets spoken about all the time. But do you actually know what thought leadership is? And do you have the right tools and skills in place to make it work effectively for you? In this post we aim to clarify what B2B thought leadership can do and help you gain greater benefit from it.
Posted on
byRob Skinner
In B2B PR, thought leadership is one of those concepts that gets spoken about all the time. But do you actually know what thought leadership is? And do you have the right tools and skills in place to make it work effectively for you? In this post we aim to clarify what B2B thought leadership can do and help you gain greater benefit from it.
Posted on
bySkout team
If you haven’t heard by now, Skout is under new ownership! No, we haven’t been bought out – in fact it’s quite the opposite. As of last week, Skout officially became an employee-owned business. This was achieved by the founding shareholders, Rob and Claire, signing 100% ownership over to a newly established Employee Ownership Trust acting on behalf of the...
Posted on
byClaire Lamb
A few weeks ago, the entire Skout team visited the beautiful and historic city of Palma, Majorca for our annual kick off event. It’s been a long time in the planning (pre-pandemic to be precise) and the first time we’ve been abroad for a kick off to the new financial year. We’ve always found kick off meetings a great way...
Posted on
byHonor Williamson
TikTok is increasingly being used as a platform for B2B companies to implement their marketing strategy, aiding in brand exposure, lead generation and profile building. But, where does paid TikTok advertising come into play? Is it an effective tool to engage with B2B audiences, or is the ROI just not worth it?  If you’re the least bit social media savvy,...
Posted on
byClaire James
In May I was fortunate to be able to attend the recent UK Construction Week at Excel in London and see the strides forward an industry, that has become recognised as one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions, is making in tackling the thorny issue of achieving Net Zero. In his keynote on day one, Lord Callanan, Under Secretary...
Posted on
byJames Weaver
In the world of B2B marketing, it is essential that you have a solid B2B marketing strategy in place to effectively connect with your target audience.
Posted on
byHonor Williamson
Why was PR your chosen career?  PR is all about storytelling, with so much opportunity for creativity and content creation. Since I’ve always loved writing and always had a big imagination, I thought that PR would be the ideal career to channel my creativity. I’m all about communication, and PR really allows you to foster meaningful relationships. I’m already learning...
Posted on
byJack Doyle
As a smaller business, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to sustainability. Sure, we all do our best to use the right recycling bin at home, and bring our re-usable coffee cups to work. But with serious pressures now mounting from the government – which pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 –...
Posted on
byLee Simpson
Another week, another round of mass layoffs in the tech sector. With Amazon (AWS) and Meta cutting thousands of jobs, and further layoffs at Salesforce and of course Twitter, it has felt a bit like the tech world has been imploding of late. This is of course concerning for us working in B2B tech PR, but more importantly for the...

Send us a message

Download The B2B business relationship report

The B2B relationship renaissance – did digital kill it? The importance of relationships throughout the customer buying journey. Please complete the form below and receive a download link via email.