When you were young, your favorite song was probably influenced by an older sibling, cousin, neighbor, or friend. From an early age, our taste is shaped by the trusted sources around us. Then, at some point, we begin to explore the world independently, curating a taste that feels uniquely ours.
For many, this shift happens in adolescence. Early on, family members or close friends may introduce us to music, books, or movies they think we’d enjoy. But as access to digital platforms grows, so does the ability to independently explore a vast world of media. Eventually, the roles may even reverse, where younger generations start introducing older ones to new discoveries.
When reflecting on the media that shaped our early years—songs, books, shows, movies—it’s often possible to connect them to specific people or moments. Each one has a story, a connection. But in an increasingly digital world, it’s becoming harder to pinpoint the moments that shape our taste.
Algorithms now play a major role in curating our media diets, making it nearly impossible to track how or why certain pieces of media enter our lives. The internet once demanded a certain level of curiosity to discover new things—whether it was scrolling through obscure music forums or typing random keywords into YouTube’s search bar. There was also a clear distinction between physical and digital media, which naturally diversified the way we consumed information.
Fast forward to today, and it’s all too easy to passively consume content from a handful of sources, most (if not all) of them digital. Do you actually like that song, or have you just heard it a hundred times while scrolling on TikTok? And if algorithms are constantly curating our content, are we really discovering anything new, outside of our usual consumption patterns? These are questions worth considering—especially as songs start blending together, coffee shops all look the same, and even the recipes we cook at home seem eerily similar.
Can a diverse taste still be cultivated in the digital age? Sure. But not without effort. It requires actively stepping outside algorithm-induced echo chambers. My advice? Explore new websites, follow people outside your usual preferences, and maybe even pick out a book from the library.
The coolest people I know consume the most diverse media. A mix of TikTok brain rot, Substack opinion essays, and classical literature. A little bit of everything.
For many, this shift happens in adolescence. Early on, family members or close friends may introduce us to music, books, or movies they think we’d enjoy. But as access to digital platforms grows, so does the ability to independently explore a vast world of media. Eventually, the roles may even reverse, where younger generations start introducing older ones to new discoveries.
When reflecting on the media that shaped our early years—songs, books, shows, movies—it’s often possible to connect them to specific people or moments. Each one has a story, a connection. But in an increasingly digital world, it’s becoming harder to pinpoint the moments that shape our taste.
Algorithms now play a major role in curating our media diets, making it nearly impossible to track how or why certain pieces of media enter our lives. The internet once demanded a certain level of curiosity to discover new things—whether it was scrolling through obscure music forums or typing random keywords into YouTube’s search bar. There was also a clear distinction between physical and digital media, which naturally diversified the way we consumed information.
Fast forward to today, and it’s all too easy to passively consume content from a handful of sources, most (if not all) of them digital. Do you actually like that song, or have you just heard it a hundred times while scrolling on TikTok? And if algorithms are constantly curating our content, are we really discovering anything new, outside of our usual consumption patterns? These are questions worth considering—especially as songs start blending together, coffee shops all look the same, and even the recipes we cook at home seem eerily similar.
Can a diverse taste still be cultivated in the digital age? Sure. But not without effort. It requires actively stepping outside algorithm-induced echo chambers. My advice? Explore new websites, follow people outside your usual preferences, and maybe even pick out a book from the library.
The coolest people I know consume the most diverse media. A mix of TikTok brain rot, Substack opinion essays, and classical literature. A little bit of everything.
