may 9, 2025
may 9, 2025
4 min. read
4 min. read
you should get lost
I was born 1 day after Google.
I was born 1 day after Google.
For my entire life, the internet was where I went to get answers.
For my entire life, the internet was where I went to get answers.
As a kid, I spent hours typing random searches into Google, falling into Wikipedia rabbit holes and weighing the opinions of people 20 years older than me on Quora.
As a kid, I spent hours typing random searches into Google, falling into Wikipedia rabbit holes and weighing the opinions of people 20 years older than me on Quora.
I rarely looked for anything specific, but that was kind of the point.
I rarely looked for anything specific, but that was kind of the point.
Back then, it was easy to start with one question and end up discovering ten things you didn’t know existed.
Back then, it was easy to start with one question and end up discovering ten things you didn’t know existed.
But that kind of interaction feels rare now.
But that kind of interaction feels rare now.
Now? AI gives us perfect answers instantly.
Now? AI gives us perfect answers instantly.
You ask and get exactly what you want (or what AI thinks you want).
You ask and get exactly what you want (or what AI thinks you want).
It’s fast, frictionless and immediate.
It’s fast, frictionless and immediate.
But with this efficiency, we’ve lost something.
But with this efficiency, we’ve lost something.
We no longer have the opportunity to explore. And with that, we lose the joy of discovering something new.
We no longer have the opportunity to explore. And with that, we lose the joy of discovering something new.
I don’t think most of us noticed this shift. But as everything got faster, our digital experiences swapped agency for passivity.
I don’t think most of us noticed this shift. But as everything got faster, our digital experiences swapped agency for passivity.
We now sit back as algorithms flood us with content we hope we like.
We now sit back as algorithms flood us with content we hope we like.
And by giving up our decision-making to these machines, we lose the chance to stumble into the things we actually connect with.
And by giving up our decision-making to these machines, we lose the chance to stumble into the things we actually connect with.
The unassuming links, the strange rabbit holes, and the niche sites. They felt special because you found them.
The unassuming links, the strange rabbit holes, and the niche sites. They felt special because you found them.
And now it's harder than ever to find anything when everything’s screaming for your attention.
And now it's harder than ever to find anything when everything’s screaming for your attention.
And the content? It’s changing too.
And the content? It’s changing too.
Our content adopts the same formats, hooks, and clickbait-y titles to be seen.
Our content adopts the same formats, hooks, and clickbait-y titles to be seen.
Everything begins to look the same, sound the same.
Everything begins to look the same, sound the same.
And the deep, wide internet we once loved begins to feel flat and meaningless.
And the deep, wide internet we once loved begins to feel flat and meaningless.
But sometimes, something cuts through.
But sometimes, something cuts through.
Some weird, little site.
Some weird, little site.
Or some Wikipedia page you stumbled upon.
Or some Wikipedia page you stumbled upon.
And suddenly you’re spending an hour reading about labanotation, the archaic visual language once used to record dance before cameras existed.
And suddenly you’re spending an hour reading about labanotation, the archaic visual language once used to record dance before cameras existed.
It’s these digital experiences that make us more of ourselves.
It’s these digital experiences that make us more of ourselves.
It’s how we find our interests, our communities, and what we love.
It’s how we find our interests, our communities, and what we love.
And when we discover something on our own, it feels more meaningful.
And when we discover something on our own, it feels more meaningful.
It feels like it’s ours.
It feels like it’s ours.
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I’m not anti-algorithms or anti-AI. I just think we deserve more ways to explore than instant answers and an infinite scroll.
I’m not anti-algorithms or anti-AI. I just think we deserve more ways to explore than instant answers and an infinite scroll.
We need tools that encourage active discovery.
We need tools that encourage active discovery.
Tools that offer paths, not just answers.
Tools that offer paths, not just answers.
Tools that reward curiosity instead of deciding for us.
Tools that reward curiosity instead of deciding for us.
The early internet made getting lost feel good.
The early internet made getting lost feel good.
Let’s build more ways to get that feeling back.
Let’s build more ways to get that feeling back.
Let’s build an internet that makes you want to take the time to explore more — not less.
Let’s build an internet that makes you want to take the time to explore more — not less.
©2025 gabbi soong
©2025 gabbi soong
gabbi soong