Exploring Randomness and Algorithmic Control

The speaker shares their journey from a structured life as a Google engineer to embracing randomness through an app that chooses random destinations. This led to global travels and new experiences, challenging the constraints of algorithmic control. The talk encourages experimenting with algorithms to avoid being controlled by default choices.

What was the speaker's profession while living in San Francisco?

• Graphic Designer

• Product Manager

• Software Engineer

• Data Scientist

What inspired the speaker to create a random destination app?

• A conversation with a friend

• A research paper on predictive analytics

• A personal travel experience

• A documentary on randomness

How does the random destination app work?

• It selects a random place and calls an Uber to take you there

• It suggests places based on user preferences

• It provides a list of popular destinations

• It uses social media check-ins to suggest locations

What unexpected location did the speaker first visit using the random destination app?

• A new bar

• A museum

• San Francisco General Hospital, Psychiatric Emergency Center

• A bowling alley

What realization did the speaker have after using the random destination app extensively?

• They wanted to return to their old routine

• They discovered new parts of the city they had ignored

• They found randomness to be unfulfilling

• They preferred planned activities

What change in lifestyle did the speaker make after transitioning to freelance work?

• They traveled to random cities worldwide

• They focused on local events only

• They settled in a new city permanently

• They stopped using the random app

How did living in random cities affect the speaker's perspective?

• It expanded their understanding of the world

• It limited their social interactions

• It made them miss their home city

• It made them feel more restricted

What did the speaker realize about the randomness of their choices?

• Choices were truly random and unpredictable

• Choices were influenced by the environment and social structures

• Randomness led to chaos in their life

• Randomness had no impact on their experiences

What broader issue does the speaker associate with algorithmic control?

• Increased personal freedom

• Enhanced creativity

• Improved decision-making

• Potential for societal control

What advice does the speaker give regarding interaction with algorithms?

• Rely on algorithms for all decisions

• Be experimental and avoid default choices

• Always follow the default settings

• Ignore algorithms completely