There's a particular kind of apathy the modern media diet produces — and research suggests it isn't accidental. Studies show that heavy media consumption measurably distorts perception of the world as more dangerous than it actually is, and that consuming six or more hours of news coverage following a traumatic event produces higher acute stress than being physically present at the scene. This post maps why disturbing content, doom scrolling, and algorithmically-curated feeds cost more than most people realise — then goes further. There are two algorithms running your life: the one on your phone, and the older one running underneath your conscious thought. This covers both, and what you can actually do about either one.