This year I have had some personal insights into how big tech sells us products and I realize I’m fed up with their approach. The products, content and any other thing that we consume online are specifically fed to us through an almost invisible process tightly curated to give us exactly what we want every time we log onto any of the main sites or their subsidiaries. I would venture to say that listening to an online playlist that has been computer generated just for you or scrolling through whatever social feed you might be enjoying at the moment has some profound affects on how we each view the world around us.
I’ve realized that I enjoy listening to a whole album with variation of sounds or watching things that I think about myself rather than being spoon fed whatever YouTube or TikTok thinks I like the most. I don’t know what consuming only content that we like overtime does to our social fabric but I would argue that Jan. 6 or any of the other divisive rhetoric has a solid foundation in this algorithm thing.
Other than writing these letters to the editor and starting to change my own life and how I consume content, I don’t have a lot of answers. It seems like we each need to arrive at the best decision for ourselves and then hopefully work to change the trajectory away from the level of mental manipulation these mega companies are exploiting. It’s not an easy path to walk but I choose freedom of thought over having a computer choose in all cases what it thinks I will like the most. When I think of the word “revolution,” I think we are all living through one right now. We are in a revolution about who has control over our minds. I choose freedom over my own thoughts first and foremost. It’s a not a fair trade, the services they offer and what they take from us in return. We need a system reset on how they do business and we need it soon.
Avery Hoyt
White Salmon
My land
I’m sitting here trying to type this letter to the editor and spell the word, Shluxiksikswana. Not only I can’t spell it but how many of us can pronounce it, yet our government leaders think we should rename different areas in the Gorge with names like Sq’wanana, Pataniks Pushtye, Timla Wapyki and Aalvic Whtum. These places aren’t on the traditional reservations so why are they being changed?
I realize I’m not the best speller or greatest at word pronunciation but this is ridiculous. Let the Tribes do as they wish on their land but leave mine alone.
James Anderson
White Salmon
Editor’s note: The U.S. Department of the Interior has ordered the renaming of geographic features with derogatory names, and the The Washington State Committee on Geographic Names has been working to remove such names for years. The committee received 17 proposals from the Yakama Nation, Colville Tribes, Quinault Indian Nation. Of them, 11 were accepted for final consideration. They replace geographic names that, if translated into English, would be unprintable in this newspaper.
Vote Garique Clifford Sheriff
We need a Klickitat County Sheriff’s Department that continually strives for professionalism by providing ongoing training for their personnel. Laws are constantly changing, technology is always improving, and legal issues are a constant issue for law enforcement.
Garique Clifford is young and will bring fresh ideas to the department. He is totally devoted to his profession. He has many hours of training and certifications relating to various aspects of the job. His education and commitment to professionalism well qualify him to serve Klickitat County.
I have spent many hours with Garique in discussion with his desire to run for sheriff. I have more than 37 years of law enforcement experience as a Los Angeles County deputy sheriff, chief of police of two agencies, administrator over two divisions of a major criminal justice agency and as a graduate of the FBI National Academy. I believe my knowledge and ability to evaluate Garique’s qualifications, ideas and goals are more than sufficient.
It is my opinion that he possesses the skills and expertise to professionally administer the department, and his goals for the department are right on target. I wholeheartedly endorse his candidacy for sheriff of Klickitat County.
Commented