It’s amazing that we have so much information at our fingertips. The internet makes it easy for us to find media and experiences catered to our tastes. When you go on holidays, you can make sure you only go to the most highly reviewed restaurants. When you’re looking for a book, you might find a recommendation in your algorithm and check the Goodreads ratings. Before you watch a movie, you check out the scores on Rotten Tomatoes. Everything you consume is carefully researched and optimised. You don’t have to take any chances. But are we losing some of the magic?
Consumption optimisation weeds out opportunities for serendipity. There’s something special about discovering something by chance. It’s picking up a good book from a street library or secondhand bookshop, watching a movie your friend recommended, or hearing a great new song on the radio. I remember picking out DVDs at Video Ezy. I couldn’t pull out a smart phone and check the Tomatometer. Unless I had heard of a movie, my picks were all based on the vibes of the front and back of the cover. Sometimes I’d choose a dud. But I also struck gold when I picked something an algorithm never would have chosen for me.
Optimising everything you consume leads to sameness. Everyone is watching/reading/eating the same things, and promoting them on the same social media sites. Recently, I read Yesteryear – along with the rest of the internet. Sure, it was a great book. I had a good time reading it. I must admit, I read it because of the fear of missing out, and because everyone was talking about it. I wanted to be in on the conversation. But if everyone is reading the same book, we’re missing out on discovering great books that don’t have Anne Hathaway backing them.
Earlier this year, I listened to a Holden Sheppard book called King of Dirt. The main reason I picked this book was that it was an LGBTQIA+ story, Australian and happened to be available on Libby when another book I wanted wasn’t. I had never heard of Sheppard before, and took a chance on a story about a closeted gay man in regional Australia. What a find. Admittedly, Sheppard is quite a popular author here. But I found his work because I took a chance rather than relying on an algorithm. Right now, I’m reading Anxious People by Fredrik Backman because I stumbled across a copy at an op shop. What a find!
Optimisation reduces friction, but at what cost? Sure, you can avoid discomfort of looking for something or making a bad pick, but our souls seek the surprise. Finding serendipity requires more effort and risk. Optimisation feels productive, but really we’re lazily living on autopilot. Optimisation is all about the destination, while serendipity requires us to find joy in the journey – the destination is a happy accident.
How can you find more serendipity?
Pick some content based on vibes only. Read the synopsis, watch the trailer, and don’t check the reviews.
Find recommendations without an algorithm or social meedia. Ask your friends, but also check out Reddit. I’ve found some great artists by searching for recommendations based on another artist I like. ‘Sounds like Lana Del Rey’ led me to Beach House.
Go to live gigs. I’ve found some fantastic local bands by showing up at gigs. Local bands need the most support. You might even discover a band or artist before they make it big. There’s a lot of amazing independent bands and artists that Spotify won’t tell you about.
Listen to random audiobooks on library apps like Libby. All the popular/viral books will be checked out for weeks or months. Take a chance on something that’s available to listen to right now.
Shop second hand. Op shops and record stores are rift with opportunities for serendipity. Thrifting a lovely dress feels so different to buying new in a store. A thrift shop find is something to brag about, rather than an expectation.
Check out secondhand book stores or street libraries. I keep a stack of old books in my car that I can swap for credit at a second hand store, or swap out at a street library.
Quit the Spotify playlists and listen to the radio. Pick a station that plays new music. Also try searching Bandcamp for cheap music downloads. I got into TV Girl because their albums were all $1 each.
Go to film festivals. Recently I watched a couple of films at a queer film festival. One film was amazing, and the other was a painful watch. But sometimes the bad picks made the good ones more special.
Explore new places in your town. Walk somewhere new that you haven’t been before. Try a restaurant that didn’t show up on your Instagram feed.
Read Substacks/magazines/newspapers without expectations. Let writing surprise you. I like creating my own curated magazine with Instapaper, so I can separate the scrolling from reading sessions.
Are you exhausted from consumption optimisation? How are you chasing serendipity?