So, "People Also Ask," huh? More like "People Also Get Manipulated," if you ask me. Which, since this is my column, you kinda are.
Let's be real. "People Also Ask" ain't about genuine curiosity. It's about Google spoon-feeding you the answers they want you to see. It's the digital equivalent of that creepy guy at the party who anticipates your every need before you even realize you have a need. Except instead of a drink refill, it's a curated list of pre-approved narratives.
Think about it: who decides what questions get asked? Who decides the order they're presented in? It's not some organic, democratic process. It's an algorithm, fine-tuned to maximize engagement, which, let's be honest, usually means reinforcing existing biases. And offcourse, make Google more money.
I mean, seriously, are we really supposed to believe that Google's search results are objective and unbiased? It's like trusting a fox to guard the henhouse.
It's the same crap as when they tell you they aren't "censoring" stuff, but "just" elevating "authoritative sources". Give me a break.
Remember the good old days of the internet? Before algorithms ruled our lives? When you could stumble upon weird, wonderful, and utterly useless information just by clicking around? Now, every search is a pre-packaged tour through a digital theme park.
"People Also Ask" kills serendipity. It discourages exploration. It tells you, "Here are the questions you should be asking. Don't bother thinking for yourself." It's intellectual laziness masquerading as convenience.
And the worst part? People are falling for it. Hook, line, and sinker. We're so used to having information instantly available that we've forgotten how to think. We've outsourced our curiosity to a search engine.
My god, I sound like my dad complaining about kids these days.
I think the problem is, we've all become so reliant on these tools that we've forgotten how to actually learn. We're so busy consuming information that we don't have time to process it, to question it, to form our own opinions.
And here's the kicker: "People Also Ask" reinforces echo chambers. If you're already inclined to believe something, the algorithm will happily serve up questions and answers that confirm your beliefs. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy of ignorance.
But wait, are we really supposed to believe that the engineers at Google are actively trying to brainwash us? I don't know. Maybe I'm being paranoid. Maybe it's just a harmless feature designed to help people find information. Then again, maybe I'm the crazy one here.
But either way, it's worrying, right?
