When the machine gets something right, like when my music service suggested this percussion parkour, I am both happy and predictably fawning in the comment thread running as a background process in my head, “Wow, how great that my service provider thought I would like this—and I do! Nifty. I love my corporate choices!” Lots of exclamation points in the comment thread.

When they get it wrong, however, I blame myself.

This last round of “new music we thought you might like” did not intersect with my audio desire much at all. I reflect on this as I hit ⏩ again: ”This is what you think I like based on what I listen to?!?! My taste in music must suck…” I lambast my poor choices, instead of the category engines outputs, whenever reality doesn’t match up with the sci-fi version I expect life to already be. I want to believe.