On a Saturday night, after being encouraged by my SI 110 professor as well as — ironically enough — nearly all of my social media feeds, a couple friends and I decided to watch The Social Dilemma, Netflix’s acclaimed documentary centered around the meticulously manipulative aspects of social media. The documentary claims that the principal intention of all social media is to exploit the vulner- abilities of human behavior for profit through engaging tech- niques such as constant notifi- cations, precise algorithms that create personalized feeds, and exploiting different demograph- ics of users in order to propagate agendas. The Social Dilemma incorporates interviews from high-up tech executives, shroud- ed in despairing instrumentals and horrifying infographics. Though the notion that social media can lead to addictive ten- dencies — especially in an atten- tion economy — is no revelation, the documentary reveals exactly how companies achieve this: by capitalizing on our brains’ evolutionary demand for inter- personal connection. Upon fin- ishing the film, my friends and I were, to say the least, terri- fied. The fact that our data and online personas were being auc- tioned off to advertisers felt like betrayal, and that isn’t even the worst part: We’re allowing it to happen. Very quickly, we all posed the same question: why would Netflix, a company that thrives off of manipulative techniques, highlight all of this information and make it readily available to its audience? The techniques described in the documentary, such as perfecting algorithms in order to keep audiences engaged and stay glued to their screens for hours, are precisely what makes Netflix such a successful platform. To produce and release The Social Dilemma almost feels like a magician revealing how they do their tricks. Why would you ever want your audience to know? Almost instantaneously, the answer to my question struck me, and I realized why Netf- lix, along with platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter and Snapchat were okay with being bashed in front of a global audi- ence: They wanted to evaluate how successful their manipula- tive efforts really were. Millions of people across the globe were being presented with only nega- tive information about our daily habits, yet we accept the loss of our privacy and the contin- ued influence of our cognitive processes as a price for a little more convenience and eas- ily accessible entertainment. In short, they’ve won. They have successfully gotten an entire worldwide population so addict- ed and dependent on interper- sonal connection and validation through social networking that all we can do is helplessly watch and accept the fact that this is something we need in our lives. The implications of our reliance on social media have led to an influx of surveillance capital- ism, a form of our economy that mines human experience in the form of data in order to produce marketable inferences about the next thing that we will do, pur- chase or believe. Now, if you’re anything like me, you’re prob- ably shaking your head right now and thinking “I’m not even addicted!” After all, as members of Gen Z, tech is kinda our thing. There’s no way it could be doing something to us that we don’t understand — right? The harsh reality is that computers don’t discriminate, and regardless of age or experience with technol- ogy, you’re just another prod- uct that they’re trying to make money off of. Despite being told by social media developers themselves that their platforms have got- ten out of hand and that they wouldn’t even let their own kid use their creations, nothing in my life has changed. Why, after learning about how I’ve been manipulated, fed content that has trapped me in a filter bubble, and sold to millions of adver- tisers as a product was I still willingly supporting my own downfall? This documentary was the cherry on top of all of the other information I had learned in SI 110, and the detrimental effects of my social media usage greatly outweighed any surface level benefits. The documentary leaves its audience with an almost dys- topian message of urgency: continue the conversation, and regain control of your life. The most dire question posed by The Social Dilemma is whether or not democracy can survive social media’s ability to blur the line between reality and fiction. Tristan Harris, president of the Center for Humane Technol- ogy and a key speaker in the documentary, poses “imagine a world where no one believes what’s true.” How do we rum- mage through conspiracy theo- ries, propaganda and infamous “fake news” in order to discern facts from lies? More impor- tantly, is this our responsibility as the consumer, or is it on the tech industry to actively make efforts against the spread of disinformation? While I person- ally don’t believe that everybody needs to delete all of their online accounts, we can collectively make efforts to limit our screen time and set aside blocks of our day for activities that don’t involve our devices. I under- stand, however, that this sounds extremely cliché, and it’s noth- ing that’s never been suggested before. I suppose that I, along with tech professionals, still don’t have a concrete answer to this social dilemma. Wednesday, October 21, 2020 — 7 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com Michigan In Color Are you still watching? ‘Hamilton’ and the erasure of white supremacy YOUR WEEKLY ARIES If you can keep calm in the face of provocation, Aries, his can be an exceptional week for your career. Teamwork shows you in a good light, so don’t neglect your colleagues. It’s not always about going it alone or being top dog. AQUARIUS GEMINI Allow yourself to listen to your inner instincts. Your intuition is strong, and your mind is able to recognize things that your conscious may actively choose to ignore. In doing so, you will be able to choose the path that is best for you. SAGITTARIUS CAPRICORN SCORPIO CANCER In this romantic week, communi- cation between you and your sweetheart is almost telepathic. You can make an unbeatable team now, Cancer, as your shared goals and dreams are coming to fruition. If you’re single, look out for someone who shocks you. TAURUS Dip your toe into exciting waters by being prepared to try something new. From exotic travel to adrenaline sports or intriguing affairs, you’re willing to take a risk now if something stirs your soul. Beyond your comfort zone, Taurus, life takes off. VIRGO PICES LIBRA LEO An easing of financial pressures does a lot of good for your anxiety and mental health, Leo. However, it’s important now that you take control of your own emotions. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable, mentally, to fluctuating external circumstances. Read your weekly horoscopes from astrology.tv Your superpower this week is your creativity, Virgo. You have a strong feel for lateral thinking and innovative ideas, or creations will get you noticed. Don’t feel that you have to do things the way they’ve always been done. Dare to be different. Loving support from your family means a great deal to you this week and you’ll feel blessed by those closest to you. If someone confides in you, Libra, it’s vital that you keep their confidence. Don’t turn this into an issue of trust. Your words have a lot of power and presence this week, and once the Sun arrives in your own sign, Scorpio, your magnetism and charisma are off the scale. All of this means that people are taking notice of you – so you’d better have something meaningful to say. Recognition at work is long overdue but welcome, nonethe- less. This week, Sagittarius, stretch your ambitions by looking for new challenges. Not necessarily a new job, but new responsibili- ties within your existing role. You’re more than capable. You have the gift of the gab this week, Capricorn, so you’re able to put your opinions quite forcefully without coming across as insensitive or dogmatic. Turn this to your advantage if you want to get someone to agree to a new idea. Messages from your dreams become easier to recall and interpret this week. Spend some time with a dream journal if you can – there is a lot if insight here which could change your life, Aquarius. Don’t dismiss what you can’t quite understand. This is a healing week for a close relationship, Pisces, which will benefit from as much fun and laughter as possible. Socialize as a couple if you can, because you’ll love seeing each other in a new light. Mix and mingle, enjoy good company, and shine. WHISPER “I've made my peace with college, it is what it is.” “Meat book.” “in love with my best friend in love love love but I have to let it go.” If you know anything at all about musical theatre, you know all about the rise of ‘Hamilton: An American Musical’ in 2016. The musical, written by Lin- Manuel Miranda and adapted from Ron Chernow’s book ‘Alex- ander Hamilton,’ debuted off- broadway in 2015 and since then, it has become the most popular musical in recent history. The show played in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles and now a recorded per- formance with the original cast is streaming on Disney+ for mil- lions of streamers to watch in their own homes. I am not unique when I say that I fell in love with this musi- cal when I first discovered it. My friends and I would play the soundtrack every day after school and my high school’s marching band even performed its hit song, “Burn,” through- out the football season. My best friends even took me to see the show for my birthday in Chica- go a couple of years ago (I have no idea how they swung that because we’re broke college stu- dents) and I absolutely loved it. At first glance, I’m sure many people would not expect a musi- cal about Alexander Hamilton and other Founding Fathers to be a wildly popular sensation. However, the fusion of hip-hop and history is what makes it so entertaining and was the rea- son I loved it so much. But due to my naivety and ignorance of accurate American history, I saw ‘Hamilton’ as a fun show with cool songs instead of a confus- ing and distasteful retelling of history. The show has received criticism since its debut at The Public Theater in New York, the majority of which stems from Miranda’s inaccurate retelling and framing of history. Many critics of color think it is necessary to remember that ‘Hamilton’ is nowhere near an accurate representation of the Founding Fathers. They were not underdog heroes or abo- litionists, but capitalists who stole Native American land and enslaved and exploited Black and Brown people. They were white supremacists. Among many atrocities, Thomas Jef- ferson sexually assaulted Sally Hemmings, an enslaved Black woman who worked in his home, and then enslaved the children. George Washington’s teeth, that many of us were told were made of wood, were teeth from enslaved people. And of course, Alexander Hamilton purchased enslaved people to work for his family. How can we be so far removed from these horrors that we can sing and dance along to songs about these men and ignore the terrors they inflicted on Black people? After knowing this informa- tion, other points of criticism become increasingly valid. For example, some viewers question the choice of hiring nearly all people of color to play the role of white historical figures. In regards to this, Miranda stated he wanted the story to be “told by America now.” But I wonder how this can be successfully done when the whiteness of the Founding Fathers and their fam- ilies is crucial to why they were able to rise into power. If the story of the Founding Fathers were to be told based on the way America looks now, they should still be portrayed as rich, white men who exploit and oppress low-income, Black people. By erasing that their race had an active role in the power they had to oppress others, we downplay the racism that they wrote into our country’s foundation. Another major critique focus- es on the musical’s use of hip hop to portray white supremacists as relatable and comedic. Miranda believes “hip-hop’s the language of revolution and it’s our great- est American art form,” which I would have to agree with, but whose revolution? Black people were not included in the Dec- laration of Independence when slave-owner Thomas Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” So why appro- priate Black culture to uplift white supremacists? If we want to make a statement about revo- lution and fighting for freedom in the United States, telling the story of the white men in power seems to be the worst way to do so. I am puzzled and conflicted about how I feel about ‘Ham- ilton’ today. I don’t believe Lin-Manuel Miranda or any of the crew and cast purpose- fully wanted to erase history or offend viewers, and for the most part, many people still love the musical. We cannot deny that ‘Hamilton’ has opened the doors for many performers of color to become household names on Broadway. But as a Black Ameri- can woman, it makes me wonder how our ancestors would have felt about this story. They were the ones who built this country from the ground up, not Hamil- ton, Washington, or Jefferson. And yet, we collectively gloss over their stories and hard work. The criticisms and conver- sations that people around the world have been having about ‘Hamilton’ dig into important questions about how history should be told and who should be centered in those retellings. Could you imagine if, in 200 years, there were a musical called Trump? We would see actors of color portraying Donald Trump, Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo instead of hearing the stories of Black and Brown people who were targeted and suffering at the hands of this administration. That would be outrageous, and yet, how different would that be from ‘Hamilton?’ We must pay attention to the way we are retelling the stories of the past as not to have our current reality be inaccurately retold in the future. GRACE GARMO MiC Columnist Photo courtesy of the author Photo by Marcus Spiske via Unsplash CAMILLE MOORE MiC “Off the Record” Blogger