The Production of Relevance

Why do we consider certain topics important? Why does one scandal move us and not another? Why do millions know the name of a reality TV personality but not that of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate?

In this episode, we unmask relevance as a product. In the digital age, relevance is not the result of objective significance, but of frequency and algorithmic amplification.

A topic doesn't become important because it is important. It becomes important because it appears often. Because it triggers emotional reactions. Because it gets shared, commented on, outraged about.

We analyze how topics are artificially "hyped up." The mechanics are simple: The more engagement a piece of content generates, the more people see it. The more people see it, the more engagement. A spiral that has nothing to do with truth or importance.

The algorithm is not evil. It's blind. It optimizes for what can be measured: clicks, time, reactions. Whether what's measured is good for us lies outside its calculation.

The focus of this episode is on distinguishing between real urgency and simulated relevance. We learn to filter the "noise" of the feed and ask ourselves the crucial question:

"Is this important for my life, or just loud in my feed?"

The answer is more often the latter than we'd like.