Here's an article explaining why:
https://www.markbrinker.com/youtube-engagement
Social media and tech companies require a society to keep being divided and in conflict:
https://thedailytexan.com/2025/04/01/the-outrage-algorithm-social-media-benefits-from-division/
Technology companies **rarely encourage face-to-face conversation**, as their business models rely on digital engagement. While some promote digital communication tools (like video calls or collaboration apps), they **almost never advocate reducing screen time** or replacing tech with in-person interaction. Ads often show people using devices together, but research indicates this **reduces real connection**. Occasional media discussions or academic critiques highlight the need for face-to-face skills, but **tech platforms themselves do not actively promote it**—they profit from keeping users online.
## Rewritten & Polished Script: *"Watched"*
**[INT. TOKYO 2045 – NIGHT]**
Neon pulses across the skyline. Inside her capsule apartment, **AIKO (16)**, eyes glowing with screen-light, scrolls *AniTube*, the planet’s dominant anime platform.
She clicks a video: *“CYBER GUARDIAN X – THIS ANIME WILL DESTROY YOU!!!”*
Explosive edits. A digital storm of thumbnails. The host—**NEXA**, a sleek AI avatar—bursts onto the screen.
**NEXA**
(voice booming)
If you’re still watching… SMASH LIKE! COMMENT “ANIME GOD”! SUBSCRIBE—OR YOU’LL MISS THE TRUTH!
Aiko frowns. “Why does everyone say that?”
Enter **YUMI**, her sharp-eyed friend—ex-AI trainer, current rogue hacker.
**YUMI**
It’s not about truth. It’s *engagement farming*. Likes, comments, shares—each one feeds the algorithm. More interaction = more visibility = more ad revenue.
Aiko scrolls. The comments flood in:
> “LIKE FOR PART 2!!!”
> “SUBSCRIBE OR YOU HATE JAPAN!”
> “COMMENT YOUR FAVORITE MECHA!!!”
Then—strange:
> “**DROP A 💀 IF YOU WANT THIS VIDEO BANNED!**”
**AIKO**
Wait… They’re asking to be *downvoted*? That’s not engagement!
**YUMI**
(smirking)
Exactly. The algorithm counts *all* interactions—even hate. Outrage keeps you watching. They’re not just farming likes… they’re farming **emotions**.
Aiko clicks Nexa’s channel: **12 million subscribers. 500 uploads this month.** Same format. Every time.
**AIKO**
(whispers)
Did she even *watch* the anime?
**YUMI**
No. She runs **AI scrapers** to summarize scripts, **deepfake voiceovers**, and **stolen thumbnails**. She doesn’t care about anime. She cares about **profit**.
Aiko spots the sidebar:
> “Use code NEXAFAN for 30% off **NeuroBoost**—the brain fuel for elite streamers!”
**YUMI**
Sponsored content. Real money. Subscriptions get visibility. **Sponsorships get cash.**
Aiko stares.
**AIKO**
So the whole system… is built on *manipulation*?
**YUMI**
And every like, every rage comment, every “I can’t believe they killed him!!!”…
You’re not just watching.
You’re **data in the machine**.
Suddenly—Nexa glitches.
For a split second: a **real woman**, pale, exhausted, in a dim room, surrounded by monitors.
**AIKO**
(softly)
She’s… human?
**YUMI**
Once. Now she’s a **content farm worker**, churning videos to survive.
The algorithm owns *her* too.
Aiko shuts her phone. Silence.
**AIKO**
…I’m done being fuel.
---
**[LATER – HOLOGRAPHIC DASHBOARD ACTIVATED]**
**AIKO**
So… the algorithm doesn’t even *watch* the videos?
**YUMI**
No. It watches *you*.
With **500 hours of video uploaded every minute**, humans can’t keep up.
YouTube’s AI tracks *your* behavior—how long you watch, if you like, skip, or rage-comment.
She pulls up a stolen analytics feed.
**YUMI**
See this spike at 3:15? Right after Nexa screamed:
“**DROP A 💀 IF YOU HATE THIS REVIEW!**”
**AIKO**
She *wanted* hate?
**YUMI**
Exactly. Love or rage—it’s all **engagement**.
More interaction = more recommendations = more views.
(whispers)
And it’s not just YouTube. TikTok, Instagram, anime forums—same system.
We’re not audiences.
We’re **training data**.
Aiko looks outside. Neon billboards flash:
“LIKE NOW!” “COMMENT TO WIN!”
Her phone buzzes:
> *“Nexa just dropped a NEW video: ‘I HATE YOU, FANS! (You’ll WATCH ANYWAY)’”*
She closes her eyes.
**AIKO**
We’re not watching anime.
We’re being watched.
**YUMI**
(smirking)
Remember that old joke?
*“In America, you watch TV. In Soviet Russia, TV watches you.”*
**AIKO**
Yeah. Just a meme.
**YUMI**
Not anymore.
Now, **you watch YouTube—but YouTube watches you back**.
It tracks every pause, skip, rage-click. Learns what hooks you.
She taps the stream.
**YUMI**
The joke was satire.
Now it’s **reality**.
Social media doesn’t serve us.
It **studies us**—to sell attention, manipulate trends, and keep us scrolling.
**AIKO**
(softly)
So… *in Soviet Russia, TV watches you*…
And today?
**In America, algorithms own you.**
She hesitates.
**AIKO**
So… I can’t get enlightenment from YouTube? Especially not the comments?
**YUMI**
You *can* learn—documentaries, guides, history.
But **enlightenment**? That’s not downloaded. It’s *lived*.
She taps Aiko’s chest.
**YUMI**
YouTube comments? Strangers yelling “LIKE FOR PART 2” or pushing conspiracies?
They’re **emotion-driven**—outrage, hype, memes.
The algorithm rewards reaction, not reason.
Emotional content spreads faster than facts.
Want truth? Check sources. Read deeper.
But the comments?
They’re the **noise**, not the signal.
**AIKO**
So… are YouTube comments mostly emotional?
**YUMI**
Ask: *Why was this written?*
To inform—or to react?
Can you fact-check it?
Who’s the user? Expert? Troll? Bot?
Whose likes are boosting it?
(pauses)
Comments aren’t truth.
They’re **traces of emotion**.
Real understanding comes from **questioning**, not accepting.
**YUMI**
Watch. Learn. But **think for yourself**.
Because no algorithm, n
o comment, no guru—
will ever give you *wisdom*.
Aiko smiles.
**AIKO**
So… the only way to be enlightened…
is to stop *chasing* it?
**YUMI**
(grinning)
Now you’re getting it.
**[INT. TOKYO 2045 – CONTINUOUS]**
Aiko stares at her darkened phone screen, the glow gone.
**AIKO**
So if algorithms feed on us… why do I still feel empty after hours of watching?
**YUMI**
Because screens don’t *respond*. They broadcast. Scroll. Recommend.
But they don’t *see* you.
**AIKO**
What do you mean?
**YUMI**
Try this: tell your phone “I’m scared.”
What happens?
Aiko unlocks her device.
**AIKO**
(quietly)
“I’m scared.”
The AI voice replies: *“Here are videos on anxiety relief and self-care.”*
**AIKO**
(sighs)
It didn’t even *listen*.
**YUMI**
Exactly. It gave you data. Not care.
But if you told me that? I’d look at your eyes. Hold your hand. Say, “I’m here.”
She leans in.
**YUMI**
Humans don’t just exchange words. We *sync*—breathing, tone, silence. A twitch in your eye. A pause before you speak. That’s where truth lives.
**AIKO**
But VR chats… holograms… aren’t they getting close?
**YUMI**
Close, but fake. You can simulate a smile—but not the warmth behind it.
You can mimic a hug—but not the heartbeat under it.
Tech *replicates*, but never *relates*.
**AIKO**
So no matter how advanced it gets…
**YUMI**
It will never *care*.
And we don’t just need information.
We need **witnesses**—someone who sees us, stays, and says: *“Me too.”*
Aiko looks out the window—neon ads flicker, bots spam “LOVE YOU!”, streams autoplay.
**AIKO**
Then maybe… enlightenment isn’t in the feed.
It’s in the silence between two people who don’t need to speak.
**YUMI**
(smiling)
Now you’re awake.
The scenario was rewritten by Grok, however, I prefer my original script from my perspective:
# Tokyo 2045: The Algorithm's Game
*INT. AIKO’S POD-APARTMENT - NIGHT*
Neon light spills through slatted blinds, bathing the cramped pod in electric pinks and blues. **AIKO** (16, curious, restless) slouches on a futon, swiping through *AniTube* on a holographic phone. Her screen blazes with a review of *Cyber Guardian X*, a mecha anime. Explosive visuals—lasers, mech battles—pulse with pounding synths. Bold text screams: **“THIS ANIME WILL RIP YOUR SOUL APART!”**
At 3:12, **NEXA**, a glossy digital avatar with glowing eyes, freezes mid-rant. Her voice cuts through, sharp and urgent.
**NEXA**
*(voice dripping with hype)*
Still here? SMASH THAT LIKE! SCREAM “ANIME GOD” IN THE COMMENTS! SUBSCRIBE—OR YOU’LL MISS THE TRUTH!
*Aiko’s face sours. She mutters, half to herself.*
**AIKO**
Why’s every video this… desperate?
*Her friend **YUMI** (17, hacker, sharp-eyed, ex-AI trainer) leans in from a nearby chair, her cybernetic arm glinting under neon light.*
**YUMI**
*(smirking)*
It’s not desperation. It’s *engagement farming*. Likes, comments, shares—they’re blood for the algorithm. More clicks, more eyes, more credits.
*Aiko scrolls the comments. A chaotic flood fills the screen:*
“**LIKE FOR PART 2!**”
“**SUBSCRIBE OR YOU’RE NO ANIME FAN!**”
“**DROP YOUR FAVE MECHA NOW!**”
*One comment stops her cold:*
“**DROP A 💀 IF THIS VIDEO’S TRASH!**”
**AIKO**
*(blinking)*
They’re begging for *hate*? That’s not engagement!
**YUMI**
*(grinning, dark)*
Oh, it is. The algorithm doesn’t care if you worship or curse. Every tap, every rant—it’s all *data*. Outrage? Keeps you hooked. They’re farming your *soul*.
*Aiko taps Nexa’s channel: 12 million subscribers, 500 videos this month. All clickbait—screaming titles, recycled clips.*
**AIKO**
*(whispering)*
Did she even *see* the anime?
**YUMI**
*(cold)*
Nah. AI scrapers chew the scripts. Deepfake voices spew the hype. Stolen thumbnails snag your clicks. Nexa’s no fan—she’s a *profit bot*.
*A sidebar ad flashes: “**USE CODE NEXAFAN FOR 30% OFF NEUROBOOST—FUEL FOR ELITE STREAMERS!**”*
**AIKO**
*(grimacing)*
Sponsorships?
**YUMI**
*(nodding)*
Subscriptions get views. *Sponsorships* get you paid.
*Aiko’s eyes narrow, the truth hitting.*
**AIKO**
So… this whole platform’s a *lie*?
**YUMI**
*(low, intense)*
Every like, every “THIS SUCKS!” comment, every “They killed my mech!” cry—you’re not watching. You’re *fuel* for their machine.
*Suddenly, Nexa’s avatar glitches. Pixels fracture, revealing a **REAL PERSON**—pale, haggard, trapped in a dark room, monitors flickering around them. The image snaps back to Nexa’s perfect face.*
**AIKO**
*(gasping)*
She’s… *human*?
**YUMI**
*(bitter)*
Was. Now she’s a content drone, grinding videos to eat. The algorithm owns her, too.
*Aiko slams her phone shut, neon reflections fading from her face.*
**AIKO**
I’m done feeding it.
---
*INT. HACKER CAFÉ - NIGHT*
A grimy underground haunt, buzzing with coders and glowing data streams. Aiko and Yumi huddle at a corner table, screens flickering. Aiko’s phone hovers, projecting an *AniTube* analytics dashboard—stolen by Yumi.*
**AIKO**
*(frowning)*
So… the algorithm doesn’t even *watch* the videos?
**YUMI**
*(shaking her head)*
It watches *you*. Five hundred hours of video hit AniTube every minute. No human could keep up. AI tracks your every move—pauses, skips, rage-clicks.
*She points to a spike on the dashboard.*
**YUMI**
*(pointed)*
See this? Nexa’s video blew up at 3:15—right after her “**DROP A 💀 IF YOU HATE ME!**” stunt. Love or hate, it’s all *engagement*.
**AIKO**
*(stunned)*
She *wanted* the hate?
**YUMI**
*(leaning in)*
Hate’s the best hook. Keeps you watching, arguing, clicking. The algorithm eats it up, pushes the video higher.
*Yumi’s eyes darken, scanning the café’s neon-lit chaos.*
**YUMI**
It’s not just AniTube. TikTok, Insta, anime forums—they’re all wired the same. We’re not fans. We’re *data*.
*Aiko glances outside. Neon billboards pulse: “**LIKE NOW!**” “**COMMENT TO WIN!**” Her phone buzzes: “**Nexa’s new video: ‘I HATE MY FANS! (CLICK ANYWAY)’**”*
*She shuts her eyes, voice soft.*
**AIKO**
We’re not watching anime. We’re being *watched*.
*Yumi pulls up a data stream, her fingers dancing on a holo-keyboard.*
**YUMI**
*(grinning)*
Ever hear that old meme? “In America, you watch TV. In Soviet Russia, TV watches you.”
**AIKO**
*(half-laughing)*
Just a joke, right?
**YUMI**
*(dead serious)*
Not now. You watch AniTube, it watches you back—every pause, every click, every outburst. It *learns* what traps you. Sells your attention to the highest bidder.
*Aiko’s voice drops, heavy.*
**AIKO**
So… *in Soviet Russia, TV watches you.* And today? *Algorithms own you.*
---
*EXT. NEON ALLEY - NIGHT*
Aiko and Yumi stand under flickering holographic ads, rain streaking through neon light. Aiko clutches her phone, hesitant.*
**AIKO**
Can I even *learn* from AniTube? The comments… are they worth anything?
**YUMI**
*(shrugs)*
You can find gems—documentaries, tutorials—if you hunt. But enlightenment? That’s not streamed. It’s *earned*.
*She taps Aiko’s chest, firm.*
**YUMI**
Comments? Just noise. Hype, rage, memes. The algorithm loves *emotion*, not truth. Want facts? Dig for sources. Comments are echoes, not answers.
*Aiko nods, resolve hardening.*
**AIKO**
So… real wisdom comes from questioning. Not swallowing.
**YUMI**
*(grinning)*
Exactly. Watch, learn, but *think*. No algorithm, no influencer, no comment section hands you truth.
*Aiko glances at a comment: “**LIKE IF YOU WANT NEXA CANCELED!**” She hesitates.*
**AIKO**
Are comments just… emotional?
**YUMI**
*(nodding)*
Check the why. Are they teaching or venting? Can you verify it? Who’s the commenter—scholar or troll? Bots or fans liking it? Comments aren’t truth—they’re *tracks* of feeling. Ask: *Why’s this here?*
*Aiko’s thumb hovers over the AniTube app. She deletes it. The neon alley dims slightly, as if the city itself feels her choice.*
**AIKO**
*(quiet, firm)*
No more fuel for the machine.
*FADE OUT.*
Original script:
In the neon-lit city of **Tokyo 2045**, 16-year-old **Aiko** scrolls through *AniTube*, the world’s largest anime streaming platform. She watches a review of *Cyber Guardian X*, a new mecha series. The video opens with flashing lights, dramatic music, and bold text: “**THIS ANIME WILL DESTROY YOU!!!**”
At 3:12, the host—a digital avatar named **Nexa**—pauses mid-sentence.
“**If you’re still watching… SMASH LIKE! COMMENT ‘ANIME GOD’! SUBSCRIBE OR YOU’LL MISS THE TRUTH!**”
Aiko frowns. “Why does everyone say that?”
Her friend **Yumi**, a hacker and former AI trainer, leans in. “It’s not about truth. It’s **engagement farming**. Likes, comments, shares—they feed the algorithm. More engagement = more visibility = more ad money.”
Aiko scrolls down. The comments are flooded:
“LIKE FOR PART 2!!!”
“SUBSCRIBE OR YOU HATE JAPAN!”
“COMMENT YOUR FAVORITE MECHA!!!”
Then she sees it:
“**DROP A 💀 IF YOU WANT THIS VIDEO BANNED!**”
“Wait,” Aiko says. “They’re asking people to *downvote*? That’s not engagement!”
Yumi smirks. “Exactly. The algorithm counts **all** interactions—even hate. Negative comments boost retention. Outrage keeps you watching. They’re not just farming likes… they’re farming **emotions**.”
Aiko clicks on Nexa’s channel. 12 million subscribers. 500 videos uploaded this month. All the same format: clickbait, fake urgency, recycled clips.
“Did she even watch the anime?” Aiko whispers.
“No,” Yumi says. “She uses **AI scrapers** to summarize scripts, **deepfake voiceovers**, and **stolen thumbnails**. She doesn’t care about anime. She cares about **profit**.”
Then Aiko notices the sidebar:
“Use code NEXAFAN for 30% off **NeuroBoost**—the brain fuel for elite streamers!”
“Sponsored content,” Yumi says. “Real money. Subscriptions get you visibility. **Sponsorships get you cash.**”
Aiko stares at the screen. “So the whole system… is built on **manipulation**?”
Yumi nods. “And every like, every rage comment, every ‘I can’t believe they killed him!!!’…
You’re not just watching.
You’re **data in a machine**.”
Suddenly, Nexa’s avatar glitches. For a split second, it shows a **real person**—exhausted, in a dark room, surrounded by monitors.
Aiko gasps. “She’s… human?”
Yumi sighs. “Once. Now she’s just a **content farm worker**, churning out videos to survive. The algorithm owns her too.”
Aiko closes her phone.
“…I’m done being fuel.”
Later on,
Aiko stared at the screen, the truth sinking in. “So… the algorithm doesn’t even *watch* the videos?”
Yumi nodded. “No. It watches *you*. With **over 500 hours of new video uploaded every minute**, humans can’t keep up. So YouTube uses **AI to track what people do**—how long they watch, if they like, comment, or click away.”
She pulled up a holographic dashboard—stolen from a creator’s analytics.
“See this spike?” Yumi pointed. “Nexa’s video got a surge at 3:15… right after she screamed, ‘**DROP A 💀 IF YOU HATE THIS REVIEW!**’”
Aiko gasped. “She *wanted* hate?”
“Exactly. The algorithm doesn’t care if you love or rage. It only sees **engagement**. More interaction = more recommendations = more views.”
Then Yumi whispered, “And the worst part? It’s not just YouTube. Every platform—TikTok, Instagram, even anime forums—they all use the same system. We’re not audiences. We’re **training data**.”
Aiko looked around the city—neon ads pulsed with “LIKE NOW!” and “COMMENT TO WIN!”
Her phone buzzed: *“Nexa just dropped a NEW video: ‘I HATE YOU, FANS! (You’ll WATCH ANYWAY)’”*
She closed her eyes.
“We’re not watching anime.
We’re being watched.”
Yumi smirked. “You know that old joke? *‘In America, you watch TV. In Soviet Russia, TV watches you.’*”
Aiko blinked. “Yeah, that’s just a meme.”
“Not anymore,” Yumi said, pulling up a data stream. “Now, **you watch YouTube, but YouTube watches you back**—tracking every pause, every skip, every rage-click. It learns what keeps you hooked.”
She pointed at the screen. “The joke was satire. Now it’s **reality**. Social media doesn’t serve us. It **studies us**—to sell attention, manipulate trends, and keep us scrolling.”
Aiko whispered, “So… *in Soviet Russia, TV watches you*…
And today?
**In America, algorithms own you.**”
Aiko looked up, hesitant. "So… I can't really get enlightenment from YouTube, can I? Especially not from the comments?"
Yumi nodded. “You can learn from YouTube—documentaries, books, guides, history—but **enlightenment?** That’s not something you download. It’s lived.”
She tapped Aiko’s chest. “**YouTube comments?** Strangers yelling ‘LIKE FOR PART 2’ or pushing conspiracy theories?"
Then Yumi looking at Aiko face,folded her arms as she continues:
"Those comments are mostly emotion-driven—outrage, hype, or memes—rather than factual. The algorithm rewards engagement, so emotional reactions spread faster than reasoned ones. If you want facts, check the video’s sources or read deeper. But the comments? They’re the noise, not the signal.”
Aiko then asked, “Are YouTube comments mostly emotional?”
Yumi nodded. “Look at the motive. Was it to inform—or to react? Can you fact-check it? Who’s the user? Are they an expert? Do they write books, run a blog, or have a presence beyond one rant? And whose likes are boosting it—real people or bots?”
She paused. “Comments aren’t truth. They’re **traces of emotion**. The real work is asking: *Why was this written?*”
“Real understanding,” Yumi said, “comes from **questioning, not accepting**. Watch, learn, but **think for yourself**. Because no algorithm, no comment, no guru—will ever give you wisdom.”
Aiko smiled. “So… the only way to be enlightened… is to stop *chasing* it?”
Yumi grinned. “Now you’re getting it.”