THE ALGORITHM IS DISCIPLING YOU
Last week, during our Thursday herf, we talked into the wee hours about consumer culture, the erosion of artistic influence, and the growing lack of authenticity in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
We talked about reinforced algorithms predicated on consumer behavior.
The constant bombardment of information.
The shortage of genuine products and real solutions.
And the uncomfortable truth that somewhere along the way… we became the product.
We exchanged pieces of our privacy…our interests, desires, and even our wildest curiosities…for access.
All in the name of connection.
And maybe that’s the tradeoff no one really talks about:
The things we spend the most time with… end up shaping us the most.
Which got me thinking…
Who…or what…is forming us?
Or more pointedly…
What are we disciples of?
We tend to think of discipleship through a religious lens. But at its core, a disciple is simply a follower. A learner. Someone shaped by the teachings and influence of something or someone else.
So if that’s true…
What’s leading us?
Looking back, it’s obvious I’ve been molded by a lot.
Family….or lack thereof.
Music.
Friendships.
Business.
Drugs and alcohol.
Jesus.
And yeah… cigars.
I’ve been a student of people like James Brown, John Huber, Dion Giolito, Kyle Gellis, Steve Saka, Skip Martin, and countless others.
But not all teachers are obvious.
Some show up in thirty-second clips.
In curated feeds.
In “you might also like” suggestions and perfectly timed “shop now” banners.
They don’t ask for your attention.
They take it.
And if I’m honest…
I’ve built my own echo chamber.
Even in cigars.
Because of what I follow…and what I engage with….the algorithm feeds me more of what I already like. Same profiles. Same flavor notes. Same brands.
Which makes it harder and rarer, to stumble into something different.
And again… it’s not just cigars.
It’s music.
It’s opinions.
It’s worldview.
Over time, something subtle happens.
The edges get sanded down.
The ideas that challenge you… disappear.
The perspectives that stretch you… fade out.
Not because they’re gone…
But because you stopped seeing them.
We didn’t lose curiosity.
We outsourced it.
And somewhere along the way, convenience became king.
So what happens when everything you consume is tailored to you?
You stop discovering and start reinforcing.
You stop questioning and start agreeing.
You stop growing and start circling.
And maybe that’s the real danger.
Not that we’re being influenced…because we always have been.
But that now, the influence is invisible…
And perfectly customized.
So what do you do with that?
You don’t have to throw your phone into a lake and disappear (though some days… tempting).
But you can choose your inputs more intentionally.
Light up something you’ve never smoked before.
Listen to someone you don’t immediately agree with.
Read something that makes you uncomfortable.
Sit in a room with people who see the world differently than you do.
Because growth has never come from comfort.
And maybe that’s part of what makes cigars different.
They force you to slow down.
To sit.
To be present.
To have a conversation that isn’t filtered, optimized, or fed to you.
Just real people…
Sharing real thoughts…
In real time.
That’s what we’ve been building with the Brolo Discord.
Not just another brand.
Not just another product.
But a space where the algorithm doesn’t decide the conversation…people do.
Where you’re not just consuming…
You’re contributing.
Because whether we realize it or not…
We’re all disciples of something.
The question is…
Did you choose it?
Or did it choose you?
