The Recovery Wisdom Behind Hearing, Thinking, and Reading Online
In my last post, I compared hearing and thinking.
Don’t believe everything you hear and don’t believe everything you think.
They are similar, and I should curate both what I hear and what I think.
Today I want to turn to the internet. We have another expression: we ironically say, “It must be true, I read it on the internet.” Meaning, of course, the opposite.
So we now have a trifecta:
- Don’t believe everything you hear.
- Don’t believe everything you think.
- Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.
The addition of the internet to the “don’t believe” trifecta is interesting because it includes the idea of algorithms that automatically curate what I see.
Internet Algorithms and the Information We Believe
Behind the flow of information on the internet, there are algorithms that nudge:
- Rejecting things it thinks I will disagree with.
- Highlighting things it thinks I will agree with.
What I find interesting is that the reading and thinking parts of the “don’t believe” trifecta also have algorithms. I have personal algorithms that operate unconsciously in the background.
Anonymous Algorithms: The Inner Pop-Ups of Addiction Recovery
I have algorithms that reject everything that I don’t want to hear and find fault with things I disagree with. I have prompts that nudge me towards behaviours that make me feel good with a persistence that would rival any software push.
I could call them AAs, Anonymous Algorithms.
And pop-ups, OMG, the number of things that just pop up in my mind is both astounding and distracting.
This makes the practice of meditation even more important. The ability to choose what to think and focus on raises the operation of unconscious personal algorithms to a conscious level, and I can see them and deal with them.
Books to Support Your Twelve Step Journey
If you’re looking to explore Step work, spiritual awakening, and personal transformation more deeply, check out The GEMS Series: 12-Step Shares, Notes and Thoughts. These books offer insights, reflections, and real-life recovery experience that complement the journey through the Twelve Steps.
The books in The GEMS Series: 12-Step Shares, Notes and Thoughts can be purchased through my estore or the major online book retailers. Look for GEMS, More GEMS, Still More GEMS, and More GEMS Revealed.
FAQs
What does “don’t believe everything you think” mean in addiction recovery?
It means thoughts are not automatically facts. In recovery, we learn to pause, question our thinking, and avoid acting on every impulse or mental story.
What are “Anonymous Algorithms”?
“Anonymous Algorithms” is a symbolic phrase for unconscious inner patterns that nudge our thoughts, reactions, and behaviours, much like internet algorithms shape what we see online.
How are internet algorithms similar to personal thinking patterns?
Both can filter information, reinforce what we already believe, and push us toward familiar responses. Recovery helps us become more aware of these patterns.
Why is meditation important in recovery?
Meditation helps create space between thought and action. It allows us to observe mental “pop-ups” without immediately believing or obeying them.
How can this idea help someone in addiction recovery?
It encourages self-awareness. By noticing the thoughts and impulses running in the background, a person in recovery can make more conscious and healthy choices.
Is this article about AA?
The article uses the playful phrase “AAs, Anonymous Algorithms,” but the deeper focus is on recovery, meditation, self-awareness, and unconscious thinking patterns in alcohol recovery.