Right, picture the scene. You’ve just necked Season 1 of a Netflix series. Ten episodes, non-stop, your eyes are redder than the local’s carpet, and that finale drops a cliffhanger so savage it should come with a safety rope. You lean back, pint in hand, waiting for Season 2 to roll on. And what happens?
Netflix says: “Nah mate, fancy a cooking competition? Or maybe some obscure teen drama from Canada?”
What? Who asked for that? I wanted more of the same, not a menu of leftovers.
Dumb Tech, or Dodgy Tactics?
Now, here’s the pub debate. Is this just technology being daft? Because you’d think a platform that tracks every move we make — what we watch, when we pause, whether we go for a wee in episode six — would know we want Season 2, not some random reality show about glassblowing.
Or is it something darker? A little corporate sleight of hand? Maybe Netflix knows damn well you’d happily smash through three more seasons of your show — but if they shove shiny new recommendations under your nose, they’ve got you nibbling on five different series at once. Keeps you busier, keeps you subscribed, and keeps them raking it in.
That’s not dumb tech. That’s the algorithm with its hand in your pocket while smiling sweetly.
The Bigger Question
So here’s the kicker: is our tech genuinely thick as two short planks, or is it smart enough to play dumb when it suits the business?
Your phone still autocorrects “ducking” when you’re very obviously swearing. Spotify sneaks in songs from bands you’ve skipped every time since 2015. And Netflix… well, Netflix pretends Season 2 doesn’t exist just so you’ll “discover” a new obsession.
Feels less like smart tech, more like a cheeky mate who keeps “forgetting” his wallet on curry night.
Over to You, Pub Crowd
So what’s the verdict, then?
Are we living in the age of dumb machines that can’t follow basic logic? Or clever systems that deliberately wind us up to squeeze a few extra quid?
Maybe tech isn’t getting dumber after all. Maybe it’s just learning the oldest pub trick in the book: distract you with shiny nonsense while someone pockets your change.
