The More Radical the Advice, the Better it Performs

While it might seem like harmless fun, online advice has become a high-stakes spectator sport. In the digital arena, the more radical the tip, the better it performs. According to Caitlin Reeve, a professor of digital humanities at University College London, this is hardwired into the financial structures of social media. “We aren’t actually the consumers of social media; we are the product—or rather, our time and attention is the product sold to advertisers,” she explains.

In the attention economy, anything that grabs eyeballs—hate, harm, misinformation, or extreme content—is prioritized by the algorithm because it keeps us scrolling longer. Beyond fueling political polarization—where recommendations lead users down "rabbit holes" of extremist content—this trend toward the extreme is warping how we view our daily lives and relationships.

"The algorithm doesn't reward nuance; it rewards the 'shock factor.' When you're competing with millions of creators, being 'sensible' is the fastest way to become invisible," says a leading tech analyst for Forbes.

How "Common Sense" Advice Became Provocative Clickbait

The death of traditional community has undeniably changed how we seek help. It used to be that you’d only share your "messy" problems with close friends or family. Now, with young people feeling more lonely than ever, ChatGPT or an anonymous Reddit thread becomes a tempting alternative to real-life connection.

“Lately, there’s been a breakdown in values and ethics in interpersonal relationships, and a total lack of checks and balances,” says Sumya Awasthi, a researcher at the Observer Research Foundation. Even when we find "our people" online, we often end up in echo chambers that reinforce our wildest beliefs and reject any outside perspective. “Nuance is often sacrificed at the altar of viral hysteria,” Awasthi adds.

Extreme content doesn’t always look "dangerous" at first. It might look like extreme wealth, an extreme hot take, or something hilarious. “You might just be looking at someone’s $100,000 kitchen renovation that you can’t afford, and it makes you feel like garbage,” says Reeve.

According to Clive Thompson, a long-time tech writer and author of Coders, as we transition from "searching" for content to having it "fed" to us by algorithms, advice has shifted from helpful to provocative.

“In a sane world, people would value realistic, actionable advice, right?” he says. But the TikTok-style algorithm isn't interested in steady, regular updates; it’s built for the one-off, high-chaos viral moment.

A World Where Advice is Entertainment, Not Utility

When dealing with "internet strangers," the word "advice" should be used loosely. Algorithmic extremism has distorted our perception of what’s worth listening to. Thompson suggests we are living in a world where advice is more about entertainment than actual utility.

“It’s almost a meta-commentary on advice itself and the absurdity of modern life,” he says. “This has to have consequences, though I’m not sure what they are yet. For 2,000 years, we’ve been convinced that media is about to program us into becoming unreasonable weirdos.” This fear has applied to everything from Victorian romance novels and "yellow journalism" to modern AI technology.

The Real-World Stakes of Misinformation

Knowing that humans tend to panic about new technology makes it hard to judge exactly how "dangerous" extreme online advice really is. William Brady, an assistant professor at Northwestern University, says it depends on the topic.

“A question about a trivial relationship issue might be harmless, but things like medical advice are a major red flag,” he says. “Most people watch these videos because they’re funny, but what if a video gets a billion views and even 10% of people think, ‘Hey, that’s a great idea’? That leads to non-trivial consequences.” We see this constantly in the wellness and fitness industry, where misinformation isn't just common—it's profitable.

"We are seeing a shift where 'delusion' is marketed as manifestation, leading people to ignore practical financial or health boundaries," notes a lifestyle contributor for The New York Times.

Awasthi believes tech companies should treat algorithmic extremism as a form of “invisible, pervasive, and destructive socio-digital pollution.” “Social media companies are literally hunting for your attention like locusts,” Thompson adds. “The model is the problem. You can’t fix the content without fixing the business model.”

Two alternatives to this "chaos model" are long-form podcasts and newsletters (like those found on Substack) that require an active "opt-in." “That business model produces much more thoughtful and meaningful results,” Thompson says.

Watch Out for the Red Flags

When scrolling through content about your health, career, or relationships, keep an eye out for major red flags. “Extreme content is often loaded with emotional triggers, oversimplifies complex issues, and presents everything as a 'us vs. them' binary,” says Awasthi. But it’s not always obvious. If you value balanced opinions, you have to be proactive and intentionally seek out diverse viewpoints.

Instead of judging a tip by its "likes" or "engagement," try touching grass and talking to a real human. “Extreme voices appear more common than they are because the algorithm boosts them,” Reeve says. “We should share the content we consume with people we actually trust.” Yes, that means opening your "For You" page and showing it to a friend—discussing how insane a piece of advice is can be the best way to keep from falling for it.

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