Performance metrics are brain slop. And, the big D word
The KPI's are on the way, and there's nothing you can do to stop them.
For those who aren't familiar with the technical jargon, KPI's are key performance indicators. In everyday terms, they're scorecards for businesses or sectors or personal report cards for individuals. (AI is apparently totally excluded and free to run amuck with terrible performance that we can only wave a finger at: "You naughty bot. This is a teachable moment for you. No worries on the trail of digital chaos you just left behind tho.".)
I digress (constantly). So these scores are meant to capture points of improvement (+/-) against standardized scores. For example, in the YouTube studio, you might post a video and in about 12 hours get one of the following performance indicators on that video:
a) A lovely-toned display message: Your video is doing better than usual. Good job! With a cascade of solid green arrows pointing up.
b) A passively aggressive notice: More people swiped away :/ Followed by lots of sad greyed-out down arrows.
Outcome A shoots the dopamine through the roof. Definitely giving out hi-fives to the air! I'm peek!
Outcome B activates the siren call of the pillow and bed covers. A definite, what is life moment...
But what if both of these performance outcomes go horribly wrong, beyond that momentary neurological hill or valley. What if the effects are actually high-impact and life-changing.
Yesterday, a channel I like to tune into daily, let's call it The Penguin, featured commentary on Outcome B going detrimental. A young boy, whose Roblox gameplay channel wasn't getting the stats he had been hoping for (damn YouTube algorithm), created a YouTube ad to promote it (the beast must be fed to get the wish yearned for). Okay, sounds legit enough. Except for a key detail. He used his father's corporate card and wracked up $100k of advert charges. The father's bosses had questions, many. Shortly thereafter, the father made a guest appearance to announce the channel was, more likely than not, being shutdown. I clicked off, because the awe of it frazzled my brain and I needed a coffee break to digest the afterthoughts. Outcome B was doing some truly dirty work on that family's life.
Later that same day (you can't make this timing up), another channel I tune into weekly, let's call it MVP Animations, usually a faceless/voiceless channel that shows an anthology of "true" horror stories that are animated, and showcase a variety of narrators to recap the spooky tales, suddenly had a guest (voice) appearance by the channel owner. After seven years of amazing community support and a strong and flourishing network of artist, animators, writers, and vocalists, YouTube had demonetized his channel. An exemplary case of Outcome A doing its magical workings. BUT. A big one. The real owners of the platform (and by default, the channel itself), called the content deceptive to families and children. Without the funds to pay his team, the channel would, most likely, discontinue.
Which brings me back to my original thesis: Performance metrics are brain slop. You can put in a lot of effort, get zero positive analytics for it, then find yourself in the pit (literally). OR, you can put in a lot of effort, get a positive feedback loop to the moon, and still get slapped (open-palm) back to earth. All roads can lead to the same destination, when someone else is creating the driving directions. Just a thought to ponder.
However, there is an Outcome C: You can put it work on something that gives you a real sense of satisfaction. Glance at the predestined performance numbers, smile or frown, and then move on with your fantastic day. Fill it with real, long-lasting moments that make you deliriously happy (more often than not). Not with someone else's rollercoaster feedback loop assigned to you.
