Appreciation post: The algorithm randomly recommended me a local asphalt plant instead of a roofing supplier

I was searching for some specialty underlayment the other day and my YouTube feed goes and suggests a video about how a local asphalt plant in Tulsa runs their operation. I mean, it's not even close to what I was looking for but it was oddly fascinating. They showed the whole process from raw material to the truck dumping it on a driveway. I ended up watching the whole 20 minute thing instead of actually ordering my supplies. It's not even relevant to anything I do since we work mostly with tile and metal, not asphalt. But now I kinda want to visit that place just to see the giant mixer in action. Has anyone else had the algorithm just totally miss the mark but still show you something cool?

2 comments

2 Comments

pat36010d ago

Had a buddy who was looking up guitar repair videos and YouTube sent him a 45 minute documentary on how they make those big green municipal garbage trucks. He said it started with the steel sheets and ended with the paint booth. He now knows way more about hydraulic lift systems than he ever wanted to and still can't fix his own guitar neck.

faith_perez10d ago

and that right there is just the youtube algorithm doing what it does best, feeding us stuff we never asked for but somehow can't stop watching. it's like the internet has this weird way of showing us that everything is connected in ways we don't even think about. like how a guitar neck and a garbage truck both need metal parts and careful assembly, but you'd never put them together in your head. i swear, half the stuff i know about random trades comes from late night youtube spirals after looking up something simple like how to fix a squeaky door hinge. it's almost like the algorithm knows that the real secret to life is just a bunch of random facts bouncing around, none of which actually solve your original problem.