Is the Algorithm Destroying Taste? With Polyester Editor-In-Chief Ione Gamble

Personal taste is increasingly predicted, curated, and commodified by algorithms, shifting from an expression of identity to a product of digital convenience. This transformation flattens culture by prioritizing familiarity and consumerism, effectively replacing genuine curiosity with predictable, trend-driven consumption. Class structures continue to dictate what is deemed "good" or "bad" taste, while the rise of the attention economy and AI-generated content threatens to replace human-centric art with engagement-focused "slop." To resist this algorithmic homogenization, individuals must cultivate an inner life, embrace friction in their discovery processes, and seek recommendations from real people rather than relying on automated feeds. Founding editor of *Polyester Zine*, Ione Gamble, highlights these dynamics, arguing that reclaiming one's taste is an essential act of defiance against a digital landscape that treats users as passive data points rather than active participants in culture.