算法与偶然性 Algorithms and Serendipity

如今rújīn，音乐yīnyuè、视频shìpín、购物gòuwù乃至nǎizhì新闻推送xīnwén tuīsòng，几乎jīhū都dōu依赖yīlài算法suànfǎ根据gēnjù用户yònghù过往guòwǎng的de点击diǎnjī与yǔ偏好piānhào进行jìnxíng精准jīngzhǔn推荐tuījiàn。

Nowadays, music, video, shopping, and even news feeds almost all rely on algorithms to make precise recommendations based on users' past clicks and preferences.

这种zhè zhǒng机制jīzhì固然gùrán带来了dàiláile前所未有qián suǒ wèi yǒu的de便利biànlì，让ràng人们rénmen在zài浩如烟海hào rú yān hǎi的de信息xìnxī中zhōng迅速xùnsù找到zhǎodào自己zìjǐ喜欢xǐhuān的de东西dōngxi。

This mechanism has admittedly brought unprecedented convenience, letting people quickly find the things they like amid a vast ocean of information.

然而rán'ér，算法suànfǎ在zài迎合yínghé既有jìyǒu偏好piānhào的de同时tóngshí，也yě悄然qiǎorán压缩了yāsuōle偶然ǒurán存在cúnzài的de空间kōngjiān，使shǐ人rén与yǔ陌生mòshēng领域lǐngyù擦肩而过cā jiān ér guò的de机会jīhuì越来越yuè lái yuè少shǎo。

However, while catering to existing preferences, algorithms have also quietly compressed the space in which chance exists, making opportunities to brush past unfamiliar fields increasingly rare.

试想shìxiǎng二十年前èrshí nián qián，一个人yí gè rén若ruò在zài唱片店chàngpiàn diàn随手suíshǒu翻到fāndào一张yì zhāng风格迥异fēnggé jiǒngyì的de专辑zhuānjí，往往wǎngwǎng会huì因此yīncǐ开启kāiqǐ一段yí duàn全新quánxīn的de兴趣xìngqù。

Imagine twenty years ago: if a person casually flipped through a record store and happened upon an album strikingly different in style, this would often spark a brand-new interest.

这种zhè zhǒng歪打正着wāi dǎ zhèng zháo的de收获shōuhuò，甚至shènzhì可能kěnéng彻底chèdǐ改变gǎibiàn一个人yí gè rén日后rìhòu的de职业道路zhíyè dàolù，而ér这一切zhè yíqiè都dōu源于yuányú环境huánjìng本身běnshēn所suǒ保留bǎoliú的de随机性suíjīxìng。

Such a fortuitous, accidental gain could even completely change a person's later career path, and all of this stemmed from the randomness that the environment itself preserved.

反之fǎnzhī，如今rújīn的de推荐系统tuījiàn xìtǒng下xià，用户yònghù接触jiēchù的de内容nèiróng多duō是shì过去guòqù自我zìwǒ的de延伸yánshēn，陌生mòshēng而ér格格不入gégé bú rù的de可能性kěnéngxìng早已zǎoyǐ被bèi层层céngcéng过滤guòlǜ。

Conversely, under today's recommendation systems, the content users encounter is mostly an extension of their past selves, while the possibility of anything unfamiliar and out of place has long since been filtered out, layer by layer.

归根结底guī gēn jié dǐ，算法suànfǎ所suǒ优化yōuhuà的de是shì确定性quèdìngxìng，而ér人rén的de成长chéngzhǎng、友谊yǒuyì乃至nǎizhì职业选择zhíyè xuǎnzé，却què往往wǎngwǎng仰赖yǎnglài那些nàxiē无法预测wúfǎ yùcè的de偶然ǒurán。

In the final analysis, what algorithms optimize for is certainty, whereas people's growth, friendships, and even career choices often depend on chances that cannot be predicted.

因此yīncǐ，与其yǔqí把bǎ算法suànfǎ视为shìwéi洪水猛兽hóngshuǐ měngshòu，不如bùrú在zài设计shèjì之初zhī chū就jiù有意识地yǒu yìshí de为wèi偶然ǒurán留出liúchū余地yúdì，让ràng人rén重新chóngxīn拥有yōngyǒu迷路mílù的de自由zìyóu。

Therefore, rather than simply regarding algorithms as a fearsome scourge, it would be better to consciously leave room for chance from the very outset of design, letting people once again have the freedom to get lost.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

迥异jiǒngyìstrikingly different

擦肩而过cā jiān ér guòto narrowly brush past

歪打正着wāi dǎ zhèng zháoto accidentally get the right result

仰赖yǎnglàito depend on

洪水猛兽hóngshuǐ měngshòua fearsome scourge

悄然qiǎoránquietly, imperceptibly

Grammar note 语法点

在……的同时

Indicates that two actions or states occur simultaneously, often to set up a contrast between them, e.g. 他在学习的同时也在打工 (While studying, he also works part-time).

然而，算法在迎合既有偏好的同时，也悄然压缩了偶然存在的空间，使人与陌生领域擦肩而过的机会越来越少。

与其……不如……

Expresses a preference between two options, meaning 'rather than X, it would be better to Y', e.g. 与其抱怨，不如行动 (Rather than complain, it's better to act).

因此，与其把算法视为洪水猛兽，不如在设计之初就有意识地为偶然留出余地，让人重新拥有迷路的自由。

Check yourself 小测验

1. According to the passage, what do recommendation algorithms primarily rely on to make suggestions?

2. What does the record-store example in the passage illustrate?

3. What is the passage's final, nuanced conclusion about algorithms?

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算法与偶然性Suànfǎ yǔ ǒuránxìngAlgorithms and Serendipity

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

Reading is the easy part. Speaking is where you get stuck.

More HSK 6 reading practice