There are a few particular problems with this. Let's go with the most extreme example I can think of.

You walk up to the interface of an infinite digital library. In this library there are an infinite amount of books that you'd like to read, or even contain anything coherent for you to read. The problem is there is also an infinite amount of books you don't want to read, can't read, or aren't even coherent information. And this second infinity is so much bigger than the first infinity that it is infinitely improbable that you will ever pick out a coherent book.

Everything you do in a coherent informational world is directed by sets of biases. Algorithmic recommendations are just another one of the tools used to traverse this infinite world, and if you understand the biases they impart you can use these tools successfully.

Ok but why "find me a book that explains how car insurance works" no find book that explains how car insurance works but find exactly one car insurance company?

...because advertising

Even a library with all the books ever written, even those forever lost to time, would be very much finite. And even if such a library was possible - I would really be careful in using the term such as infinity with anything that is in anyway dependant of physical resources - the first ”bias” or rather a filter limiting the books you can read would be the languages you can read. Then time you have to read it. Whether you understand the subject matter. Etc. This already starts to resemble an algorithm of sorts, yes.

I think the mistake you are making is that you believe you can know what decisions and on what basis algorithms on platform apps make for you. Well you cannot. First of all they have again and again been shown to have a hidden agenda’s and besides, they change all the time. In the end it is basically same as letting Zuck or Musk select everything you read.

Instead you can select your own algorithm. It is pretty simple, I did one at age of ten at our local library before I even knew what algorithm was. Only think I knew was that I really liked this book Hobbit by someone named JRR Tolkien.

so what you are saying is you can't be intentional about picking things all the time. Small accidents are always good, right

> there are an infinite amount of books that you'd like to read

if i want to read them all, I don't need help choosing. any book is one I want to read!

if I don't want to read them, I already have opinions. I should just pick one that I do want to read.

and I don't have opinions I can just ask someone for a recommendation.

big libraries existed before algorithmic recommendations, and people managed.