[2025 Good Brain] Professor Byungkyu Kim: "In the Era of the Addiction Economy, We Must Build Algorithm Resistance"

Special Lecture: "Algorithm Consumption and the Path of Thought"
Diagnosing the Addiction Economy and Proposing the Right Path for Consumption

"In an era where instant gratification is the norm, having self-control is crucial."

Professor Byungkyu Kim of Yonsei University’s Department of Business Administration stated at the "2025 Good Brain Conference" held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on September 3, that "addiction created by algorithms has already become the foundation of the global economy," adding, "We all participate in, contribute to, and simultaneously benefit from this system."

Professor Byungkyu Kim of Yonsei University’s Business Administration Department attended the "2025 Good Brain Conference" hosted by Asia Economy at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 3rd and gave a special lecture on the topic "Algorithm Consumption and the Path of Thought." 2025.9.3 Photo by Jinhyung Kang

At the conference, where he delivered a special lecture on "Algorithm Consumption and the Path of Thought," Professor Kim presented "algorithm resistance" as a solution to the essence of the addiction economy era.

In 1995, the top 20 U.S. companies by market capitalization were dominated by traditional manufacturing giants such as General Electric and Coca-Cola. However, the situation changed dramatically after the launch of the iPhone in 2007 and the birth of Instagram in 2010. As of last year, technology companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon now dominate the top ranks by market capitalization. Professor Kim explained, "On the surface, these may appear to be technology companies, but 80 to 98 percent of their total revenue comes from advertising," and added, "What supports the global economy are these so-called technology companies that are essentially advertising firms, and Korea is no exception."

He pointed out that the emergence of online platforms has increased the effectiveness of advertising to an unprecedented level. In the past, consumption only occurred after a need was first generated, and there was uncertainty in consumption due to the time and spatial gap between need and consumption. Marketing served as a means to bridge this gap, but online platforms have shortened it, allowing needs to be immediately converted into consumption.

Professor Kim also emphasized, "Online platforms create entirely new desires." They constantly stimulate the feeling of wanting to own something, but many of these are merely "false desires." He said, "If you keep a consumption diary and look back after a month, most of those desires will have disappeared."

Online platforms insert advertisements between online content and showcase the glamorous lives of influencers, constantly prompting users to compare themselves to others and stimulating desire. Professor Kim explained, "The algorithmic structure is designed to make us continuously compare ourselves to others by showing the lives of impressive people," and added, "When desires are not fulfilled, tension builds up, and eventually, it can only be relieved by pressing the purchase button."

Professor Kim went on to say, "After half a century of the marketing era that began with the spread of television, we have now entered the era of algorithms following the era of online platforms." He explained that the essence of the algorithm era is that "content addiction itself is not the goal, but the means," and "the true nature of this era is to continuously create new desires and consumption."

Professor Byungkyu Kim of Yonsei University’s Department of Business Administration is attending the "2025 Good Brain Conference" hosted by Asia Economy at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 3rd, giving a special lecture titled "Algorithm Consumption and the Path of Thought." 2025.9.3 Photo by Jinhyung Kang

These changes bring about side effects. People who lack self-control are unable to regulate their desires, leading to lower self-esteem and even strained human relationships. Furthermore, Professor Kim warned that if trust in others is lost and social hostility spreads, it could pose a threat to democracy itself.

To overcome this, he proposed the concept of "algorithm resistance." Algorithm resistance can be broadly divided into four categories: self-control, future orientation, taste, and love. Self-control is the ability to wait for long-term rewards in an era of instant gratification; future orientation is the attitude of considering future outcomes rather than just the present; and having a firm sense of personal taste, rather than simply following trends created by others, is also key. Professor Kim emphasized, "If the desire for recognition from others is fulfilled through the love of family, there is no longer any reason to chase after false desires."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.