Intersmellar: Google

Google is fluid and ever changing. It’s always trying to improve itself. Yes, I’m talking about it like it’s a thing. It’s The Blob.

The way Google works in the now is not necessarily the way it worked in the before.

For example, one day I noticed that entering certain words would provoke a dictionary response on the top of search results.

Search: allegory

Response: a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.

Hey. Thanks, Google. That’s kind of sort of useful if I’m in the mood for a dictionary type response. A little down-arrow is included so the box can be expanded to see things like additional definitions, word origin, translations, and even a cute little chart of “usage over time.”

Reviewing Google’s search results.

Then, yesterday, I decided to try the function again, this time for the word “interstellar.”

My God. It’s full of commercials.

The dictionary box was gone. Almost like it never existed. In its place was a box entitled Showtimes. Yes, that’s right, Google. Good job. Interstellar is also the name of a movie. You figured it out.

The right side of the page was also transformed. What used to be blank space was now essentially a big advertising poster for the movie. There’s a thumbnail photo, a series of reviews (it really is full of stars) and other info about the movie. A way to jump to posts on Google+ was thoughtfully provided, thumbnails of the cast and, last but not least, a section called “People also search for.” (This last one I like to call Who Gives A Shit?)

Very interesting, of course, except for that fact that none of this was what I actually wanted. Google excels at this.

I carefully checked the rest of the page. Perhaps tucked away in a corner of the screen there’d be a way to ask for the dictionary? Nope. Nothing.

It was almost as if the dictionary box had been erased. From existence. And magically replaced with Biff Tannen’s Pleasure Paradise Casino. Great Scott! This is heavy!

So what happened? Just like that alternate timeline (which Marty and Doc eventually repaired) Big Daddy Google has come up with a clever system of analyzing words based on money.

The proprietary Google algorithm looks something like this:

is search term a big money word, something that can be sold

if yes, show results_monetized()

if no and it’s a dictionary word show the dictionary_box() followed by results()

if no and it’s not a dictionary word, show our bastardized rip of a wikipedia entry followed by results() including a link to the real wikipedia page

I know this is complicated programmer-style pseudocode but that’s essentially how it works.

Sooner or later this will happen to every word in the English language dictionary and Google will cease to be a valid source of information and will exist only as a shill, much like a carnival barker on the midway. This process is known as the google stomp. Given enough time Google will have about the same meaning as a highway billboard that advises, “Eat at Joe’s.”

Spend $120 on a game and you just might win a piece of crap made in China that’s worth fifty cents. That’s a Google-sized bargain. This is our inevitable future.

Technology and continuous improvement. Is there anything better? Kaizen!