Escape the Algorithm: Rediscover Truth in the Underground

There's a moment in Fyodor Dostoevsky's Notes from the Underground where the unnamed narrator, isolated and disillusioned, forces us to confront a brutal truth: we are not as free as we think. He rants, reflects, and resists—not because he has answers, but because he refuses to stop asking questions. In an age of AI, algorithmic manipulation, and endless digital noise, that voice from the 19th century echoes louder than ever. Welcome to Notes from the Underground —not just a reference to a classic, but a call to awaken. We live in a time of profound contradiction. We carry supercomputers in our pockets, yet our thinking becomes increasingly narrow. We "vote," "protest," and "share" as if these acts still carry weight, while fundamental power shifts silently behind closed doors. The illusion of sovereignty—national, personal, political—is fading. And most people don't even realize it's gone. However, one thing we all still have is the Right to Free Speech in some way. I'm not here to sell you conspiracy theories. I'm Henry Ouzounyan—a researcher, educator, and lifelong student of power, policy, and human behavior. I've spent years studying globalization, econometrics, and the structures that shape our world. But more importantly, I've spent years watching, learning—how systems operate, how minds are shaped, and how truth gets buried beneath layers of distraction as a civil citizen. Especially when nationalism and patriotism are intertwined, it is astonishing how they can influence people if one is not careful. As a former City Year AmeriCorp Program Manager and Student Success Coach, I worked directly with students navigating a broken system. It was not perfect. These were all good kids. I believe they weren't the best decision to help make it different. I observed how routine, repetition, and a lack of genuine agency can wear people down, particularly young minds in LA County schools, from childhood. As well as the rest of the US. The school system today is not preparing anyone to be different and grow; that's what I know is true. College, as well, doesn't help much either. Instead, the school's primary concern is to babysit children, issue orders, and enforce obedience. I noticed a pattern, because I've seen it: the people who think they're awake are often just tuned into a different frequency of propaganda. Heck, for all you and I know, I might be selling you propaganda! But that's not this! So why this? Because we need a space to slow down. To think critically. To reconnect with real knowledge—not viral takes, not AI-generated summaries, but deep, reflective understanding. I won't lie, I use AI. I used AI to assist me in creating this introductory article you're reading right now. Because I think something like this must not be feared, we must use it to our advantage. This is the Underground: a place to dissect history, challenge assumptions, and rebuild our sense of agency. We must adapt to the challenges of this age. Away from Left-Right, Democrat to Republican. Here, we'll explore: How Western democracy became a performance. Why sovereignty is eroding—and who benefits. The Psychological Toll of Living in a Digital Panopticon. And how to reclaim autonomy, one book, one conversation, one mindful choice at a time. What does war mean What does government mean How can we all collectively find ourselves? Importance of our health, how can we be clear-minded My first challenge to you? Put down your phone. Find a physical book—something with paper pages, ink, and weight. Please read it. Not for a highlight, not for a tweet, but to think. To feel your mind stretch. I recommend any Fiction novel. If you've made it this far, congratulations. You're already questioning the script. Stay tuned. The Underground is just getting started.