Why Did David Heinemeier Hansson Cut X Cold?

David Heinemeier Hansson cut X cold for about three weeks over the summer because it is the most addictive form of information, entertainment, and connection in his life, and he thinks you can break your brain on it.

He has done that before. On the flight over, his use was extreme enough that anyone following it would see a man deeply addicted to the connection, and he pleads guilty. Over the summer he had steered the algorithm toward too much politics and not enough tech, not enough optimism, and not enough building. Even when he agreed with the politics and the angles being presented, he did not need that much of it. After probably two, maybe three chocolate strawberries he stops. He likes them. He does not want to eat 17, and modern algorithms are very good at feeding you 17 chocolate-covered strawberries.

He treats the cutoff the same way: the feed does not have to be bad for him to decide that is enough, then step away.