Hugo Thack — Researcher. Author. Behavioral Debt.
Who is
I'm an independent researcher studying the intersection of algorithmic systems, behavioral economics, and digital autonomy. My work examines what happens to human decision-making when the platforms we rely on begin optimizing our choices without our awareness.
I developed the Behavioral Debt framework — a theoretical model for measuring the cognitive cost of algorithmic preference substitution. My research draws on behavioral science, information systems, and philosophy of mind to ask a question most people never consider:
Who decides what you want — when everything around you is already deciding for you?
I also write fiction that explores these ideas at human scale. My debut novel, The Algorithm of You, arrives in 2026.
Read the Behavioral Debt paper →
A novel about a data scientist who discovers the system he built isn't just watching people — it's writing them.
"What if every choice you thought was yours… was authored by something else?"
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Book One of The Architects of Humanity
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Early Responses
“This framework changed how I think about my relationship with technology. Behavioral Debt isn't just a concept — it's a mirror.”
— Early Reader
“Hugo Thack asks the question that Silicon Valley doesn't want you to consider: what if convenience is the price of your autonomy?”
— Behavioral Science Researcher
“I finished the manuscript in one sitting. It reads like a thriller, but the ideas will keep you up at night for different reasons.”
— Advance Reviewer
The Framework
The hidden cognitive cost of letting algorithms author your desires. Every recommendation you accept without questioning accumulates debt. Not financial. Behavioral.
When algorithmic suggestions replace organic desire formation. You didn't want that — the system wanted it for you.
The gradual surrender of decision-making to optimized systems. Each convenience is a micro-abdication.
Tracking what you pay — in focus, time, identity — for "free" services. The price is always you.
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