I like the idea of the suggested threads being other recent threads from the same section, or perhaps using keywords in the OP to guess which MN section the person might be interested in (in case they have posted somewhere general like chat or AIBU) and posting threads from that section.
This seems more constructive to keep new threads visible and avoid people accidentally clicking on something which has already been resolved.
I do think it's a bit of a shame how clicks are the only metric that matters - remember MN used to have "Discussions of the day" where 5 threads were highlighted, by an actual person (not an algorithm) and linked to in the top right, often with an amusingly paraphrased title. They then swapped this for Trending and when I said I preferred DOTD, someone from MNHQ (sorry I can't remember who exactly, it might have been Justine!) said "But more people click on Trending"
.... well .... yes. They probably do. But of course they do if you think about it, because DOTD only changed once a day, so you're getting max 5 clicks from each user, someone isn't going to click on a thread that doesn't sound interesting and it's not going to get more interesting over time, plus you won't click on the same thread more than once (at least not from there, maybe from I'm on). Whereas trending is changing constantly, so loads more possible threads for anyone to click on, and it's already picking out the titles that people are already clicking on, so you know it's an intriguing title that makes people click. Quite often what you get in trending are clickbait type titles, like "You'll never guess what..." There's one right now called "This is the height of unprofessionalism" - it's human nature to want to click to find out what the OP thinks is so unprofessional, even if the thread itself turns out to be rubbish. I even find myself clicking on trending threads more than once because I'd forgotten I'd already found out the answer because it's a boring answer.
Trending probably gets more clicks, but TBF, you probably would have found that exact same thread just by clicking through Active, whereas DOTD highlighted interesting, thought provoking, or funny threads that you might not have clicked on otherwise because the original title wasn't always particularly one to draw you in.
But more people click on it. And that's what matters apparently. I think it's a shame. The same thing has happened here. Rather than thinking about what would actually be useful or interesting or enhance the experience of being on the site, it's just about what is going to get the most clicks and what is going to keep people clicking endlessly.
I know, I know, I know you're competing with social media which is actually addictive and you have to do the same stuff to have a hope of surviving and I know I'm being grumpy and objecting to change or "Yah I remember when it was all fields" or whatever, but MN used to have a particular fun tone and a user-centredness and I don't think it has that any more. Quote of the week used to be brilliant. Nothing like this any more. I don't even get the talk round up (do they still do that?).