Here's what I wonder about: "If everything else stayed the same, but every human being in America spent 45 minutes more a day hanging out with their friends, I don’t think that would result in massive political, cultural, or social change."
In 2020, I changed from working in an office to working from home - same type of employer, same type of technical role. But it's probably meant 3 hours a week less of random conversations with somewhat random colleagues - I talk to colleagues almost as much, but it's all people I'm working with, not "other people who are on the same floor".
One thing I notice: I just hear about a fewer things. Not just work things, but soccer leagues and interesting restaurants and school mini-dramas and random recreational events involving things I don't do. I suspect - and have no evidence - that this over time and on average will lead to less weak connections. And those large networks of weak connections tend to be important to driving social change.
I've been a subscriber since February, because at least once a month, someone, usually Jerusalem, writes something that makes me think, that alone was worth $9. This month it was, "Derek Thompson — perhaps best known as a columnist for The Argument". Looking forward to listening to the podcast!
I think about it a lot with my 10-year old daughter. They consume too much information and don't spend enough time in contemplation, analyzing what they just learned. They basically repeat what they consume. I feel like my biggest role as a parent is forcing her to think about what she has consumed.
Another thing I think about a lot is lines. Growing up you used to have to wait in lines a lot more. Technology has eliminated most lines and now when people are forced to stand in lines, they are often entertaining themselves with access to their phones. But growing up, lines were a time to reflect and think. To meet new people. To interact with random strangers who may be completely different from you, but had the same purpose, to collect whatever was at the end of the line. I particularly think about this in the context of the SNL parody videos about people standing in lines in Manhattan and not knowing what's at the end of the line. Oddly, I don't think its that crazy for people to enjoy just standing in line. Maybe the people mocking them are the ones who actually have their priorities messed up and the people in the line are the ones who have figured out a key to happiness.
I like this framing of content. Anything that fires up the analytical part of your brain, your "system two," is very different than "system one" content, to use the Daniel Kahneman definitions.
Here's what I wonder about: "If everything else stayed the same, but every human being in America spent 45 minutes more a day hanging out with their friends, I don’t think that would result in massive political, cultural, or social change."
In 2020, I changed from working in an office to working from home - same type of employer, same type of technical role. But it's probably meant 3 hours a week less of random conversations with somewhat random colleagues - I talk to colleagues almost as much, but it's all people I'm working with, not "other people who are on the same floor".
One thing I notice: I just hear about a fewer things. Not just work things, but soccer leagues and interesting restaurants and school mini-dramas and random recreational events involving things I don't do. I suspect - and have no evidence - that this over time and on average will lead to less weak connections. And those large networks of weak connections tend to be important to driving social change.
I've been a subscriber since February, because at least once a month, someone, usually Jerusalem, writes something that makes me think, that alone was worth $9. This month it was, "Derek Thompson — perhaps best known as a columnist for The Argument". Looking forward to listening to the podcast!
I call this a "consumption crisis".
I think about it a lot with my 10-year old daughter. They consume too much information and don't spend enough time in contemplation, analyzing what they just learned. They basically repeat what they consume. I feel like my biggest role as a parent is forcing her to think about what she has consumed.
Another thing I think about a lot is lines. Growing up you used to have to wait in lines a lot more. Technology has eliminated most lines and now when people are forced to stand in lines, they are often entertaining themselves with access to their phones. But growing up, lines were a time to reflect and think. To meet new people. To interact with random strangers who may be completely different from you, but had the same purpose, to collect whatever was at the end of the line. I particularly think about this in the context of the SNL parody videos about people standing in lines in Manhattan and not knowing what's at the end of the line. Oddly, I don't think its that crazy for people to enjoy just standing in line. Maybe the people mocking them are the ones who actually have their priorities messed up and the people in the line are the ones who have figured out a key to happiness.
I like this framing of content. Anything that fires up the analytical part of your brain, your "system two," is very different than "system one" content, to use the Daniel Kahneman definitions.