'Our minds can be hijacked': tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
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Re: 'Our minds can be hijacked': tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
#2[deleted]
Re: 'Our minds can be hijacked': tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
#3I agree with him that social media could be very distracting, especially in the family settings, but, I get a ton of useful information and stay up-to-date with the latest research through Twitter, Reddit and HN. Cutting those out would mean putting an iron curtain on the latest insight and recent developments, and, essentially, quitting the front line.
Re: 'Our minds can be hijacked': tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
#4Does anyone see an analogy with highly processed, sugary foods? Highly addictive, thought to be miracles of convenience, but ultimately detrimental when consumed in excess, and now we are starting to realise that and demand better. I wonder if society will go through the same rejection phase with attention-seeking media consumption. Or maybe those who grow up with it will be better able to control themselves.
Re: 'Our minds can be hijacked': tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
#5I agree with him that social media could be very distracting, especially in the family settings, but, I get a ton of useful information and stay up-to-date with the latest research through Twitter, Reddit and HN. Cutting those out would mean putting an iron curtain on the latest insight and recent developments, and, essentially, quitting the front line.
That's the problem I faced as well, and I ultimately decided to quit a line of work that required being constantly connected to the latest developments. I realized I wanted to pursue a line of work with a bit more permanence and, for lack of a better word, timelessness.
Re: 'Our minds can be hijacked': tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
#6Does anyone see an analogy with highly processed, sugary foods? Highly addictive, thought to be miracles of convenience, but ultimately detrimental when consumed in excess, and now we are starting to realise that and demand better. I wonder if society will go through the same rejection phase with attention-seeking media consumption. Or maybe those who grow up with it will be better able to control themselves.
David Foster Wallace had the same belief about TV 20 years ago. He seemed more addicted to it than the average bear, more along the lines of how you see people tethered to smartphones today. He very much saw TV as candy - sweet, addictive, not sustaining, and unhealthy without moderation.
He talked about it in multiple places, but Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself (an interview) discusses it a lot.
https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/7144014-although-of-co...
Re: 'Our minds can be hijacked': tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
#7This is a very critical discussion that designers, technologists, PMs, founders & maybe everyone needs. Few reasons I find it to be critical:
1. Digital's impact footprint is far more than 10 years back.
2. As we move towards using more complex Algorithms, its highly important what metrics will be deemed relevant while analyzing success.
3. Technology is becoming more people centric as we speak with Blockchain & other tech on the rise, however the way their applications are designed is still the same as 10/20 years old.
Re: 'Our minds can be hijacked': tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
#8Does anyone see an analogy with highly processed, sugary foods? Highly addictive, thought to be miracles of convenience, but ultimately detrimental when consumed in excess, and now we are starting to realise that and demand better. I wonder if society will go through the same rejection phase with attention-seeking media consumption. Or maybe those who grow up with it will be better able to control themselves.
David Foster Wallace had the same belief about TV 20 years ago. He seemed more addicted to it than the average bear, more along the lines of how you see people tethered to smartphones today. He very much saw TV as candy - sweet, addictive, not sustaining, and unhealthy without moderation. He talked about it in multiple places, but Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself (an interview) discusses it a lot. http…
also the central theme of infinite jest... right? that book was confusing.
Re: 'Our minds can be hijacked': tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
#9I agree with him that social media could be very distracting, especially in the family settings, but, I get a ton of useful information and stay up-to-date with the latest research through Twitter, Reddit and HN. Cutting those out would mean putting an iron curtain on the latest insight and recent developments, and, essentially, quitting the front line.
That's the problem I faced as well, and I ultimately decided to quit a line of work that required being constantly connected to the latest developments. I realized I wanted to pursue a line of work with a bit more permanence and, for lack of a better word, timelessness.
“Email is a wonderful thing for people whose role in life is to be on top of things. But not for me; my role is to be on the bottom of things.”
— Donald Knuth (http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~knuth/email.html)
Re: 'Our minds can be hijacked': tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
#10I agree with him that social media could be very distracting, especially in the family settings, but, I get a ton of useful information and stay up-to-date with the latest research through Twitter, Reddit and HN. Cutting those out would mean putting an iron curtain on the latest insight and recent developments, and, essentially, quitting the front line.
But at what cost? Having read "deep work" recently, I've started thinking much more about all of this, and for me, the cost mostly outweighs the benefits. By cutting back drastically on my use (phone typically lasts 3-4 days instead of 1 now), I'm getting a lot more done, in less time, feel better and am much more present than I have been in over a decade. I hadn't realised the creeping effect of it all, and I don't feel I've missed out in the way that attention technology was making me feel that I would be.
I realise that the balance of this particular equation is different for everyone, but I also think many people are convinced they will be missing out when in reality they won't be.