Media Literacy. Attention Spans. Memento Mori. Rebel Optimism. Thinking Deeply. Help Someone. Subscribe to People.
If you want the game to be fair, you have to be willing to lose.
If you’re not willing to lose, you don’t want the game to be fair.
-David Gerrold
1. “The bar for offering media literacy is low.”
For Teens Online, Conspiracy Theories Are Commonplace. Media Literacy Is Not. – Nadia Tamez-Robledo – (EdSurge)
Honestly, everyone could use a good dose of media literacy education, but our teens are certainly a high priority. Regardless of what you think about the quantity of time they spend online, more concerning is the quantity of bullshit they’re exposed to. It’s much more than you might think.
About 80 percent of teens who use social media say they see content about conspiracy theories in their online feeds, with 20 percent seeing conspiracy content every day.
Every day. And that’s just the kids who actually recognize it as being conspiracy content. The article includes some scary research there as well.
Do this: Teach your children well.
#conspiracies #education #media-literacy #teens
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2. “Do we now have the attention span of a gnat?”
Is Your Attention Span Shrinking? – Angela Duckworth & Mike Maughan – (No Stupid Questions podcast)
Of course common opinion is that yes, our attention span is shrinking, and has been for a while. Duckworth and Maughan present a slightly different point of view.
I genuinely do not believe that our capacity has shrunk. I do believe that we’re sitting at this endless buffet of distraction. If you have a really clear ability to tell a story and capture a narrative, I think you can capture attention in a really meaningful way.
It’s not that we’ve gotten worse at paying attention, it’s that there’s so much competing for it. They include several good examples of when people do, and do not, pay attention for lengthy timeframes. (Binge watching, anyone?)
For fun, have a look at how they trace back the “research” leading to the belief that the attention span of a goldfish is only nine seconds. (Spoiler: it’s not.)
Do this: Be intentional with your attention.
#attention #attention-span #distraction
3. “Memento mori should not be an excuse to act like a selfish irresponsible dick.”
Some non-morbid thoughts on death – A.J. Jacobs – (Experimental Living)
No one likes to think about death, particularly their own. And yet that’s exactly what some philosophies recommend we keep in mind. For example, the stoics embrace “memento mori”, Latin for “remember you will die”.
The author talks about the importance, but also about how he reminds himself of this in a non-morbid way throughout the day. The concept is simple: by remembering our time is finite, we can do a better job of prioritizing and appreciating what matters.
But it’s about more than just YOLO for yourself.
Remember, someday you will die, so gather ye rosebuds (but also help others gather their rosebuds. And make sure only to gather rosebuds that want to be gathered. And also gather other stuff besides rosebuds, it’s not all about rosebuds)
Do this: Remember.
4. “Optimism isn’t a feeling; it’s a choice”
Rebel Optimism: How We Thrive in a Broken World – Joan Westenberg – (@westenberg)
This might be one of the best essays on optimism I’ve read in a long time. It not only defines optimism (practical, not Pollyanna), but goes on to define how it’s not only justified, but required if we’re to make it through our world on fire.
What if our fixation on everything falling apart is blinding us to cracks of light breaking through the rubble? To the opportunities quietly unfolding while we’re too busy scrolling through the next disaster?
It does an excellent job of capturing my own sense of optimism. Even now.
Do this: “Optimism isn’t a feeling; it’s a choice” – make a choice.
5. “Spiritually flabby and psychically out of shape”
Three Ways to Become a Deeper Thinker (gift link) – Arthur C. Brooks – (The Atlantic)
I’m sure I’ve shared items here about the decline not just in critical thinking, but in deep thinking as well. Both are necessary for a modern society to thrive.
Brooks uses a framework of unanswerable questions to develop deep thinking.
When you enter the mysterious world of unanswerable questions, you will surely grow as a person and change for the better.
The problem? In today’s never-be-bored lifestyle, there’s little time for deep thought. Heck, sometimes it seems there’s little time for thought at all.
Do this: Think. Deeply.
6. “Nothing can make you do anything”
How to cure brain rot – (Better Ideas)
You’re sitting there at the poker table and the dealer hands you a card. And instead of trying to maximize the hand that you’re dealt, even if it’s a horrible hand, instead of trying to decide for yourself what you do when you get that hand, you don’t play the game, and you argue with the dealer.
I see many people unhappy with various aspects of their lives. They dislike the cards they’ve been dealt and spend their days arguing with the dealer instead of actually taking action.
The takeaway of the video is that we have more agency in our lives than we believe. We need to explicitly decide how we want to spend our time to feel like we’re not succumbing to brain rot. And, yes, some of that includes stepping away from the distractions we feel we have no control over (social media), and intentionally choosing alternatives that are healthier for the growth of our brains. But while no one can make you do anything, it’s all too easy to let them, if you’re not paying attention.
Do this: Pay attention to where you’re paying attention.
7. “Look for a way to help someone you know.”
What Are Some Ways to Be Helpful? – Chris Guillebeau – (A Year of Mental Health)
One of the most cited pieces of advice to deal with the miasma that is the world right now is to take action and help someone, somehow.
Great. How?
It’s been too long since I shared a listicle. This one shares practical steps you can take to take positive action, benefitting yourself as well as others. Example:
4. Make an introduction.
Think about two people you know who could benefit from knowing each other. After asking both parties for permission, write a thoughtful email introduction explaining specifically why you think they should connect and what each person might gain from the relationship.
What to do isn’t always possible, or obvious, but it’s worth adopting the mindset. It’s much healthier than some of the other mindsets we seem to take on of late.
Do this: Help.
8. “Subscribe to people, not publications.”
Like? Subscribe! Support!! – Leo Notenboom – (Blog)
I was inspired by last week‘s “All media is niche media now” item to put that into something tangible and actionable.
Look beyond the aggregators. Look for the curators and individuals instead.
There’s an amazing amount of really well written and thoughtful journalism, analysis, and commentary out there. It’s just not in traditional media, and it’s being hidden from you on social media because it’s not rage-baity enough.
The only catch is that you have to make an effort to find it.
Yes, I know, 7Takeaways is an example of curation, so it’s slightly self-serving, but it’s also the result of my work on 7Takeaways that allows me to make the recommendation. I follow and regularly discover many sources of great independent writing. There’s truly a lot of good stuff out there. While much of it is free, I’ve decided I should direct some of my paid subscription budget at helping individuals, not corporations.
Do this: Look beyond traditional and social media.
#media #social-media #traditional-media
Random links
- What is a Tariff, Anyway? – Most don’t understand, and that’s not good.
- How to Survive the Broligarchy
- Don’t Confuse Volume with Truth – “just because someone is louder, more confident, or more popular doesn’t mean they’re right. In fact, 8 times out of 10, it means the opposite” (@westenberg – here since I don’t like using the same source twice in a single issue).
What I’m reading
In progress:
- Gator Bait – Jana DeLeon
- Meditations for Mortals – Oliver Burkeman
- The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century – Steven Pinker (audio)
Daily:
- A Calendar of Wisdom: Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul, Written and Selected from the World’s Sacred Texts – Leo Tolstoy
A full list of my common sources is on the sources page, and I list the books I’ve read on my Reading List page.
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Thanks!
-Leo
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