Thinking clearly. Constant complaining. The skills to beat AI. The AI will see you now. You're never f'ed. Simple media literacy. Simple evidence consideration.
“The life so short, the craft so long to learn.”
― Hippocrates
I was asked last week what my “rules” were regarding sharing what you find here in 7 Takeaways. While I appreciate being asked, my initial reaction was “Rules? We don’t need no rules!” 
The short version is: do whatever you like.
The longer answer is that it seems to me you have three options:
- You can keep me out of it if you like; just share the link to whatever article or essay I’ve shared, directly.
- Share my commentary with the link.
- Share the entire issue of 7 Takeaways.
While I have a slight preference for #3 it really doesn’t matter to me how you share things. If it made you think, and you believe others would benefit, by all means: share away.
1. “Thinking clearly really bothers some people”
Thinking clearly about software – Sean Goedecke – (Blog)
Yes, the article is specifically about software, but the thoughts apply to life in general. (I’ve long held that an understanding software and the principles behind it can be strongly leveraged understanding life in general. A topic for another day, I suppose.)
The opposite of thinking clearly is frantically trying different things until the problem goes away.
Or the problem doesn’t go away. I see this all the time. It’s frustrating. The solution, of course, is relatively simple.
… breathe, and think slowly and deliberately through the problem.
Do this: Be it software, or some other problem life has thrown you, slow down and take a breath.
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2. “Americans complain constantly”
Familiarity Breeds Indifference – Tome Greene – (Wit & Wisdom)
There’s a German tourist visiting the U.S. for the World Cup, and sharing his observations as he travels. He’s noticing things that, while pretty amazing when you think about it, we all take for granted.
Every nation possesses qualities that outsiders admire and residents overlook. But there is value in occasionally borrowing someone else’s perspective. It helps us distinguish between genuine flaws and mere familiarity. It reminds us that gratitude often begins with noticing.
Through a visitor’s eyes, there is definitely much to be grateful for.
Do this: Notice.
3. “It’s the durable skills that really make a worker genuinely valuable.”
The skills people still perform better than AI, according to workplace experts – Cathy Bussewitz – (AP)
There’s no argument that AI is changing the workplace in many different ways. In light of that, many are looking at the skills worth cultivating to remain valuable in the years to come.
… the skills that are most resistant to displacement by AI are the ones that are the most distinctly human …
The article goes into more depth, but the five skills called out include:
- Empathy
- Nurturing relationships
- Critical thinking
- Having a conscience
- Judgement calls
These are valuable skills worth honing regardless of your work situation. They’re all important, but these days I’d probably rank critical thinking as number one.
Do this: Hone your uniquely human skills.
#ai #empathy #relationships #critical-thinking #conscience #judgement
4. “It’s like having a bunch of specialists in your pocket”
Have a Thorny Medical Question? Your Doctor May Be Using A.I. for That. (Gift link) – Steve Lohr – (New York Times)
OpenEvidence is an AI trained specifically on only legitimate medical journals and other vetted sources. It is currently available only to medica professionals (though I was able to throw a question or two at it without problem). Personally I’d love for this to be open to a broader audience.
It’s just one example of responsible AI use improving the practice medicine.
The first wave of A.I. in medicine focused on easing the heavy burden of documentation that contributes to physician burnout with transcriptions and summaries of patient visits, called A.I. scribe software. The second wave, which is just getting underway, aims to use A.I. to assist doctors with reliable information and advice to guide diagnosis and treatment while at a patient’s bedside.
Not to mention AI initial screening of imaging apparently being more accurate than human screening. No, AI is not perfect, and it should be treated as a tool, not an oracle, as mentioned in the article. Nonetheless, used properly it can make doctors more effective advocates for their patients.
Do this: Support responsible and effective AI use.
5. “You can choose your next move.”
There is no such thing as f**ked. – Joan Westenberg – (Blog)
I read this as an argument against helplessness. That we may not like the choices we have doesn’t invalidate the fact that we have choices.
“F**ked” is the word people grab at when they’ve decided to stop looking for the next move. It might feel like an undeniable fact, and stating it might make you feel like a pragmatic realist – but it’s a decision you make. And because it’s a decision – you can make a different one.
Telling yourself you’re f’ed, as Westenberg points out, gives your brain permission to give up. There are always choices, giving up alleviates the need to pick one. Which I suppose is a choice in and of itself.
Do this: Make the hard choices.
6. “A collection of small, repeatable habits”
20 Small Acts of Media Literacy We Can Practice Every Day – Hana Lee Goldin, MLIS – (Card Catalog)
The seeming need to check every little thing before we pass along a bit of what seems like valuable information also often feels like an overwhelming waste of time.
It’s not. It need not be overwhelming, and it’s certainly not a waste of time.
And these habits build on each other. The first few times we check a byline or find a section label, it might feel deliberate and slightly slow. But the repetition builds a kind of muscle memory. We start seeing patterns in how stories are built and sourced, identifying structural choices that were invisible before.
This is a very practical list of steps to take — prioritized so, no, you’re not taking 20 steps every time before you can share something — that answer the question “how do I confirm the validity of what I’m looking at?”
I’d recommend not only learning the list, but sharing with those who, perhaps, commonly share things that they shouldn’t. It’s time well spent.
Do this: Build the habits.
7. “How much should each type of evidence count?”
How to Tell Strong Evidence from Weak Evidence – Travis M. – (Clearer Thinking)
A nice follow-on to the preceding takeaway. The author presents a “hierarchy of evidence”, classifying different types ranging from anecdotal to double-blind studies and meta-analysis.
Hierarchies of Evidence rank types of studies by their typical reliability. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses sit at the top, followed by randomized controlled trials, observational studies, animal studies, mechanistic reasoning, and finally anecdotes, which provide the weakest evidence despite being widely cited.
The problem I see is that we’re surrounded with anecdotal evidence which we tend to accept as authoritative, when it’s nowhere near. One step we can all take is to simply identify the type of evidence we’re being presented with and then consider it appropriately.
Do this: Consider the source.
Random Links
- Population around a point – Kinda cool tool.
- Are Scientific Papers Bad? – Interesting stream of consciousness from Hank Green
- Trauma creep – Is everything trauma now? Feels like it sometimes.
What I’m reading now
- Carl’s Doomsday Scenario: Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 2 – Matt Dinniman
- Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences – Neal Allen, Anne Lamott
- The Way of Kings: Book One of the Stormlight Archive – Brandon Sanderson
- The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke – (Audio)
- The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark – Carl Sagan
My Reading List – everything I’ve read since 2021.
My Sources Page – the common sources I scan/read regularly.
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