7 Takeaways Archives

An individual on a city street shoveling a nine-foot-high pile of horse manure, depicted in the style of a 19th-century newspaper illustration.

Nine Feet of Feces – 7 Takeaways No. 194

Use your phone to read. Possible piles of poop. Fiction matters. Learning from failure. Making life choices. Critical reading skills. Boring.

A group of people walking past a traditional library. All the people are looking down at their phones, absorbed in their screens, while the library behind them stands mostly unnoticed. The library building is grand and classic, with large columns and a sign that clearly identifies it as a library. The people are dressed in modern, casual clothing, and their attention is entirely on their smartphones. The scene is set in daylight, with a slightly melancholic tone, highlighting the contrast between the focus on digital devices and the neglect of traditional reading spaces.

Reading Is Not As Necessary As It Once Was – 7 Takeaways No. 193

Mud-colored glasses. Playing in the street. Connections are complicated (and important). Telling yourself stories. Dare to see stupid. Does reading matter? (YES!) Taking risks.

A chimpanzee standing upright on its hind legs, with a confident expression, throwing a shiny metallic dart with a bright green flight at a wooden dartboard hung on a rustic, earth-toned concrete wall in the distance, the board's surface worn and scratched, surrounded by a subtle gradient of shadows, with the chimpanzee's fur a mix of dark brown and lighter tan hues, its facial features defined by a prominent forehead, almond-shaped eyes, and a small nose, its skin tone a warm, golden brown, the entire scene illuminated by a soft, natural light with a hint of warmth, capturing the dynamic movement of the dart in mid-air and the chimpanzee's focused intensity, with a shallow depth of field to blur the background and emphasize the subject.

Poorer Predictions Than Dart-throwing Monkeys – 7 Takeaways No. 192

Confidence means little. We’re all just making it up as we go. New technology is scary. Depression is scary. Being wrong is scary. Phone calls are scary. Personal change is scary.

A stereotypical 30-year-old man in his parents' basement, sitting at a computer and yelling at it. The basement is cluttered with old furniture, boxes, and gaming posters on the walls. The man has a frustrated expression, with his mouth open in a yell, furrowed brows, and clenched fists. The lighting is dim, with a single overhead light casting shadows.

Online Crowds Can Be As Unthinking As In-person Ones – 7 Takeaways No. 191

Rocking chair time? Politics will get worse before it gets better. Special ideas often aren’t. Even when not lies, statistics often mislead. The irrationality of crowds. Go ahead, look the fool. Read.

Diogenes of Sinope, the ancient Greek philosopher, holding a lantern and looking for an honest man, rendered in the style of a 1900s newspaper.

Seeking the Truth Today Is Exhausting – 7 Takeaways No. 190

You’ve got skillz! Legacies, LONG after you’re gone. Being comfortable with yourself. Anger. Dutch sex. Truth seeking. Being good.

The first person is speaking, saying 'blah blah blah'. The second person looks bored, with their head resting on one hand. The third person looks annoyed, arms crossed and frowning. The fourth person is checking their smartphone, looking down at the screen. The background is neutral to focus on the people.

If You Talk All the Time – 7 Takeaways No. 189

Uncomfortably numb. Supporting truth. Curation as a solution. Follow the leader. Stop thinking. Run away. Remembering the sacred.

A steam engine locomotive falling into a river. The train is depicted mid-fall with the front of the locomotive tipping downward as it leaves the end of the tracks, where a bridge should have been. There is a sense of motion and urgency as the train plummets towards the water below. The river beneath is wide and turbulent, with splashes and waves forming where the train is about to make impact. The background shows a natural landscape with trees and a clear sky, adding to the dramatic scene of the accident.

The Roaring Locomotive of Self-deception – 7 Takeaways No. 188

We don’t know how AI works. Rationality? Nah. I’m bored. Simple explanations. You’ll ignore my advice. We’re right, they’re wrong. How you say it matters.

A confused cow standing in the middle of a green field. The cow has a black and white coat with distinctive large spots. Its eyes are wide open, and its head is slightly tilted to one side, giving it a puzzled expression. The background features a clear blue sky with a few fluffy white clouds. The field is lush with green grass, and a few wildflowers are scattered around. The overall scene is bright and sunny, capturing the cow's confusion in a serene and pastoral setting.

We Are Not So Different From Cows – 7 Takeaways No. 187

Don’t be a dick. Placebo vs. Nocebo. Declining friendship, and more. Embrace the stupid. Moo. Unfortunate acceptance of war. Increasing your idea surface area.

Curiosity Is Life’s Superpower – 7 Takeaways No. 186

Making the effort. What’s real? Optimism in spite of it all. Curious? Making friends. Get off the couch. Fallacies are seductive.

A young girl dancing on a giant Dorito. The girl is joyful, mid-dance, with her arms raised and a big smile. The Dorito is floating in a whimsical, colorful background with a light, playful atmosphere. The girl's outfit is bright and fun, with flowing fabric that moves as she dances. The scene is vibrant and energetic, capturing the fun and spontaneity of the moment.

A Digital Dorito – 7 Takeaways No. 185

Warning labels. Why so serious? Is there a point? Social media as junk food. (Dis)trusting your memory. Regrets, I’ve had a few. Annoying change.