AI Archives - 7 Takeaways

A party at which there are two groups of people. One group is animatedly talking among themselves. The other groups is all standing around looking at their phones.

I Miss Actual Conversation – 7 Takeaways No. 267

Being easy to work with. Accepting old age. Being judgy. Being adaptable. Being brave. Being ethical. Being interesting.

a college graduate wearing a cap and gown holding a degree certificate with a huge pile of bills in the background

The Cost-benefit Is Changing – 7 Takeaways No. 266

Is college still worth it? Doing anything means doing nothing. Let that stuff go. AI vs. anonymity. It’s easier to disagree. Science is boring. Coloring within the lines.

An older gentleman looking into a mirror which reflects his younger self.

Your 80-Year-old Self – 7 Takeaways No. 259

Looking forward to look back. Pay attention to now. So something nice. Your cosmic smallness. The speed of change. Irrelevant skills. Serendipity is luck.

a grumpy older man looking at a newspaper with the masthead "Great News!", and various positive story headlines.

More Complaining Than Gratitude – 7 Takeaways No. 258

Complain, complain. Be reasonable! AI will make us better? Stillness can be fear. No one is thinking. The value of diverse interests and friends. The universe is talkative.

an individual looking at a bowl of slop they've been served in a restaurant with a questioning look on their face

Amorphous Fast Casual Food Served in Bowls – 7 Takeaways No. 253

Paying attention to small decisions. Ask yourself some questions. Ask yourself some more questions. Knowing when to let go. Consuming slop isn’t new. Paying attention to what works. Intentional friendship maintenance.

a split-screen image: on one side, a hunched-over grumpy figure under a dark cloud, watching doom-laden news on TV; on the other, a vibrant, smiling individual surrounded by books, art supplies, and a laptop—engaged, curious, and hopeful. A plant bridges the sides, thriving on the optimistic side.

The Courage to Be an Optimist – 7 Takeaways No. 243

How to think. Have a good day. Radical optimism. Embracing discomfort. AI fluency. Imposters within. Who’s an asshole?

a cartoonish zombie emerging from a computer screen.

Zombies Wrecking Society – 7 Takeaways No. 242

Misunderstanding required. Purposeful longevity. I told you so. Google as zombie. Emotional exfoliation. Memes easy, thinking hard. Knowledge vs. understanding.

a sophisticated AI robot in a power-pose.

We’ve Created Something Incredible – 7 Takeaways No. 239

Constant complaining. Nothing more than feelings. Tasty curation. Cringe wins over silence. AI vs. humanity. Starving for (good) information. You could be wrong.

a classroom full of students each with laptops that clearly have ChatGPT on their screens. In the front of the class is a frustrated looking teacher.

They Don’t Have Original Thoughts – 7 Takeaways No. 238

Prediction anxiety. Make a decision. Wisdom comes from chaos. Worrying about decisions you’ll never need to make. Be the best geezer. The sound of silence. AI in the classroom.

a lone person sitting on a quiet hillside at night, attention focussed on the smartphone in their hand. The Milky Way stretches overhead like a glittering river, but the stars pulse gently—almost like glowing text bubbles or tiny flashing notifications—while shooting stars streak past.

The Universe Is Constantly Trying to Get Our Attention – 7 Takeaways No. 236

Uncertain comfort. The universe says “look at me!” It’s all on fire. What is consciousness? It’s just one choice after another. The faith to keep going. Purchases need not be politics.