Reading Archives - 7 Takeaways

An over-the-shoulder view of an individual looking at a computer screen with the word "AI" repeated dozens of times in different sizes and fonts on it. The individual looks constipated, with smoke coming out of their ears.

Needing to Unclench – 7 Takeaways No. 290

Misogyny in action. Not talking about AI. Healthy hobbies. Serendipity and luck. Seeing more than a slice of culture. The cost of FOMO. Paying for writing.

A close up of a computer monitor that is disappearing in the style of "The Blip" from the Avengers movies.

The Web, As We Have It, Is Incredibly Fragile – 7 Takeaways No. 289

Building resilience. Physical books. Valuable websites are disappearing. Banning books is stupid. The courage to ask questions. Wanting to be with people. Finding the right people to be with.

A kindergarten classroom full of happy children.

Everything I Ever Needed to Know – 7 Takeaways No. 287

Kindergarten rules. On being useful. On understanding better. Reading like a scientist. Willingness to change your mind. Asking questions. Reading matters.

A Corgi in a lab wearing a lab coat holding up a test tube and looking at it quizzically.

Your Brain Evolved to Solve Problems – 7 Takeaways No. 286

Critical thinking is a superpower. Problem solving is a superpower. How to improve happiness. Fewer options can be better. Science doesn’t stop (or care). The internet is for chatbots. Reading is on the decline.

Two Corgis in a coffee shop setting talking with one another over a table. One has their head cradled in their paws showing great interest in what the other is saying.

I Want to Hear More – 7 Takeaways No. 285

Face the silence. Be here, do stuff. Stupidity is special. Optimists live longer. Paper versus ebooks. Most self help is repetitive. Deeply engaged conversationalists.

Leonardo Davinci painting using Photoshop.

Real Artists Have Always Used Technology – 7 Takeaways No. 280

The choices we make. Becoming someone new. The spirituality of science. Technology isn’t new. Changing the way you read. Tools should be useful. The slow death of a friendship.

A Corgi sitting in a coffee shop blissfully enjoying a cup of coffee.

Life’s Too Short For Shitty Coffee – 7 Takeaways No. 274

Stranger danger. What happens to “saved” time. Read, read, read. Don’t miss out! Mistakes are for learning. Anti-anti-AI. Was everything better 10 years ago?

People gathered at a cocktail party where one person is telling a story and all are paying attention to him. There is a corgi in the background.

Think of Yourself As a Storyteller – 7 Takeaways No. 270

There is grace. Being yourself. There’s always more work. Attention spans. The dog in the window. Expressing yourself. Is your job safe?

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.

A library with dust and cobwebs everywhere. Books are stacked on tables, covered in dust. The shelves have cobwebs. It's clear no one has picked up a book in ages.

Choosing to Be Functionally Illiterate – 7 Takeaways No. 257

Reading takes effort. Put on your pants. Inspiration vs cynicism, fight! Fools never listen. Just do things. Imposing our standards on others. Simplification vs. complexity, fight!