Ep. 365: What Technology Wants (and How to Push Back)

Ep. 365: What Technology Wants (and How to Push Back)

Why do we end up entangled with tools that don’t have our best interests in mind? How can we fix this situation? In this episode, Cal dives deep into the difference between additive and extractive technologies, telling a story that weaves old technology with old versions of modern tools, testimony from recent trials to ideas from leading technology critics – all in the service of improving your relationship with tools. He then answers listener questions and discusses the books he read in July, 2025.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: What Technology Wants (and How to Push Back) [:54]
- Do project trackers work? [34:54]
- Is there a downside scenario to engineering wonder? [39:14]
- What types of people should I surround myself with? [43:00]
- Can you explain your different audiences? [45:02]

CALL: Shifting from medical work to a PhD [50:41]
JULY BOOKS: The 5 Books that Cal Read in July, 2025 [57:33]

L.A. Story (Bill Plunkett)
Disney’s Land (Richard Snow)
Ingenious (Richard Munson)
Original Sin (Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson)
Wool (Hugh Howey)

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
https://substack.com/@priscillaharvey1/note/c-133662492
https://www.yahoo.com/news/zuckerberg-tells-court-facebook-no-171222971.html
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/mark-zuckerberg-is-so-over-facebook-friends?srsltid=AfmBOoo4dysXG_2rXWDJaKnSdG6CfbCqf0O_8op_R1phpz5GQPx2F4XA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7jar4KgKxs
https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/28/enshittification/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ai-fC-2Bpo
https://www.emarketer.com/content/openai-hires-its-first-cmo-kate-rouch-foreshadowing-ads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfUpEWAKPf8&t=2350s

Thanks to our Sponsors:
https://www.expressvpn.com/deep
https://www.oracle.com/deepquestions
https://www.indeed.com/deep
https://www.calderalab.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(400)

Ep. 279: Confronting Overload

Ep. 279: Confronting Overload

We talk a lot on this show about getting more done, but what’s the best way to handle the inevitable situation in which you have too much to do? Cal walks through a sensible response to the crazy-maki...

18 Des 20231h 26min

Ep. 278: How to Think

Ep. 278: How to Think

One of the most important skills for cultivating a satisfying and high impact life is one we rarely discuss: the art of serious thinking. In this episode, Cal makes the case for serious thinking as an...

11 Des 20231h 21min

Ep. 277: From Chaos to Calm (in 1 day)

Ep. 277: From Chaos to Calm (in 1 day)

We talk a lot on this show about remaining organized in a digital workplace that drowns us with incoming obligations. In this episode, Cal focuses on the key question of how you get *started* toward t...

4 Des 20231h 45min

Ep. 276: Lazy or Disorganized?

Ep. 276: Lazy or Disorganized?

One of the most common types of messages sent in from listeners of this podcast are self-recriminations about laziness. But what does “laziness” actually mean? In this episode, Cal takes a deeper look...

27 Nov 20231h 37min

Ep. 275: Accomplishing Hard Goals

Ep. 275: Accomplishing Hard Goals

How you accomplish important goals: The type that can transform your life in remarkable ways? In this episode, Cal breaks down the common mistakes we make in pursuing hard goals and then details the r...

20 Nov 20231h 32min

Ep. 274: The Deep Life Stack v2.0

Ep. 274: The Deep Life Stack v2.0

Based on extensive feedback from listeners and new research, Cal is ready to unveil his new and improved version of the Deep Life Stack, his foundational approach for transforming your life from shall...

13 Nov 20231h 22min

Ep. 273: A Deep Response to Distraction

Ep. 273: A Deep Response to Distraction

A viral video making the rounds recently argues that the key to promoting learning is to deliver education in apps that are equally addictive as social media. Cal takes a closer look at the brain scie...

6 Nov 20231h 22min

Ep. 272: The Essential Tools (w/ David Epstein)

Ep. 272: The Essential Tools (w/ David Epstein)

In this episode, Cal reviews what he believes to be the four essential tools for feeling on top of everything you need to do. If you’re missing one of these, you might struggle. If you use all four, y...

30 Okt 20231h 33min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
treningspodden
foreldreradet
jakt-og-fiskepodden
dopet
merry-quizmas
podme-bio-3
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
sinnsyn
rss-kull
sovnlos
gravid-uke-for-uke
rss-var-forste-kaffe
hverdagspsyken
fryktlos
rss-kunsten-a-leve
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
dypdykk