A Better Way to Think About Tech

It’s become hard to talk about technology. Commentators have split themselves into two increasingly extreme teams: the pessimists and the optimists. But what about the rest of us who don’t hate technology but are wary of obvious harms? In today’s episode, Cal proposes a third option: technoselectionism. 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 (0:00) Is technology good or bad? (35:19) Applying digital minimalism to LLMs (38:19) An overlooked negative impact of using too much AI (40:22) A reformed relationship with social media (42:20) An article about focus, writing spaces and New Yorker staff writers (49:52) What Cal is up to October Books: Simplify (Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz) Telephone (John Brooks) Roll That Calls (Ari Emanuel) Cancel Me If You Can (Dave Portnoy) The Treeline (Ben Rawlence) 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/ https://ludditebicentenary.blogspot.com/2012/04/12th-april-1812-letter-from-g-ludd-to.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://economics.mit.edu/sites/default/files/2024-04/Learning%20from%20Ricardo%20and%20Thompson%20-%20Machinery%20and%20Labor%20in%20the%20Early%20Industrial%20Revolution%20-%20and%20in%20the%20Age%20of%20AI.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/answering-the-techno-pessimists-complete?hide_intro_popup=true https://www.youtube.com/shorts/P4m8-9KJpTQ https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/its-time-to-dismantle-the-technopoly Thanks to our Sponsors: https://www.vanta.com/deepquestions https://www.pipedrive.com/deep https://www.monarch.com (Use code “DEEP”) https://www.superhuman.com Today’s episode was produced and mastered by Jesse Miller. Nate Mechler provided research and newsletter support. It was edited by Ben Crain and Rob Montz. The theme music is from Jay Kerstens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices