The Two by Fours of a Tree

5min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

Social media companies abstract you into predictable forms of attention, extract those units and sell them to advertisers. The more people are posting highly engaging material an facebook, as opposed to lowly engaging material, the more profitable it will be for social networks. This leads to depletion and pollution in society from people's freedom being commodified into these predictable slabs of not just scrolling, but outrage generating. And so i think there's both a kind of terror that comes with seeing that big, interconnected system operating that way, but there's also a kind of clarity that comes from that. But then what? What do you do about it?

Renowned quantum physicist Richard Feynman once wrote, "It is our capacity to doubt that will determine the future of civilization."

In that spirit, this episode is a little different – because we're talking openly about our doubts, with you, our listeners. It's also different because it’s hosted by our Executive Producer Stephanie Lepp, with Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin in the hot seats.

How have we evolved our understanding of our social media predicament? How has that evolution inspired us to question the work we do at Center for Humane Technology? Join us as we say those three magic words — I don't know — and yet pursue our mission to the best of our ability.

RECOMMENDED MEDIA

Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System

Systems theorist Donella Meadows' seminal article, articulating a framework for thinking about how to change complex systems.

Winning Humanity’s Existential Game

The Future Thinkers podcast with Daniel Schmactenberger, where he explores how to mitigate natural and human-caused existential risks and design post-capitalist systems

Ledger of Harms of Social Media

The Center for Humane Technology's research on elaborating the many externalities of our technology platforms' race for human attention

Foundations of Humane Technology Course

CHT's forthcoming course on how to build technology that protects our well-being, minimizes unforeseen consequences, and builds our collective capacity to address humanity's urgent challenges

RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES

36 - A Problem Well-Stated Is Half-Solved: https://www.humanetech.com/podcast/a-problem-well-stated-is-half-solved

42 - A Conversation with Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen: https://www.humanetech.com/podcast/42-a-conversation-with-facebook-whistleblower-frances-haugen

43 - Behind the Curtain on The Social Dilemma: https://www.humanetech.com/podcast/43-behind-the-curtain-on-the-social-dilemma

Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for Humane Technology. Follow us on Twitter: @HumaneTech_