The Thinking Mind Podcast: Psychiatry & Psychotherapy E156 | How Should We Prepare for the Future? (feat. the Examined Life Podcast)
Jan 2, 2026
In a captivating conversation with Kenneth Primrose, Alex Curmi, a consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist in training, explores the psychological impacts of our fast-evolving technological landscape. He discusses how tech-driven overstimulation affects our confidence and social skills, and offers practical strategies for preparing for the future. Alex emphasizes the importance of cultivating integrity and community while warning against becoming reliant on AI. He champions a mindset focused on growth through discomfort and the necessity of aligning our lives with our inner values.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Human Brains Aren't Built For Rapid Tech
- Humans evolved for low-tech, small-band life and struggle with rapid modern technological change.
- Technology often seduces us with convenience but covertly erodes capacities we depended on for survival and flourishing.
Technology Fuels Intolerance Of Uncertainty
- Tech creates intolerance of uncertainty and reduces voluntary exposure to discomfort, undermining confidence.
- Many modern coping patterns are attempts to manufacture certainty rather than build robust problem-solving skills.
Podcasting Built Real Confidence
- Alex credits doing many podcasts for building his confidence over time through repeated practice and failure.
- He calls this gradual exposure the zone of proximal development that yields proof and agency.