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#387: Tristan Harris — Fighting Skynet and Firewalling Attention

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Sep 19, 2019

Guest

Tristan Harris

Tristan Harris, a co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology and former design ethicist at Google, discusses how technology manipulates our choices and attention. He shares insights from his experiences in Bali, exploring the psychology behind decision-making and the ethics of persuasive technology. They highlight the darker side of tech driven by profit motives, emphasizing the need for new regulations that prioritize well-being. Harris underscores the importance of personal responsibility in navigating technology and advocating for a healthier digital ecosystem.

02:06:41

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ANECDOTE

Bali Retreat

Tristan Harris attended a retreat in Bali on hypnosis, pickpocketing, and magic.
He learned about misdirection and attention manipulation from experienced magicians and pickpockets.

insights

INSIGHT

Applied Psychology

Magicians and pickpockets are like early applied psychologists.
They exploit the limits of attention, which neuroscience is now confirming.

insights

INSIGHT

Magic's Effectiveness

Magic's effectiveness isn't tied to intelligence but to exploiting attentional blind spots and biases.
Close-up magic can fool anyone, regardless of their intellectual abilities.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Exploring Ethical Technology and Unique Retreats

01:52 • 4min

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The Magic of Choice and Perception

06:08 • 26min

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Redefining Athleticism and Self-Identity

32:33 • 11min

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The Power of Language in Shaping Thought and Society

43:14 • 5min

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Persuasive Technology and Psychology

48:04 • 10min

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Rethinking Tech Incentives

58:07 • 24min

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Navigating the Impacts of Technology

01:22:23 • 33min

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Navigating Attention and Responsibility

01:54:53 • 6min

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Reflections and Resources: Wrapping Up with Insights

02:01:11 • 5min

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"Big Brother isn't watching. He's singing and dancing. He's pulling rabbits out of a hat. Big Brother’s busy holding your attention every moment you're awake. He's making sure you're always distracted. He's making sure you're fully absorbed. He's making sure your imagination withers. Until it's as useful as your appendix." — Chuck Palahniuk

Tristan Harris (@tristanharris) was named by Rolling Stone as one of the "25 People Shaping the World." He was featured in Fortune's 2018 "40 under 40" list for his work on reforming technology, and the Atlantic has called him the "closest thing Silicon Valley has to a conscience."

Formerly Design Ethicist at Google, he is a world-renowned expert on how technology steers our decisions. Tristan has spent nearly his entire life studying subtle psychological forces, from early beginnings as a childhood magician, to working with the Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, and to his role as CEO of Apture, which was acquired by Google.

Tristan has briefed heads of state, technology company CEOs, and members of the US Congress about the attention economy, and he's been featured in media worldwide, including 60 Minutes, PBS News Hour, and many more. He is the co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, which can be found at Humanetech.com, and cohost (with Aza Raskin) of Your Undivided Attention podcast, which exposes the hidden designs that have the power to hijack our attention, manipulate our choices, and destabilize our real world communities.

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