Worklife with Adam Grant Reimagining technology – and talking to animals – with Aza Raskin
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May 14, 2024 
Aza Raskin, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology and the Earth Species Project, reflects on his creation of the infinite scroll feature and its regrettable societal impact. He discusses the need for ethical technology that fosters well-being and brings attention to decoding whale communication to learn from other species. Aza explores how improving our interaction with technology could reshape democracy and enhance animal communication, advocating for a world where human and non-human voices are understood.
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Infinite Scroll's Origin
- Aza Raskin invented the infinite scroll for blog posts and search results before social media's rise.
- He now regrets it, realizing its exploitation by social media's perverse incentives.
Unforeseen Consequences
- Technology's impact isn't solely determined by the inventor's intent but by unforeseen exploitations.
- Infinite scroll, designed for better UX, now fuels "doomscrolling" due to social media's attention-grabbing tactics.
Breaking Addiction
- To break social media addiction, Aza Raskin created a tool that introduced random delays when scrolling.
- The increasing delays help his brain catch up with impulses, thus overcoming the dopamine loop.