Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Ep. 241: The Virality Trap

Mar 27, 2023

The podcast dives into the gripping hold Twitter has on creatives, questioning the necessity of spending countless hours promoting work there. It critiques the virality culture and discusses why genuine connections matter more than superficial engagement. The dangers of chasing social media trends are illuminated, along with an exploration of alternative platforms like Mastodon. Plus, there's an intriguing look at the potential benefits of a four-day workweek for enhancing focus and productivity in knowledge work.

01:09:58

Creator website

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Don't Forget How People in Your Field Built Notoriety Before Social Media

01:38

How to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Audience

03:32

Twitter Followers Aren't That Powerful

04:52

Intro

2min

Rethinking Social Media Engagement

20min

The Dangers of Chasing Social Media Virality

15min

The Social Media Landscape: Evolution and Divergence

19min

The Dynamics of Twitter and Content Curation

9min

Exploring the Four-Day Workweek: Pros, Cons, and Potential Benefits

4min

Navigating the Complexities of Knowledge Work

2min

Why does Twitter maintain such a strong grip on those who produce things with their minds for a living? Is it really so critical that we all spend so many hours spreading our output on this particular platform? In today’s episode, we explore this question, seeking new, more sustainable and humane ways to be an online creative professional.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Today’s Deep Question: Given all the advantages of controlling your own digital press, why do so many content producers rely on Twitter? [5:39]

- Does Twitter’s new view count feature make the service even worse? [27:10]
- Why do so many important business/thought leaders spend so much time on Twitter? [35:14]
- Does this professor need Twitter? [43:00]
- Does Mastadon stand a chance against Twitter? [53:26]

SOMETHING INTERESTING:

Started From the Bottom podcast [1:01:04]
pushkin.fm/podcasts/started-from-the-bottom

Australian senators backing 4-day work week [1:03:12]
theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/09/australia-four-day-work-week-labor-greens-senators-support

Thanks to our Sponsors:

hensonshaving.com/cal
zocdoc.com/deep
mintmobile.com/deep
cozyearth.com (Promo code: Deep)

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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