The Unscheduled CEO I promise this is making your life worse.
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Oct 14, 2025 Dive into the fascinating discussion about how social media acts as an adult pacifier, numbing our emotions and distorting life choices. Discover how algorithms have transformed feeds into addictive slot machines. Jonathan argues that researching experiences can spoil their magic and suggests that reducing social media exposure can spark creativity. He shares surprising insights from a Stanford study on quitting social platforms and emphasizes the power of in-person connections to combat online discord.
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Phones As Adult Pacifiers
- Social media acts as an 'adult pacifier' that soothes anxiety but erodes willpower and curiosity.
- Jonathan argues this constant pacification reduces wonder and flattens unexpected life experiences.
Delete Social Apps From Your Phone
- Remove social apps from your phone to stop automatic, willpower-defeating scrolling.
- Avoid Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and similar apps on mobile to protect focus and mood.
Travel Gets Spoiled By Previews
- Pre-consuming travel content spoils surprise and flattens real-world discovery.
- Jonathan says social previews make destinations feel corporate and less special on arrival.
