Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement What is Actually Important? How to stop reacting to news and non-events
Sep 2, 2025
In this engaging discussion, the hosts tackle the challenge of distinguishing meaningful news from distractions. They introduce an 'innovation Richter scale,' assessing the societal impact of ideas, from trivial to transformative. Highlighting innovations like the steam engine, they explore how certain breakthroughs can revolutionize civilization. The conversation also touches on the overwhelming nature of today's information, urging listeners to focus on what truly matters and filter out the noise.
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Cull Your Attention To What Matters
- Delete or mute apps and subscriptions that constantly vie for your attention to reduce noise.
- Focus attention on a few important things like friendships and meaningful work instead of reacting to every headline.
Ideas Vary By Magnitude Like Quakes
- Use a comparative framework to judge the societal impact of ideas and inventions.
- Treat ideas like earthquakes: common small tremors versus rare, world-shaping quakes.
Use A Logarithmic Scale For Impact
- Measure an idea's impact by how much it shakes society and how widely it spreads.
- Use a logarithmic scale because small numeric jumps mean vastly larger impacts.