Jocko Podcast 004 Jocko Manual: The War for Your Mind
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Aug 15, 2025 Dive into the evolution of the media landscape as the 24-hour news cycle transforms into a rapid-fire frenzy. Discover how social media’s algorithms are designed to capture your focus, exploiting emotional triggers and dopamine responses. Learn about the origins of continuous news reporting and the psychological tactics that manipulate our attention. Ultimately, explore why taking control with a 'manual mode' approach could be crucial for reclaiming your life from these digital distractions.
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24-Hour News Changed Everything
- The 24-hour news cycle replaced brief daily news and forced constant content generation.
- Expanding from ~22 minutes to 24 hours changed how news is produced and consumed.
Walter Cronkite Versus 24-Hour News
- Jocko contrasts growing up with Walter Cronkite's 15–30 minute news to the later 24-hour model.
- He notes that in 22 minutes you used to know what you needed about the world.
Negativity Sells Attention
- News outlets use dramatic, emotional negative stories because human attention responds to strong stimuli.
- 'If it bleeds, it leads' drives coverage toward chaos and negativity to retain viewers.