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#644: Jonathan Haidt — The Coddling of the American Mind, How to Become Intellectually Antifragile, and How to Lose Anger by Studying Morality

The Tim Ferriss Show

INSIGHT

The Fall of the Tower of Babel

  • Complex systems, like the weather or the economy, are inherently unpredictable, and applying simple mechanical understandings to them is insufficient.
  • Social media shifted from connecting people to prioritizing performance and virality around 2009 with the introduction of features like the Like and Retweet buttons.
  • This shift transformed social media into a platform for public performance, incentivizing users to seek fame and prestige through provocative content.
  • The introduction of threaded comments on platforms like Facebook in 2014 amplified conflict, fostering an environment akin to a barroom brawl where everyone is fighting everyone.
  • These changes have contributed to a post-Babel world characterized by a lack of shared understanding and collapsing institutions, impacting democracy and universities.
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