Acute Notification Withdrawal, And Other Signs I Need To Move To A Commune In The Woods... Yesterday
Friends! How’s your week going so far? Did you remember to eat breakfast? What’s one thing you’re grateful for? What’s one thing you’re looking forward to today? You’ve got this!
Last night, I attended a Long Now Foundation salon on the importance of taking at least one day a week off, and that includes no screens and/or distracting technology. An organization dedicated to long-term thinking, the Long Now has an amazing bar in Fort Mason called The Interval (with a fantastic mocktail menu, btw!) where they host salon-style talks, and last night’s featured Tiffany Shlain, a filmmaker and founder of the Webby Awards, who recently published a book called 24/6: The Power Of Unplugging One Day A Week. Combining personal stories and experience with neurology, psychology and statistics, Shlain walked us through the existential impact constant screen time has on our relationships, well-being and society. At one point, she asked everyone in the audience to turn off their phones and I observed more than one slightly-panicked look around to see if folks were actually doing it. But it absolutely helped me to be present when I wasn't approaching being an audience member from the perspective of which soundbites would make good live-tweeting. I’m a huge proponent of a day of rest but I’ve gotten out of the habit as of late, so I’m looking forward to reading this book, especially since one of my 2020 intentions is to create more. And I need my brain for that. Thank you dear friend Tre for inviting me.
Hey! Here’s some internet stuff!
Seems it is “highly likely” that in 2018, Jeff Bezos’s phone was hacked by the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Nine months later, the National Enquirer published a story about Bezos’s private life—with text message images. And the UN has stepped in and called for an “immediate investigation”.
GM debuted a driverless vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals and they are trying not to call it a car. We’re in the future, folks, and it looks like a shiny metal storage ottoman.
And speaking of the future, Judd Legum is reporting that “Facebook is allowing a major pro-Trump Super PAC, the Committee to Defend the President, to run ads with lies.” A reminder: 2020 is going to be super rough, folks, and you do not have to follow
Hey there! You’re great! Be kind to each other, and to yourselves.
xoxo Amy