The Internet can still be a magical place—a place to be surprised, a place of wonder. However, what matters more than ever is our intent to use these tools. (Without guardrails, they begin to use us.)
If we go there to confirm our bias, we will find it. If we want to be entertained or to escape, we can do that too. But when we are open to learning, we can still be surprised to discover how much is out there ready to be consumed by the attentive student.
Three pieces worth checking out:
Seth Godin’s Blog: “Be yourself”
The Ezra Klein Show: “Our kids are the least flourishing generation we know.”
Cory Doctorow: Schismogenesis
I think about the amount of friction we have reduced in our lives. Much of it in a good way. (Soon, there won’t be a need to fill out TPS reports, and AI will take care of it.) But when we seek to remove friction in relationships, we will create a world that pushes further into isolation. The path forward isn’t one click away, but the “road less traveled” is full of surprises and inconveniences. Not because it is easy. But precisely, that is what makes us better humans.
Josh Allred's Blog 