(The full transcript of this episode can be found by hitting the ‘Transcript’ tab at the top of this post (but please note it’s AI-generated so accuracy will vary). Welcome to Episode 9 of The Tortoise, the podcast (plodcast!) that digs deep into the possibilities of slow.
I decided recently to delete news apps from my phone. I thought it was only me who thought I had to “be informed” and stay “up to date” at all times!! Hubby watches the news at 6pm and fills me in on anything he thinks I need to know and my anxiety levels have stopped dramatically just by doing this!!!
I hope it's brought you some peace, Alysia! I am always surprised at the reduction in anxiety that comes when I consume less news, and as you say I don't think I'm any less informed than I was previously. If anything, I think I can think more clearly and critically when I'm not completely overwhelmed. (Go figure 😆)
I am in a very similar place Alysia. This week as a bit of an experiment I have not watched any news and I feel so much better. I think deleting apps is the next step!
I just finished listening to Raising Hell, Living Well before listening to this episode and it felt like a very nice segue. As an ex-salesperson (aka. Bullshit artist) I found myself wanting to yell "oh my god YES!" at so much in there and in this episode. The topics covered in both are the things I think and voice when people ask why I deleted all socials and people around me don't really get it or agree with it so it's nice to have these corners of the world where I don't feel crazy 😅
It's great isn't it? Jess has a gold-lated bullshit detector and I love her worldview so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it. And you are definitely not crazy! (Or at least, welcome to the club 😆)
Nov 18, 2023·edited Nov 18, 2023Liked by Brooke McAlary
Hi Brooke. This plodcast really resonated with me, and helped me reflect on my productivity obsession, prompting a positive discussion with my wife. Similar to Ben, I am self employed and WFH. I find it really challenging to wind down and take proper breaks.
I heavily restrict my laptop and phone, blocking apps and websites either completely or at certain times. Had to fully block YouTube and most social media, news and games.
Not only are apps and social media incredibly addictive by design, the tools offered by Apple and Google to reduce your screen time and restrict usage are really ineffective. An app like Freedom is a lifesaver for me, as it allows me to not only restrict my usage and block apps, but also prevent myself from bypassing restrictions and cheating my own rules.
You mentioned using Freedom on your laptop. Have you tried it on your phone too? I don't think most people know these tools exist.
First time I've commented... thank you for all your writing and podcasts, Brooke. I've been reading and listening for about 8 years. I've always loved the hostful eps - thought-provoking, inspiring and relatable. Best wishes - Matthew, UK
Hey Matthew! So glad you enjoyed it and that it prompted conversation in your house too. Ben and I have been talking a lot about it since we recorded that episode and I think, seeing the feedback and the emails I've gotten after this episode was released, there's so many of us feeling similarly. It's got me thinking about future topics and drilling down a bit more into the role that productivity obsession plays in it all. How we might be able to recognise it, step back from it, opt out of it where we can. So many people have expressed to me the fact that our brains just aren't equipped to deal with this much information and as you say, it's all being driven by the tech companies, for no reason other than to keep our eyeballs on their devices/apps. I think a health amount of anger and frustration might just help up make our next move!
I'm so glad you left this comment! And thank you for listening to us all these years!
Brooke and Ben- I struggle with the same thoughts in tech. I work with people with autism. My job has gotten so much harder since iPads/hand held devices have become a thing. I know the impact this tool can have my my Gen X brain, and I can’t imagine what it is doing to any child’s. I see little “addicts” at times (with my friend’s kids too!)
I sit with the discomfort of the tools. While I see so many issues with them, it is allowing me to connect with you a world away (I am in Canada). It allows me to work remotely and help more people. So many good things but I don’t know if they always outweigh the bad.
I would be very interested in your thoughts on AI. I am not liking this to say the least .
Thank you as always for giving me so much to think about and feel less alone with these thoughts.
It's a tricky tightrope to navigate isn't it? I'm like you - I can see the benefits of some of this tech (and they're enormous) and I can see the downsides too. I guess it's like anything, trying to figure out the tools that work for us and navigate the rest of it with care. But I do worry. So so much.
And as for AI, I have *thoughts*. 😆😆 I plan on writing about it next year, but for now let me just say that the new AI tools that are emerging, like ChatGPT etc are infuriating and terrifying and as all of my books (jsut like thousands of other writers) have been stolen to train AI models, I'm pretty mad about it. We're on a potentially slippery slope and I'm not sure what to do about it other than keep creating from the heart - a machine can't do that, no matter how much work it steals. 💚💚
Great episode Brooke and Ben! Thank you! I relate so much with Brooke and have a very similar obsession with 'news'. I too remember creating a huge scrapbook with newspaper and magazine articles about Princess Diana! I also remember being transfixed to the TV following the 9/11 attacks. But, as you mention these were in the days before the smart phone and the instant news which is with us constantly. Currently I am trying to step away from conflicts and extreme weather events around the world which is a challenge.
I have been thinking a lot about why I am like this. Learning about how tech is designed to suck us in as well as how our brains are developed has been an eye opener. Like you said Brooke, we are just not equipped to deal with instant and constant news from distant places. Our culture has evolved far, far quicker than our brains. BUT we were also designed to need to know what was happening around us, especially sensitive people who were able to pick up on dangers - sensing things weren't right. So we're getting all this information and trying to make sense of it and how it might affect our 'clan'.
Thanks for creating discussion and thoughts on how we can try and navigate this global world in a more healthy and kinder way xx
I wonder if there's something in that, Carolyn - growing up at a time when some of those huge global news stories happened. Maybe it imprinted in us some kind of 'high' that we're looking for other stories to emulate? Of course now, we can't escape it, and with everything being immediate and urgent, our brains can't tell the difference between a celebrity scandal and a viral video and a war and a natural disaster.
I think your point about sensitivty is a good one too. I hadn't really tohught a lot about it as being hyper vigilant as a survival mechanism but it makes so much sense and might help me to reframe it a little more positively. Such an interesting thing to ponder, thank you! x
I decided recently to delete news apps from my phone. I thought it was only me who thought I had to “be informed” and stay “up to date” at all times!! Hubby watches the news at 6pm and fills me in on anything he thinks I need to know and my anxiety levels have stopped dramatically just by doing this!!!
I hope it's brought you some peace, Alysia! I am always surprised at the reduction in anxiety that comes when I consume less news, and as you say I don't think I'm any less informed than I was previously. If anything, I think I can think more clearly and critically when I'm not completely overwhelmed. (Go figure 😆)
I am in a very similar place Alysia. This week as a bit of an experiment I have not watched any news and I feel so much better. I think deleting apps is the next step!
I just finished listening to Raising Hell, Living Well before listening to this episode and it felt like a very nice segue. As an ex-salesperson (aka. Bullshit artist) I found myself wanting to yell "oh my god YES!" at so much in there and in this episode. The topics covered in both are the things I think and voice when people ask why I deleted all socials and people around me don't really get it or agree with it so it's nice to have these corners of the world where I don't feel crazy 😅
It's great isn't it? Jess has a gold-lated bullshit detector and I love her worldview so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it. And you are definitely not crazy! (Or at least, welcome to the club 😆)
Hi Brooke. This plodcast really resonated with me, and helped me reflect on my productivity obsession, prompting a positive discussion with my wife. Similar to Ben, I am self employed and WFH. I find it really challenging to wind down and take proper breaks.
I heavily restrict my laptop and phone, blocking apps and websites either completely or at certain times. Had to fully block YouTube and most social media, news and games.
Not only are apps and social media incredibly addictive by design, the tools offered by Apple and Google to reduce your screen time and restrict usage are really ineffective. An app like Freedom is a lifesaver for me, as it allows me to not only restrict my usage and block apps, but also prevent myself from bypassing restrictions and cheating my own rules.
You mentioned using Freedom on your laptop. Have you tried it on your phone too? I don't think most people know these tools exist.
First time I've commented... thank you for all your writing and podcasts, Brooke. I've been reading and listening for about 8 years. I've always loved the hostful eps - thought-provoking, inspiring and relatable. Best wishes - Matthew, UK
Hey Matthew! So glad you enjoyed it and that it prompted conversation in your house too. Ben and I have been talking a lot about it since we recorded that episode and I think, seeing the feedback and the emails I've gotten after this episode was released, there's so many of us feeling similarly. It's got me thinking about future topics and drilling down a bit more into the role that productivity obsession plays in it all. How we might be able to recognise it, step back from it, opt out of it where we can. So many people have expressed to me the fact that our brains just aren't equipped to deal with this much information and as you say, it's all being driven by the tech companies, for no reason other than to keep our eyeballs on their devices/apps. I think a health amount of anger and frustration might just help up make our next move!
I'm so glad you left this comment! And thank you for listening to us all these years!
Brooke and Ben- I struggle with the same thoughts in tech. I work with people with autism. My job has gotten so much harder since iPads/hand held devices have become a thing. I know the impact this tool can have my my Gen X brain, and I can’t imagine what it is doing to any child’s. I see little “addicts” at times (with my friend’s kids too!)
I sit with the discomfort of the tools. While I see so many issues with them, it is allowing me to connect with you a world away (I am in Canada). It allows me to work remotely and help more people. So many good things but I don’t know if they always outweigh the bad.
I would be very interested in your thoughts on AI. I am not liking this to say the least .
Thank you as always for giving me so much to think about and feel less alone with these thoughts.
It's a tricky tightrope to navigate isn't it? I'm like you - I can see the benefits of some of this tech (and they're enormous) and I can see the downsides too. I guess it's like anything, trying to figure out the tools that work for us and navigate the rest of it with care. But I do worry. So so much.
And as for AI, I have *thoughts*. 😆😆 I plan on writing about it next year, but for now let me just say that the new AI tools that are emerging, like ChatGPT etc are infuriating and terrifying and as all of my books (jsut like thousands of other writers) have been stolen to train AI models, I'm pretty mad about it. We're on a potentially slippery slope and I'm not sure what to do about it other than keep creating from the heart - a machine can't do that, no matter how much work it steals. 💚💚
Great episode Brooke and Ben! Thank you! I relate so much with Brooke and have a very similar obsession with 'news'. I too remember creating a huge scrapbook with newspaper and magazine articles about Princess Diana! I also remember being transfixed to the TV following the 9/11 attacks. But, as you mention these were in the days before the smart phone and the instant news which is with us constantly. Currently I am trying to step away from conflicts and extreme weather events around the world which is a challenge.
I have been thinking a lot about why I am like this. Learning about how tech is designed to suck us in as well as how our brains are developed has been an eye opener. Like you said Brooke, we are just not equipped to deal with instant and constant news from distant places. Our culture has evolved far, far quicker than our brains. BUT we were also designed to need to know what was happening around us, especially sensitive people who were able to pick up on dangers - sensing things weren't right. So we're getting all this information and trying to make sense of it and how it might affect our 'clan'.
Thanks for creating discussion and thoughts on how we can try and navigate this global world in a more healthy and kinder way xx
I wonder if there's something in that, Carolyn - growing up at a time when some of those huge global news stories happened. Maybe it imprinted in us some kind of 'high' that we're looking for other stories to emulate? Of course now, we can't escape it, and with everything being immediate and urgent, our brains can't tell the difference between a celebrity scandal and a viral video and a war and a natural disaster.
I think your point about sensitivty is a good one too. I hadn't really tohught a lot about it as being hyper vigilant as a survival mechanism but it makes so much sense and might help me to reframe it a little more positively. Such an interesting thing to ponder, thank you! x
OMG, found myself mindlessly scrolling while I was listening to you two. 😳 Arghhhhh
😆 It's easy to do!! (Those damn tech companies and their addictive apps.)
So many thoughts!! Thanks, I listened to this and thought it tied in nicely https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/this-jungian-life/id1376929139?i=1000634237239, a broader view of the seductiveness of social media
Ooh, that looks interesting! Thanks for sharing Jojo. I'll try to take a listen over the weekend 💚
Another reference in today's episode is this book - The Way Home: Tales from a life without technology by Mark Boyle find out more here - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/42515426
Thank you, my love. I'll update the notes 💚💚