Four insights into consciousness from Michael Pollan’s "A World Appears."
Tag: communication
Why Does Rage Bait Work?
No one wants to be mad all the time. So why does social media constantly tempt us with rage bait? And why do we consistently bite?
The Struggle to Write Is the Struggle to Think
Ask most people to define “writing,” and they’ll tell you it’s the process of putting words down on paper, communicating what you already know. In reality, writing is often how you discover what you don’t know—and so how you learn to think better.
Will AI Break the Spell of TV?
The implicit promise of TV has always been something like this: I will show you the world beyond. My screen will function as a window onto distant events and places. AI-generated video obliterates this promise--and could change how we think about the scenes on our screens.
Why ChatGPT Cheats at Chess—And Why that May Be Super Important for the Future of AI
Turns out being long on language but short on world models could be a big problem.
The Freedom to Speak: An Interview with John Stuart Mill
Nearly 20 years ago, I tackled one of democracy's hardest questions by "interviewing" John Stuart Mill. Here's what he told me about free speech.
Our Era Is Not “Post-Truth,” It’s “Loyalty-First”
In the history of truth, questions of loyalty came before questions of accuracy. In our current cultural moment, questions of loyalty seem to be ascending again, with some potentially dire consequences.
What They Hear Matters More Than What You Say
Unless you’re writing purely for self-expressive purposes, your reader’s interpretation of what you’re saying matters more than your own.
What I Learned When Dad Was Dying
Paying attention to what matters most is harder than ever—and just as important as it always has been.
Read Closely, Listen Actively, Lead Wisely
Do whatever it takes to let yourself fully engage—to read and think and write back. The right people will love you for it.
