Hello Familia - Welcome to Vol. 11 of Move Fast, Think Slow. May this note find you well. Or at least in pursuit of trying to be well. And by being well I mean finding some sense of solace or peace. Or at least trying to. This is always easier said and hard to do. But it is in the pursuit where we can find the magic of life.
This week’s Move Fast, Think Slow is focused on a few cultural pro-tips. Some of these are editorial and ripe for deep thoughts. Others are more fun and illuminating.
Two Smart Reads: What is technology doing to us?
Before one can fix an issue, one must identify what that issue is. Any psychologist working with a patient will say this. Any smart business consultant trying to help you find the leak in your business will say this. We have to understand and know the exact thing we are fixing so we can focus on the bullseye that gets us towards better. On a personal level better it can mean balanced positivity if that’s achievable. On an organizational level better can mean larger profit margins, less waste, and happier employees. On a societal level, it can mean more prosperity and happiness for humans.
This is why two pieces from the Atlantic (Derek Thompson's Why American Teens Are So Sad by Derek Thompson and Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid by Jonathan Haidt are sobering yet insightful reads. They clearly diagnose issues stemming from or relating to technology. While hard to digest in their honesty I found them to be clarifying. Both articles are well written and have strong research to support them. They also reminded me of Mary Aiken PhD book Cybereffect. The book calls out the real-life consequences of technology. Mary summed it up well.
Cyberspace is a breeding ground for mutations. Real-world behavior migrates there and escaltes or accelerates. This can sometimes have serious implications in the real world.
How do we regulate these mutations? From a global organizational level that’s beyond my grasp. Haidt has good thoughts here. But on a smaller group and personal level, I go to self-protection and self-preservation. Be careful of that screen time my family. Too much of it is not a good thing. Don’t take my word for it. Tim Cook doesn’t let his nephew use social media and Bill Gates banned cellphone use for his kids when they were teens. Think they knew a thing or two about the limitations of too much screen time and uncontrollable information feeds.
These clarifications on what technology has done to me and us are why I am trying to talk to strangers more. To connect with people in ways I haven’t done in my life. Say hello. Make a joke. Crack a smile. Practicing kindness. Being patient in understanding who people are. Instead of just scrolling and looking at a blue light that’s never going to change my life in any meaningful way. Those are just a few things I’m doing in practice. Maybe it helps. Maybe it doesn’t. All I know is that something has got to change.
Best Film Ever: Everything Everywhere All at Once
A friend took me to see this film on a Friday. I laughed. I cried. My eyes went wide. And a week later I took my wife back to the theater to go see it. That’s right, the theater. (GO SEE THIS IN THE THEATER!!)
Michelle Yeoh is a force of nature. The Directors are brilliant. Ke Huay Quan is a legend that is making a legendary comeback. And Stephanie Hsu is simply outstanding. Beyond these and other amazing performances (Jamie Lee Cutis, James Hong) this film is an amazing story told in a spectacular fashion. It’s delightful, spellbinding, and a beautiful message on what really matters in this life. I left the theater jolted and grateful. I left changed forever in ways I am grateful for. Big hat tip to the Daniels, A24, and the wonderful crew of creative collaborators who brought this story home. It’s a triumph.
Photos of the week
Saul Leiter was a legendary NYC street photographer who crushed it . And simply put I think he’s a genius. As Martin Harrison put it “[For] Leiter the camera provided an alternate way of seeing, of framing events and interpreting reality. He sought out moments of quiet humanity in the Manhattan maelstrom, forging a unique urban pastoral from the most unlikely of circumstances."
Not only was Mr. Leiter a wonderful photography artist, capturing these unique moments in unique ways. His imagery has a way of transporting you to some other forgotten time.
Go forth. Be kind. Have a great weekend!