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#124 Douglas Rushkoff: The Perils of Modern Media

Nov 16, 2021 1h 7m 23 insights
Douglas Rushkoff is obsessed with technology and how it impacts our lives. In this interview, he offers insight into how we shape and are shaped by technology, what’s happening with mainstream media, and some tips on remaining sane online.   Rushkoff is an author, professor, and documentarian who focuses on the ways people, culture, and institutions create, share and influence each other's values. He is the author of 17 books including the 2019 release Team Human, and he is a Professor of Media Theory and Digital Economics at CUNY/Queens.   -- Go Premium: Members get early access, ad-free episodes, hand-edited transcripts, searchable transcripts, member-only episodes, and more. Sign up at: https://fs.blog/membership/   Every Sunday our newsletter shares timeless insights and ideas that you can use at work and home. Add it to your inbox: https://fs.blog/newsletter/   Follow Shane on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/ShaneAParrish
Actionable Insights

1. Engage Locally, Help Neighbors

Redirect time spent on national debates to actively helping neighbors and engaging locally within your community. This approach can alleviate pressure on central governments, foster community resilience, and create more sustainable local support networks.

2. Distinguish Media Use

For information, consult “real media” (e.g., television, newspapers, press conferences) rather than social media. Reserve social media for “play” and socializing, as it was originally intended for such interactions.

3. Connect Through Universal Desires

Recognize that all people share fundamental desires for love, respect, to be listened to, and to contribute to something larger than themselves. By offering these to others, you can connect on a deeper human level, transcending political or other differences.

4. Simply Be Nice

Focus on the fundamental principle of simply being nice to others in your interactions. This basic act of kindness can serve as a core guide for behavior, transcending complex rules or doctrines.

5. Cultivate Resilience & Wonder

Instead of seeking predictability, actively work to enhance your resilience, sense of wonder, and capacity to tolerate and process a wide range of novel experiences. This approach makes life more engaging and enjoyable.

6. Avoid Life Auto-Tuning

Resist the urge to excessively optimize or “auto-tune” every aspect of your life and experiences. Over-quantifying and perfecting can remove the unique, human “soul” and signal from your existence.

7. Increase Self-Sufficiency

Aim to become less dependent on central government, national news, and large-scale systems, and instead cultivate greater self-sufficiency. This shift promotes sustainability, resilience, and reduces brittleness in personal and community life.

8. Take a Tech Sabbath

Implement a “Sabbath” by dedicating a day to unplug from digital technologies. This practice can help mitigate the issues arising from constant digital engagement, as technology itself may not be the solution to its own problems.

9. Be Present in Experiences

Strive to appreciate experiences for their own sake and be fully present in them, rather than constantly reporting on them or consuming reports from others. Engaging in reporting or reading about events means you are not truly experiencing them firsthand.

10. Establish Personal Boundaries

Develop and enforce clear personal boundaries, particularly if you are in a public-facing role or active online. If you do not establish these limits, others are unlikely to do so for you, leading to potential overwhelm.

11. Prioritize Well-being Over Engagement

Disengage from online interactions that cause physical discomfort, disrupt sleep, or hinder productivity, as these activities negatively impact your metabolism, psyche, and overall well-being. Prioritize your health over constant online engagement.

12. Release Universal Obligation

Shift your mindset to understand that you are not obligated to give everything to everyone at all times. This helps in managing feelings of responsibility and setting appropriate boundaries.

13. Prioritize Considered Responses

Recognize that you are not obligated to react immediately to every situation or stimulus. A thoughtful, considered response is often more effective and beneficial than an impulsive, immediate reaction.

14. Stop Second-Guessing Choices

After making a choice, commit to it and cease second-guessing or revisiting the decision process. This prevents wasting time and energy on re-evaluating things that ultimately do not matter.

15. Consciously Breathe Under Stress

When under stress, consciously remember to breathe deeply, as stress often leads to shallow breathing or holding your breath. Deliberate breathing can help alleviate the physiological and psychological impacts of stress.

16. Fuel Before Email

Prioritize consuming food and drink before engaging with emails, especially those that might be stressful. This provides your body with necessary buffers to help absorb and mitigate the physiological stress response.

17. Reduce Email Obligation

Work to break the habit of feeling obligated to respond to every email, particularly when dealing with high volumes. This helps manage overwhelm and reduces feelings of guilt associated with unanswered messages.

18. Limit National News Consumption

Acknowledge that most individuals do not need to be deeply informed about every complex national or international political issue. These matters often operate at a scale beyond personal influence, and individual opinions may not significantly impact outcomes.

19. Be Wary of Social Media Intent

Understand that a significant portion of interactions and responses on social media platforms may be intended to harm, undermine your autonomy, or distort your perception of reality. Maintaining this awareness is crucial for self-protection.

20. Limit Social Media Engagement

Restrict your social media activity, such as on Twitter, to primarily posting links to your own content rather than engaging in conversations. This practice helps avoid negative interactions and protects your well-being.

21. Filter Your Own Expression

Actively filter and moderate your own expressions and contributions to online platforms. Just because you have the ability to post or write, it doesn’t mean every thought or piece of information should be shared.

22. Uphold Factual Integrity

If you aim to represent factual, evidence-based reality, it is crucial to adhere strictly to it without misrepresentation or sensationalism. Compromising factual integrity, even slightly, can erode trust and empower those who spread misinformation.

23. Use Appropriate Communication Channels

If you possess a legitimate platform (e.g., as an elected official or established professional), utilize traditional media channels for official communications. Social media is primarily for those without such platforms, and using it for official policy can undermine authority.