Kevin Kelly's Futuristic Wisdom: Kevin Kelly, a renowned maverick, compiled a list of 68 unsolicited advice and predicted 12 technological forces that would shape our future. His futuristic ideas are shaped into books and need to be plausible to be useful.
Kevin Kelly, the senior maverick at Wired magazine, is known for his wisdom and his futuristic approach. He compiled a list of 68 bits of unsolicited advice on his website, which went viral. Kelly's advice was something he wrote on his 68th birthday for his son but decided to share it with the world. He is often called a futurist, but he doesn't use that word for himself. In his book The Inevitable, Kelly talks about the 12 technological forces that will shape our future, and most of his ideas are packaged as books. He spends a lot of time thinking about the future, which may seem unbelievable, but to be useful, it has to be plausible.
Kevin Kelly's Unsolicited Advice for a Better Life: Enthusiasm is a key trait for success in life and should be prioritized over sheer intelligence. Kelly's advice emphasizes originality and plausibility to create a positive impact.
Kevin Kelly's 68 pieces of unsolicited advice contain little wisdom bombs that are applicable to people of any age and can help improve self-awareness. Kelly emphasizes the value of originality and plausibility when giving advice, making sure that it is both useful and not reckless. While some advice, such as not trusting all-purpose glue, comes from his experience as a tinkerer, the majority is about human interaction. Kelly stresses the importance of enthusiasm, which can increase improvisation and empathy, and values it over sheer intelligence. Enthusiasm is a valuable trait that can make a person more likable and help them succeed, whether in journalism or any other field.
The Power of Enthusiasm and the Complexity of Intelligence: Enthusiasm can fuel progress, and intelligence cannot be ranked on a single dimension. Our understanding of cognition is constantly expanding, and there is a unique value in human thought processes that cannot be replicated.
Being an enthusiast is more dignified than being called an amateur. Enthusiasts are obsessively interested, making things happen and often the foundation of new big things. The idea of ranking intelligence on a single dimension from mouse to Einstein to A.I. is ridiculous. Intelligence is a multidimensional thing made up of at least 12 to 100 different types of cognition, making it a very complex and complicated process that cannot be ranked on a ladder. As we make more artificially intelligent beings, we'll begin to populate and explore the space of possible thinking, and that humans are just at the edge of it. The mix of human cognition is un-replicable, and the substrate we use to make thinking matters.
Developing Unique Ways of Thinking for Artificial Minds: Creating diversity in problem-solving approaches can unlock great value. Criticism should be treated as signals, analyzed for underlying intent, and used to improve arguments. Aim to gracefully recover from mistakes.
When it comes to creating artificial minds, the aim is to develop unique ways of thinking that differ from humans. There is no need to replicate human cognition, as this can easily be achieved through untrained labor. By creating 1,000 different species of thinking, each with their own approach to problem-solving, tremendous value can be unlocked. With the proliferation of offensive discourse in our society, individuals can learn how to learn from those who disagree with them or even offend them. Instead of treating criticism as insults, treat them as signals. Respond to the criticism by analyzing its underlying intent and finding a sliver of truth that can improve your argument. The ultimate goal is to become a pro by gracefully recovering from mistakes, just like in golf.
The Power of Mindset and Listening in Professional Recovery and Communication: Professionals with a resilient mindset and strong listening skills can excel in recovery from mistakes and building relationships through effective communication. Practice curiosity, empathy, and patience in conversations for best results.
Professionals have a bigger toolkit to recover from mistakes due to their experience, but mindset plays a crucial role in recovery. They see setbacks as part of the journey and expect them to happen. Successful entrepreneurs adapt this mindset for large scale challenges. Listening well is a superpower that requires asking, 'Is there more?' to get to the real reason behind someone's words. A rule of three in conversation helps to uncover the truth. As a listener, the author has learned that being curious, empathetic, and patient are crucial for effective communication and building relationships.
Kelly's Advice on Effective Communication and Workplace Napping: Listening without judgment and probing deeper can improve communication. Power napping boosts productivity and mental health. Overcoming workplace stigmas around napping can lead to a more productive workforce.
Kelly emphasizes the importance of probing for deeper answers when communicating with others. She advises that listening without judgment is crucial for effective communication. Additionally, she recommends taking a 20-minute power nap to increase productivity without embarrassment. Kelly suggests that although napping is stigmatized in some corporate environments, research shows that it is beneficial for physical and mental health. She suggests starting a movement to empower individuals to take power naps in the workplace. Kelly also notes that it is common in Taiwan to take power naps, indicating that cultural attitudes towards napping may differ depending on location.
Embracing the Culture of Napping at Work to Boost Productivity: Taking naps at work can be beneficial for productivity and creativity. Nap rooms can create a cultural shift towards acceptance of napping. Better technology can solve problems caused by technology and the internet's gains exceed losses.
Kevin Kelly suggests that embracing the culture of taking naps at work can lead to increased productivity and creativity. The idea of napping during work hours may seem undignified and unprofessional to some, but the implementation of nap rooms in offices, like in Silicon Valley, can create a cultural shift to make napping acceptable and even encouraged. Kelly believes that the idea of technology being a pain in the neck is a result of attention being captured by losses rather than gains. He highlights the need for better technology to solve problems created by technology, and that the net gains of the internet exceed losses, making him optimistic about where we’re going from here.
The Dual Nature of Technology: Problem and Solution: Technology can both create new challenges and provide answers to existing problems facing society. It's important to embrace new technology, tame and domesticate it to improve it, and ultimately use it to solve the problems we create.
The key takeaway from this section is that technology is both the problem and the solution to the issues facing society, such as phone addiction and surveillance. While it may create new problems, it is also important to embrace new technology and find ways to civilize, tame, and domesticate it to make it better. To be an optimist, one must imagine improving our capacity to solve the problems we create. However, optimism is not solely a result of material comfort, but rather a cause of it. History shows that the vision of builders and makers ultimately triumphs over those who resist progress. Technology has played a crucial role in helping society during the pandemic, but also highlights areas where we need to improve and expand technology to better handle future crises.
The Importance of Imagination and Scientific Consensus in Biotechnology: Balancing imagination and scientific consensus is vital for innovation in biotechnology. Challenging conventional wisdom is important, but it must be balanced with collective knowledge and a willingness to challenge groupthink for progress.
Biotechnology operates at a different speed than digital technology, and we must acknowledge and work within that constraint. The power of imagination is critical to innovation, but we must balance this with the reality of scientific consensus. While it is important to challenge conventional wisdom, we must also recognize the value of the collective knowledge that underpins it. As individuals, we must be willing to challenge the groupthink mentality that can stifle new ideas and innovation. Ultimately, it is the interplay between imagination, scientific rigor, and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom that will drive progress in the world of biotechnology and beyond.
Rejecting Conspiracy Theories and Embracing Pronoia: Instead of focusing on negative beliefs, choose to have faith in the goodness of the universe and embrace empathy and diversity. This mindset aligns with the speaker's Christian beliefs and can lead to a better understanding of the world around us.
We often have to accept things on faith and consensus, but we should reject conspiracy theories and the belief in a 'them' trying to harm us. Instead, we should embrace 'pronoia' - the belief that the universe is conspiring to help us. This bias towards goodness, diversity, and empathy is visible in the history of the universe. Despite starting from different places, we can all move towards this direction, which is in line with my religious orientation as a devout Christian who follows a universal and cosmic Christ.
The Role of Empathy in Moral Progress and Our Concept of Humanity: Empathy plays a crucial role in our understanding of others and can lead to positive change. As we broaden our empathy to include different states, species, and even machines, we continue to redefine what it means to be human.
Our sense of empathy and ability to understand others is a crucial aspect of moral progress and good behavior, which is integral to our constantly evolving concept of humanity. As we continue to broaden our empathy from family to different states and even other species, we have the potential to create positive change and improve the world we live in. Our ability to surprise God with our curiosity and understanding of the world around us is an important part of our religious duty. With the advent of artificial intelligence, we could also expand our empathy to include machines and continually redefine what it means to be human. Ultimately, the question of who we want to be and what kind of humanity we want to create remains a difficult but essential one to answer.
419. 68 Ways to Be Better at Life
Kevin Kelly discusses why enthusiasm beats intelligence for innovation and shares tips on truly active listening to grasp complex solutions to everyday problems.
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609. What Does It Take to Run a Cannabis Farm?
Chris Weld worked for years in emergency rooms, then ditched that career and bought an old farm in Massachusetts. He set up a distillery and started making prize-winning spirits. When cannabis was legalized, he jumped into that too — and the first few years were lucrative. But now? It turns out that growing, processing, and selling weed is more complicated than it looks. He gave us the grand tour. (Part three of a four-part series.)
- SOURCES:
- Chris Bennett, operations manager at Berkshire Mountain Distillers.
- Luca Boldrini, head of cultivation at The Pass.
- Yasmin Hurd, director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai.
- Chris Weld, founder and owner of Berkshire Mountain Distillers.
- RESOURCES:
- "As America’s Marijuana Use Grows, So Do the Harms," by Megan Twohey, Danielle Ivory, and Carson Kessler (The New York Times, 2024).
- "Evaluation of Dispensaries’ Cannabis Flowers for Accuracy of Labeling of Cannabinoids Content," by Mona M. Geweda, Chandrani G. Majumdar, Mahmoud A. ElSohly, et al. (Journal of Cannabis Research, 2024).
- "The Complicated, Risky — but Potentially Lucrative — Business of Selling Cannabis," by James R. Hagerty (The Wall Street Journal, 2023).
- "Marijuana Content Labels Can’t Be Trusted," by Shira Schoenberg (CommonWealth Beacon, 2022).
- "Growing Cannabis Indoors Produces a Lot of Greenhouse Gases — Just How Much Depends on Where It’s Grown," by Jason Quinn and Hailey Summers (The Conversation, 2021).
- "Blood and Urinary Metal Levels Among Exclusive Marijuana Users in NHANES (2005-2018)," by Katlyn E. McGraw, Anne E, Nigra, Tiffany R. Sanchez, et al. (Environmental Health Perspectives, 2018).
- "The Carbon Footprint of Indoor Cannabis Production," by Evan Mills (Energy Policy, 2012).
- EXTRAS:
- "Cannabis Is Booming, So Why Isn’t Anyone Getting Rich?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
- "Is America Switching From Booze to Weed?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
Abortion and Crime, Revisited (Update)
With abortion on the Nov. 5 ballot, we look back at Steve Levitt’s controversial research about an unintended consequence of Roe v. Wade.
- SOURCES:
- John Donohue, professor of law at Stanford Law School.
- Steve Levitt, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Chicago and host of People I (Mostly) Admire.
- Jessica Wolpaw Reyes, professor of economics at Amherst College.
- RESOURCES:
- “The Impact of Legalized Abortion on Crime Over the Last Two Decades,” by John J. Donohue and Steven D. Levitt (The National Bureau of Economic Research, 2019).
- “The Demise of the Death Penalty in Connecticut,” by John J. Donohue (Stanford Law School Legal Aggregate, 2016).
- “Environmental Policy as Social Policy? The Impact of Childhood Lead Exposure on Crime,” by Jessica Wolpaw Reyes (The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 2007).
- “The Impact of Legalized Abortion on Crime,” by John J. Donohue and Steven D. Levitt (The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2001).
- “State Abortion Rates: The Impact of Policies, Providers, Politics, Demographics, and Economic Environment,” by Rebecca M. Blank, Christine C. George, and Rebecca A. London (The National Bureau of Economic Research, 1994).
- EXTRAS:
- "John Donohue: 'I’m Frequently Called a Treasonous Enemy of the Constitution,'" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021).
608. Cannabis Is Booming, So Why Isn’t Anyone Getting Rich?
There are a lot of reasons, including heavy regulations, high taxes, and competition from illegal weed shops. Most operators are losing money and waiting for Washington to get out of the way. In the meantime, it’s not that easy being green. (Part two of a four-part series.)
- SOURCES:
- Jon Caulkins, professor of operations research and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University.
- Adam Goers, senior vice president of The Cannabist Company and chairperson of the Coalition for Cannabis Scheduling Reform.
- Precious Osagie-Erese, founder and C.E.O. of Precious Canna Co.
- Nikesh Patel, C.E.O. of Mammoth Distribution.
- Nikesh Patel, director of the San Francisco Office of Cannabis.
- Tom Standage, deputy editor of The Economist.
- RESOURCES:
- "Most Americans Favor Legalizing Marijuana for Medical, Recreational Use," (Pew Research Center, 2024).
- "Whitney Economics U.S. Legal Cannabis Forecast - 2024 - 2035," by Beau Whitney (Whitney Economics, 2024).
- "Beer Sellers Use a Loophole to Break Into Weed Drinks Market," by Redd Brown (Bloomberg, 2024).
- "Cannabis Producer Seeks Boston Beer Merger," by Lauren Thomas (The Wall Street Journal, 2024).
- "California's 'Apple Store of Weed' Declares Bankruptcy With $410M in Debt," by Lester Black (SFGate, 2024).
- "Is the State Democratic Chair Influencing Who Can Sell Legal Weed in this N.J. City?" by Jelani Gibson (NJ.com, 2023).
- "When Prohibition Works: Comparing Fireworks and Cannabis Regulations, Markets, and Harms," by Jonathan P. Caulkins and Kristina Vaia Reimer (International Journal of Drug Policy, 2023).
- "Did Minnesota Accidentally Legalize Weed?" by Paul Demko (Politico, 2022).
- EXTRAS:
- "Is America Switching From Booze to Weed?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
- "The Economics of Sports Gambling," by Freakonomics Radio (2019).
607. Is America Switching From Booze to Weed?
We have always been a nation of drinkers — but now there are more daily users of cannabis than alcohol. Considering alcohol’s harms, maybe that’s a good thing. But some people worry that the legalization of cannabis has outpaced the research. (Part one of a four-part series.)
- SOURCES:
- Jon Caulkins, professor of operations research and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University.
- Yasmin Hurd, director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai.
- Michael Siegel, professor of public health and community medicine at Tufts University.
- Tom Standage, deputy editor of The Economist.
- Ryan Stoa, associate professor of law at Louisiana State University.
- RESOURCES:
- "Cannabis Tops Alcohol as Americans’ Daily Drug of Choice," by Christina Caron (The New York Times, 2024).
- "Deaths from Excessive Alcohol Use — United States, 2016–2021," by Marissa B. Esser, Adam Sherk, Yong Liu, and Timothy S. Naimi (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2024).
- "Nixon Started the War on Drugs. Privately, He Said Pot Was ‘Not Particularly Dangerous,'" by Ernesto Londoño (The New York Times, 2024).
- "A Brief Global History of the War on Cannabis," by Ryan Stoa (The MIT Press Reader, 2020).
- Craft Weed: Family Farming and the Future of the Marijuana Industry, by Ryan Stoa (2018).
- "How the Sugar Industry Shifted Blame to Fat," by Anahad O’Connor (The New York Times, 2016).
- "The Perils of Ignoring History: Big Tobacco Played Dirty and Millions Died. How Similar Is Big Food?" by Kelly D. Brownell and Kenneth E. Warner (The Milbank Quarterly, 2009).
- A History Of The World In Six Glasses, by Tom Standage (2005).
- "Cancer and Coronary Artery Disease Among Seventh-Day Adventists," by E. L. Wynder, F. R. Lemon, and I. J. Bross (Cancer, 1959).
- EXTRAS:
- "Why Is the Opioid Epidemic Still Raging?" series by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
- "Daron Acemoglu on Economics, Politics, and Power," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024).
- "Let’s Be Blunt: Marijuana Is a Boon for Older Workers," by Freakonomics Radio (2021).
- "What’s More Dangerous: Marijuana or Alcohol?" by Freakonomics Radio (2014).
606. How to Predict the Presidency
Are betting markets more accurate than polls? What kind of chaos would a second Trump term bring? And is U.S. democracy really in danger, or just “sputtering on”? (Part two of a two-part series.)
- SOURCES:
- Eric Posner, professor of law at the University of Chicago Law School.
- Koleman Strumpf, professor of economics at Wake Forest University.
- RESOURCES:
- "A Trump Dictatorship Won’t Happen," by Eric Posner (Project Syndicate, 2023).
- The Demagogue's Playbook: The Battle for American Democracy from the Founders to Trump, by Eric Posner (2020).
- "The Long History of Political Betting Markets: An International Perspective," by Paul W. Rhode and Koleman Strumpf (The Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Gambling, 2013).
- "Manipulating Political Stock Markets: A Field Experiment and a Century of Observational Data," by Paul W. Rhode and Koleman S. Strumpf (Working Paper, 2007).
- "Historical Presidential Betting Markets," by Paul W. Rhode and Koleman S. Strumpf (Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2004).
- EXTRAS:
- "Has the U.S. Presidency Become a Dictatorship? (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
- “Does the President Matter as Much as You Think?” by Freakonomics Radio (2020).
- "How Much Does the President Really Matter?" by Freakonomics Radio (2010).
Has the U.S. Presidency Become a Dictatorship? (Update)
605. What Do People Do All Day?
EXTRA: Roland Fryer Refuses to Lie to Black America (Update)
604. Did the N.F.L. Solve Diversity Hiring? (Part 2)
603. Did the N.F.L. Solve Diversity Hiring? (Part 1)
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Chuck Wisner - Conscious Conversations: The Key to Deepening Relationships & Fostering Understanding | STM Podcast #168
On episode 168, we welcome Chuck Wisner to discuss the importance of conscious conversations in building deeper connections and understanding between people, the role of active listening in conscious conversations, how it can transform our relationships and interactions, strategies for cultivating empathy and compassion during conversations, why these qualities are essential for effective communication, how ego and internal storytelling disrupt relationships, how practicing mindfulness can improve our ability to communicate with others, the ways in which conscious conversations can be used to address difficult topics, examples of conscious conversations in action, creativity from collaboration and why it shouldn’t matter who gets credit, practical tips and exercises for developing the skills and habits needed for conscious conversations, how readers can apply these strategies in their daily lives, and what Chuck learned from meeting the Dalai Lama.
Chuck Wisner is president of Wisner Consulting. His client list includes companies such as Google, Rivian, Apple, Tesla, Harvard Business School, Ford, and Chrysler. Wisner was a senior affiliated mediator with the Harvard Mediation Program and was among the first to be certified through the Mastering the Art of Professional Coaching program at the Newfield Institute. He was also a specialist in organizational learning and leadership as an affiliate with MIT’s Center for Organizational Learning. His new book, available now, is called The Art of Conscious Conversations: Transforming How We Talk, Listen, and Interact.
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