Times Are Changing

Welcome to the 36 new readers who have joined us since last week! If you haven’t subscribed, join 2100+ smart, curious folks by subscribing here:

Also if you’re NYC-based, I’m hosting my next Kanso phone-free event TODAY. Have a few spots left for last-minute sign-ups!

As this newsletter grows, I’m excited to experiment more with content formats and topics. So today is gonna be a little different.

Nonfiction writing is in the middle of a painful evolution. Facts, summaries, and even baseline critical thought are now table stakes—LLMs already have those covered, and they’re only getting better.

What they don’t have (yet)? Taste and human authenticity. The depth that comes from real, lived experience.

This is exactly what I plan on doubling down on across all of my work.

As for taste, one of social media’s biggest downsides is the signal-to-noise ratio. You have to scroll through 99% nonsense to find the 1% that’s actually valuable.

My goal for this issue is to cut through that for you, delivering only the most ‘nutrient-dense’ content and products, filtered through my own authentic experience.

Plus, this curation also serves as a forcing function for me to keep my content diet in check.

If you like this style of newsletter, shoot me a reply. Would love to hear your feedback, so I know which topics go to deeper on.

Eight Cognitive Biases of Social Media

I recently came across a graphic that was so good that I wished I had created it myself.

A greatest hits album of all the little mental distortions that turn a quick scroll into an existential spiral. I nodded along as I read it, recognizing each one like an old acquaintance I don’t particularly like but can’t seem to shake.

This week I’ve heard ‘expectations of availability’ come up more than anything.

This has been particularly challenging for me as my network and business continue to expand. I used to be someone who replied to everyone immediately and was known for being on my phone. Now, there's just simply not enough time in the day to do what I need to do while also keeping in touch with everyone, so I need to prioritize:

Are these things that are important for my business? Are these the relationships that I really want to drive forward at this point in my life? 

I respond quickly to those, and I'll also communicate with the people who I see send me messages that I can’t answer right away. Something like:

"Hey I saw this come through, but I'm not able to get to this right now. I’ll hit you back soon.”

That way they don't catastrophize.

Using Wispr Flow

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I am very much pro-technology and innovation. I don't think any of these things are inherently bad, but they can be used badly.

That said, I often use AI to make life easier and free up time, so that I don’t have to spend as much time on screens. A great example is Wispr Flow.

A great example of this is using Wispr Flow.

Essentially, what Wispr Flow allows you to do is turn your voice into text across any application - whether that’s texting, social media, or email.

I just hold the Fn key, speak, and it turns my thoughts into clean writing that I can quickly edit. I only started using it a few days ago, but it’s already a daily driver.

The Post-AI Evolution of Non-Fiction Writing

David Perell is one of the most talented non-fiction writers on the internet, and like many of us, has had his entire world (think: business, passion, identity) rattled by LLMs and AI.

This analysis of the state of non-fiction writing is spot on & goes a layer deeper into some of the points that I made at the start of this newsletter.

If you are a writer in any capacity, I suggest you read this in full.

A Chart Speaks a Thousand Words

This chart is pretty scary. Nearly every activity that young adults in the US used to do with others, they now spend more time doing alone. The second & third order consequences of this are going to be massive.

Shaan Puri always talks about one-chart businesses. To me, this seems pretty clear:

People desperately need in-person connection and it’s truly never been a better time to be someone who brings people together.

Other Resources

Kanso Digital Wellness: Gave the site a nice upgrade to showcase more of our events + digital wellness accountability system for those looking to reduce dopamine burnout and unlock more focus, clarity, and success. Check it out here.

The Digital Reset Journal: The first mindfulness journal specifically geared towards building a healthier relationship with technology. If your New Year’s resolution includes “less screen time” or “being more present,” I guarantee this will help. Check it out here.

Life in Dots: Input your age, daily average sleep, and screen time, and get a visualization of your remaining life in dots (plus you can download a phone wallpaper of it).

Digital Detox Tools: A free directory of 75+ digital wellness products, software, and services. Access it here.

That’s all for this week. Again, would love to hear your feedback on today’s format + if you’re in NYC, pull up to the event tonight! Always cool to go from URL to IRL.

Now stop scrolling & go do something great,

Randy