Discovery Without Algorithms

+++ title = “02” date = 2019 +++

I recently finished Cal Newport’s outstanding book Digital Minimalism. I’ve got so many thoughts, but my first one is that I need to delete social media apps from my phone. I’ve now deleted Facebook, and my Twitter is set permanently on my work account (which doesn’t suck me in, because I follow a limited amount of people). Instagram is always distracting but it’s not as bad as the other aforementioned apps, and I’ve just made a pact for today not to look at it.

So it’s my first morning without social media in my face and I’m in the waiting room at my therapist’s office. Even though I brought my Kindle, I suddenly notice the stack of psychology magazines on the table in the waiting area. I pick one up and start to read.

And it feels a little like that time last year when I listened to a CD for the first time in like 6 years and noticed how crisp everything sounded. The words are sharper, with better editing than you’d find on a Buzzfeed or click bait article (go figure). The content is based on actual documented research AND the summaries are not exaggerated the way they are online (no, wine is not better than exercise).

I’ve never noticed these magazines before because I always browsed social media on my phone. I haven’t delved deeply into the actual articles yet. But this is the first of what I believe will be many revelations in a world where social media is restricted.