↩ Looking Back
I just finished The Opt-Out Family: How to Give Your Kids What Technology Can't by Erin Loechner (currently only $4 on Kindle!) In my Goodreads review I said,
I almost didn't read this book—I'm glad I did. I've read a bunch in this space (Tech-Wise Family, The Anxious Generation, etc.), but this one strikes the best balance of principle and practicality. It doesn't just offer tips; it helps you think through the worldview Big Tech is pushing and how to respond in a holistic, embodied way.
I loved that Loechner gave alternatives to big tech mantras.
Mark Zuckerberg famously said,
Move fast and break things.
Loechner offers a beautiful counter,
Move slowly and mend things.
In a nonstop world, slow movement and mending is underrated.
If you're considering the role of technology in your life and family, The Opt-Out Family is a five-star read.
↑ Looking Up
Now that I've advocated for moving slowly, we're accelerating to lightspeed:
What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we've ever come up with, and it's the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.
— STEVE JOBS
I've been riffing off Jobs and saying,
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the rocket for the mind.
With a computer, your mind can move faster, but AI takes everything to lightspeed, and we're still in the equivalent of the Wright Brothers era of AI aviation.
All of this got me thinking: bikes are easy to learn to ride, but most of us aren’t ready to take control of a rocket.
Find out if this is where my analogy breaks in my latest post, where I explore what it means to become an astronaut in a rocket for the mind, and why "garbage in, garbage out" is more true than ever.
🚀 Read the full post: AI: The Rocket for the Mind
↪ Looking Forward
Rounding out our big tech execs is the Amazon man:
Stress primarily comes from not taking action over something that you can have some control over.
—Jeff Bezos
Sometimes taking action means going slowly—just to get started. Other times it means moving quickly to actually get something across the finish line.
What does taking action look like for you this week?
- What do you need to stop doing?
- What do you need to start doing?
- Who can you invite to hold you accountable?
🔧 One Useful Thing
Speaking of things to stop doing—I've been experimenting with a black and white smartphone and a nearly-iconless homescreen. It looks like this:
The first day of using it, my screen time plummeted. Maybe there really is something about those colorful apps—constantly calling to us, engaging us more than we want.
Blank Spaces Launcher is the app if you want to give it a shot.
Wrapping Up
If something here sparked a thought—or brought someone to mind—pass it on.
Got a favorite line or lingering question? I’d love to hear it—just hit reply.
And if this no longer serves you, feel the freedom to unsubscribe (slowly or at lightspeed) with zero guilt.
Until next week.
Keep slowing down, blasting off, and stepping up,
