Save Civil Discourse

We’re optimized for viral moments, not compelling arguments.

Our 2016 presidential nominees, who were chosen by the people for their integrity, honesty, and clarity of vision

In last month’s GOP primary debate, Chris Christie made a canned quip about how we’re all going to start calling Donald Trump Donald Duck, because he’s been “ducking” the debates (woah, burn…). It was cringy and disappointing and disorienting — especially since he was asked a question about crime. But it wasn’t surprising.

Chris Christie used 30 seconds of a 90-second response to set up the playground-punchline of “Donald Duck.” That may seem misguided, or at least a little kookie, for someone who wants to be elected as the next president. But Christie’s strategy is not misguided, not in the Age of Social Media! (The fact that I’m referencing his little insult means that it was a success.) It’s no secret that social media incentivizes sensational clips and salacious sound bites. Christie was simply following the playbook: make everything a meme and optimize for viral moments, rather than compelling arguments.

Social media is a gameshow. Anyone can be a contestant, and the game’s currency is attention — the most valuable commodity of our time. To win the game, capture the most attention. To capture attention, abduct eyeballs, monopolize ear-holes, pluck heart strings, and poke nerves. Only the magnitude of the public’s reaction matters, not whether it is positive or negative; it’s all attention. If they’re reacting, you’re winning.

As technology has progressed to bring us greater quality of life, more equal opportunity, easy access to information and education, rapid transportation, and longevity, it’s also brought about new forms of media that have slowly degraded civil discourse. The best way to track this decline is to look at presidential debates through time, one for each new media-paradigm — from Abraham Lincoln to "Donald Duck.”

Continue reading this month's essay (13 minutes): "Save Civil Discourse"

Buckle up for a guided safari through the wild lands of American political discourse. You'll learn:

• How technological progress has eroded logos in favor of pathos

• Why today's presidential candidates sound nothing like Lincoln

• And what you can do about it.

Springboard

A carefully crafted question to help you dive inwards

There's nothing wrong with entertaining ourselves. The trouble comes when all the media that we consume functions as entertainment. So, here's a litmus test to know whether a piece of media is educating you or simply entertaining you. Ask, "Would I ever want to read the transcript of this?" If the answer is "No, never," then you're just looking, not learning.

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Shoutouts

Michael Dean

is a "Beatle-head," but that's not what this gripping, though-provoking essay is about. Michael's confession of niche fandom is how he gets you and me to understand his optimistic take on the future of AI music. Like any of Michael's essays on the future of tech, this one is unmissable. Come for "Sergeant Pepper's Spook Opera," and stay for Michael's insights on the virtues of AI-assisted art.

Lucy in the Sky of Large Language Models

Yehudis Milchtein

is at her best when she's writing vignettes, and her latest essay holds some of her best yet. It's a tapestry of beautiful moments from her life — all woven together with observations about the value of connecting with strangers. Go read this, and then find a stranger to engage in conversation. As you'll learn from Yehudis's stories, a simple greeting could lead to a life-changing interaction.

Strangers with Benefits

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Thank you to Michael and Yehudis for holding me accountable this month and helping me publish this one. I doubted it was any good, and their encouragement led me to love it.