Less News & More Friends
your Saturday roundup
Professionally, I focus on creating social benefit startups. In my Saturday morning emails I share what I’m learning and thinking. Topics range from better living and parenting to business and philosophy.
Less News. How much time do you spend reading or watching the news? Do you do it for entertainment or a sense of obligation? I’ve experimented with less news in my life and I believe it is an improvement. If you haven’t considered it, at least hear the arguments for less news. I’ve experimented with three substitutes to quitting cold turkey. One, I read and support local quality journalism focused on government. Two, I’ve opt to read a books about middle eastern history or the current Ukrainian war rather than the latest news article. Three, I mix in positive news like Reasons to be Cheerful or What Could Go Right.
Free Will. Perhaps you don’t have a choice how much news you consume because you don’t even have free will. If the universe is material, one event causes another, and people are material objects, is our behavior determined by previous causes? It’s an age-old debate question. As we shine the light of scientific understanding on more parts of our bodies, there are fewer places for free will to hide. Saying free will depends on a random process like quantum mechanics isn’t what I mean by free will. If you’re ready to dive deeper in this mind bending topic, read Determined. I’m uncomfortable with the “medicalization” of every area of behavior, but the case study in the book about epilepsy is illuminating. Where once we saw spirits, now we see a biological process. As we understand the science we no longer blame the person and feel more compassion. Where else does that apply? (To doubt free will in your own experience, pay attention to what happens in your mind when you decide what to eat next or what movie to watch. At the moment of decision, who decided? How? What exactly is the experience? More on this thought experiment on the Making Sense podcast.)
Live Near Friends. Friends make life better, especially as a parent. Raising kids is easier with more people around even if they aren’t doing “work.” More kids to play with or more adults to talk with staves off feelings of isolation or monotony. The traditional answer is to live with or near family. I have friends who embrace this option. Another option is to live near friends. For example, one moved to to the same block with his family and friends families. They each have their own houses and use his house as a common space for events. And they share meals together at least once a week. If you want more stories of how this works, read the Super Nuclear substack. Inspired to do it and want some help? Try out Live Near Friends, a platform created by another friend. To go next level, build a Playborhood to attract all the families in your neighborhood.
Until next time,
Miles
P.S. At Purpose Built, we’re hiring a part-time Operations Analyst. Please pass along to folks you think would be interested.