The Limits of Efficiency
Demanding convenience in every aspect of life might have some rather inconvenient effects: the atrophying of skills, self-worth, and wisdom.
Category: Well-Being
Podcast #11: Narayan Liebenson on Mindfulness and Attention
Narayan Liebenson, a guiding teacher at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, speaks to us about the benefits of mindfulness and attention. How might smart devices be impacting our ability to be present?
Mark Schatzker on Flavor and Food
The Dorito Effect author Mark Schatzker describes what he learned about the relationship between flavor and nutrition, and how the food industry has been leading us astray.
Culturing Boundaries: The Right to be Offline
France recently passed legislation that’s being billed as a “right to be offline.” What’s behind it, and can we learn something from the French conception of work/life boundaries?
Podcast #10: Nicole Freedman on Bike Transit
When Nicole Freedman became Boston’s first “bike czar,” the city had been rated worst in the country in bike friendliness by Bicycling Magazine. A decade later, it’s been in the top ten with a growing network of protected lanes and one of the nation’s first major bike-sharing programs. Freedman describes what it takes to change culture around transit and how everyone can benefit.
A Message From the Publisher
Happy birthday us! This month marks one year since we moved to weekly updates. Publisher Mo Lotman shares a few thoughts about The Technoskeptic and the stakes of its mission.
Podcast #9: Danielle Allen on Education and Civics
Danielle Allen is a University Professor and the director of the Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard, a regular columnist for The Washington Post, and author of five books, including most recently Education and Equality. She spoke with us about the current emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), the challenges of technology in education, and what it takes to raise an engaged and self-actualized citizenry.
Brain Training: Gaming Science
Game developers know exactly how to attract and retain customers. They rely on a vast body of scientific and psychological [...]
Interview: Ethan Hughes of The Possibility Alliance, part two
In the first part of this interview, Ethan Hughes talked with The Technoskeptic about events that led to the founding [...]