A Better Way to Think About Tech

Cal Newport argues that public argument about technology has hardened into two increasingly extreme camps — pessimists and optimists — and proposes a third option, technoselectionism, for people who don't hate technology but are wary of its obvious harms. The main discussion of whether technology is good or bad runs about 35 minutes before listener questions take over. Those questions cover applying digital minimalism to LLMs, an overlooked negative impact of heavy AI use, a reformed relationship with social media, and an article about focus and writing spaces among New Yorker staff writers. The episode closes with what Cal is up to and a five-title October book list.