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Things that are on my mind,
besides drafting (and drafting) my novel, of course.
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Turning Off Notifications
I thought I was in control. I allotted 15 minutes in the morning for social media and 15 minutes at night. Just because a notification pops up on Facebook or Instagram, I won’t check it.
But I will, my data shows. I reduced my social media time-suck by 23 percent the first week I turned off notifications. They were, apparently, more of a pull than I was willing to admit. I don’t even think I realized I was “popping on for a sec” — which easily turns into an hour.
I did this in response to The Social Dilemma, which I do recommend, if you haven’t seen it already. I knew the algorithms were designed to advertise to me, but I didn't realize they were also designed to keep me on the platform as long as possible. And, the algorithms are good — they know me better than I know myself. They do keep me on.
Realize the artificial intelligence is already smarter than humans. Humans create them and ask the algorithms to produce a certain outcome, but humans can’t explain the middle part — the programs are doing making the “how that happens” on their own, and they have lots of data to assess, and they are extremely good at what they do. So, it really is man versus a machine that is smarter than we are.
The algorithm doesn’t love me or want me to be productive, but the world and real-life people outside my phone benefit from my engagement a lot.