Birgitte (and Mike) - this is very timely, and I don't think it can be discussed enough. I live with a weird paradox in my own personal life: I run a jiu jitsu school, where life couldn't be much more intimate. We are in very, very close quarters with one another for extended periods of time.
Birgitte (and Mike) - this is very timely, and I don't think it can be discussed enough. I live with a weird paradox in my own personal life: I run a jiu jitsu school, where life couldn't be much more intimate. We are in very, very close quarters with one another for extended periods of time.
At the same time, I am a very private, introverted person who appreciates solitude more than most. I'm one of the folks who the internet has unambiguously helped survive and thrive, but I'm also in a very weird spot, and I'm conscious of that tension all the time.
This was even more true as we were beginning to drop covid restrictions at our gym, gradually, cautiously. That's not an experience I want to repeat!
Anyway, thank you for some great food for thought. I hope a lot of folks are thinking about this.
Thanks Andrew for that thoughtful comment. Of all the sports and physical activities we humans participate in, jiu jitsu is certain up there in terms of intimacy. There does seem to be a contradiction, as you say, for those more introverted of us, practicing a sport of that degree of physical closeness, often with complete strangers. And yet you can retain that privacy of mind, that place within which is yours and yours alone, in solitude or in company, and which no one can occupy without your permission.
This is the challenge for us as individuals and as a society: we have granted far too much permission for too many people to occupy our minds.
Well said. It is called "the attention economy" for good reasons, too, which means it's not just people vying for our attention, but also companies (and algorithms). Clarity of mind is paramount, and zooming out so that we can see what's happening is really important! That's why I appreciate pieces like this one.
Yes, and harmfully so, ever more companies and ever more algorithms. Attention metrics should not impact our emotions and well-being, but they do. Until we dig deep enough into the reasons why, we'll never be able to overcome that dynamic. This is why I wrote this piece. We need to establish a foundation before we erect a skyscraper...
Birgitte (and Mike) - this is very timely, and I don't think it can be discussed enough. I live with a weird paradox in my own personal life: I run a jiu jitsu school, where life couldn't be much more intimate. We are in very, very close quarters with one another for extended periods of time.
At the same time, I am a very private, introverted person who appreciates solitude more than most. I'm one of the folks who the internet has unambiguously helped survive and thrive, but I'm also in a very weird spot, and I'm conscious of that tension all the time.
This was even more true as we were beginning to drop covid restrictions at our gym, gradually, cautiously. That's not an experience I want to repeat!
Anyway, thank you for some great food for thought. I hope a lot of folks are thinking about this.
Thanks Andrew for that thoughtful comment. Of all the sports and physical activities we humans participate in, jiu jitsu is certain up there in terms of intimacy. There does seem to be a contradiction, as you say, for those more introverted of us, practicing a sport of that degree of physical closeness, often with complete strangers. And yet you can retain that privacy of mind, that place within which is yours and yours alone, in solitude or in company, and which no one can occupy without your permission.
This is the challenge for us as individuals and as a society: we have granted far too much permission for too many people to occupy our minds.
Well said. It is called "the attention economy" for good reasons, too, which means it's not just people vying for our attention, but also companies (and algorithms). Clarity of mind is paramount, and zooming out so that we can see what's happening is really important! That's why I appreciate pieces like this one.
Yes, and harmfully so, ever more companies and ever more algorithms. Attention metrics should not impact our emotions and well-being, but they do. Until we dig deep enough into the reasons why, we'll never be able to overcome that dynamic. This is why I wrote this piece. We need to establish a foundation before we erect a skyscraper...