Does it ever seem like the world is just getting worse? Maybe that’s a misconception – perhaps when you go on social media and are surrounded by anger, where people …
We need to start holding our own sides to account
Communication
6 rules for having a good argument
I’ve talked before about why it’s important to be able to argue your case effectively. I didn’t get around to how, in my mind at least, you should go about …
Relax, you don’t HAVE to change, actually
Places like Medium are a recovering perfectionist’s worst nightmare. Here I am trying to train myself out of absolutes and all-or-nothing thinking, only to be told by headline after headline …
How to have a good argument
The internet has many uses, but there is undeniably a group of people who go online as a way to find a disagreement, in the same way some people go …
Imagine if AI killed clickbait
There used to be (maybe still is) a Twitter account called Saved You A Click. It shares the links to clickbait articles and reveals the mundane answers to the extravagant …
Our need for simplicity makes it harder for society to grow
‘Simple’ is an interesting word. It’s often desirable – many products, particularly software, will often sell themselves on making the complex simple. Simplicity is your friend, complexity is the enemy. …
How the media created the rage machine, and why you should fight it
The internet is angrier than the Hulk after he’s been kicked in the balls. Social media gave us the incredible ability to connect with a much larger portion of humanity …
In defence of being ‘wordy’
Our screen-addled brains can’t cope with more than two syllables, right? ‘Use short, simple sentences’. ‘Never use an uncommon word when a common one will do.’ This advice is everywhere. …
The loudest voices aren’t always the, er, correctest
There’s a very good film called Spinal Tap about a fictional rock band. One of the (many) iconic ideas to come out of this film is the idea of ‘turning …
I’ve become a social media monk
I’ve become more moderate as I’ve gotten older. I don’t necessarily mean politically, although that is part of it, but just in general. I’ve become less outspoken, and actually I …