1/The most insidious form of consumption is digital content. Designed to keep the monkey mind engaged while putting you to sleep.
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3/The brain is wired to automatically respond to and encourage acquiring value by rewarding itself with a slew of chemicals, incl. dopamine.
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4/Just as with sex and food, we respond automatically to novel information with an almost imperceptible urge to acquire it.
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5/Novel information is at play everywhere, from the news, to "likes" on social media, to TV series plots, to this very post you are reading.
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6/This "loophole" of the brain was discovered by humans centuries ago but modern technology has brought it to its most profitable apex.
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7/Companies have shifted to digital content/products: cheap to produce and distribute, short/renewed life cycles, same effect as material.
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8/Many people spend almost the entire day on screens. They volunteer themselves as consumers and the digital marketplace takes care of them.
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9/The supply of digital content is now unlimited, and the winners of the game are those who engage the monkey mind most, and most reliably.
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10/It's not just about attention and choice: Being surrounded by screens w/ Internet access is like being surrounded by food all the time.
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11/In fact this is exactly how your brain perceives it. In this environment no matter how you direct choice and attention, you'll eat more.
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12/The problem is that automatic responses lead to automatic living. It is impossible to be in the monkey mind and simultaneously present.
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13/Most solutions to this problem end up with a constant tug of war with the monkey mind; an inefficient, draining, Sisyphean lost cause.
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14/To think you can exert control over the monkey mind & give it free reign is like letting children play with matches near a gas station.
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15/The effective solution is modifying the environment so that the automatic response of consuming information can't be instantly gratified.
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16/Time & space are needed to notice these responses, to be conscious of the monkey mind so you have the choice of not being defined by it.
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17/It's fruitless to fight against the monkey mind; you cannot choose its responses. What you can do is to limit its range of opportunity.
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18/The rule of thumb is this: When the monkey mind is, you are not. When you are, the monkey mind is not. To know which is? Pay attention.
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End of conversation
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Is this true neurochemically? I'd think getting food causes a much stronger response, although the general dynamic holds.
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In perception (not response) they are no different. Naturally if you're starving, you won't feel like reading a book. The brain prioritizes.
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Information about the mammoth's location was the most precious thing. It meant getting the best & warmest spot in the cave etc.
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If the item or content does make change us. Its just useless egoic noise. Full up and repeat like a parrot. Knowledgeable Fool!
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