It was a pleasure to reconnect with Jeremy. Jeremy has been a Kindergarten teacher in Salt Lake City for many years. He's recently gone through some major life changes. Our conversation ranges from educational issues to finding community, from learning from life's difficulties to recapturing one's attention and many other topics.
Here are detailed show notes, with links to various articles and podcasts mentioned in the episode and a great picture of Jeremy in nature!

Please share and subscribe.
Keep building community and connections.

Thanks for Listening!
Jonah

Hello Good People,

Maybe, just maybe, I can convince a few people to talk to me about political progress, rebuilding democracy, avoiding cynicism and resignation. In May, June and July, I will be recording something. Either short monologues or conversations with other good people. Take a listen. If you're interested in setting up a summer talk, email me at jonahasks at gmail.

Midterms are in November. He won't be in office forever,
Jonah

Welcome Back to Jonah Asks,

Here's part two of my conversation with Moshe. We discuss: attention, social media, happiness and mental suffering, the human species and biology, artificial intelligence, universal basic income and the future.

music:

This instrumental piece is an original of mine, based around a piano recording, added effects and then a sampled cello and atmospheric pad loop from samplefocus.com. You can find it on my other podcast, Poems, Guitar and Meditations.

https://player.fm/series/poems-guitar-and-meditations/piano-cello-atmospheric-loop-for-sleep

Parenting

Balancing the desire to give attention and support with the need to step back and observe young children.

6 min

Attention and Focus

Maintaining attention amidst the wave of information and social media's impact.

10 min

Moshe Chooses Happiness

Mental suffering - Mental suffering was rampant in Moshe's family.
Moshe's aunt was a Holocaust survivor. On her deathbed, her son asked her "Was everything so bad?" She responded, "There were some good things, but we don't talk about that." Happiness seemed unavailable to many who lived through and survived the Holocaust.

Moshe has atrial fibrillation. He has to be careful with his heart. Too much stress with atrial fibrillation can lead to stroke.

20 min

Progress of the Human Species

Moshe is a firm believer in the progress and survival of the human species.

"I'm not arguing with the universe. I will argue with reality. My optimism is based on the possibility that the evils of capitalism the way we know it and the development of artificial intelligence and other technologies will force mankind to develop a new paradigm and new understanding of how society should work.

28 min

Considering the Future: 2050 and Beyond

We veer into the future, the impact of artificial intelligence, the possibility of Universal Basic Income, etc. We disagree about how humans will evolve.

37 min

Technology and Techno-Utopianism

Moshe sees human progress as an inevitability. Jonah sees human connection as a practice that has been eroding in modern life.

42 min

Biology Isn't Bothered By Our Obsession with Technology...or Is It?

Moshe believes in biology. Jonah believes in our biological need to make connections.

Resources:
New Yorker "Two Supreme Court Cases That Could Break the Internet"
https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/two-supreme-court-cases-that-could-break-the-internet

Tristan Harris - Center for Humane Tech
https://www.humanetech.com/who-we-are