PJ, I just heard you say that you wonder what podcasting is for, and wanted to sit down right away and respond to that. What it is for you is of course different perhaps than for your listeners. But for us, or me at least, it is vital. Even during the Great Depression, when people had so little, movies and radio and books, continued on. I believe that we humans deeply need someone to tell us a story. I honestly think it comes close on the heels of nourishment and shelter in the rankings of human needs; you find storytelling through all cultures and times. Listening to podcasts is for me a respite from stress, an education, an amusement, company when I'm alone, and with the few podcasts that people I love also listen to, a jumping off place for conversations. It can be information about the world we live in, but oftentimes it is simultaneously a much needed break from it all. I don't have a lot of leisure time, and I cannot read or watch tv while I'm driving or washing dishes, but I can listen to podcasts. I honestly cannot figure out how my house ever got clean before podcasts became a thing; was I just IN MY OWN HEAD the whole time?!?
As much as I adore podcasts, there are very few of them that make the cut. I am constantly looking for more that I will like as much as I like the ones that you have created, but for the most part they always fall short. Here are a few that I think come close.
Apart from the fears about the impact on livelihoods, what about the cost of AI as our planet becomes inexorably uninhabitable. We’re not making the connections in our everyday conversations about the energy consumption needs and impact on our environment.
This!!!!!! This is exactly what I shouted when I read the newsletter. AI is an environmental disaster. It drives me crazy that people are only worrying about intellectual property theft (even though it's a valid concern) and jobs (also valid) when it's part of how we are destroying our habitat.
Aware that I sound like an old crone sitting on her porch yelling, but: I'm surprised you don't mention having any qualms about the wholesale plagiarism of LLMs, or the sheer contempt that AI peddlers have for creators. Also it's terrible for math.
Kvetching aside, a recommendation- Ernie from Tedium worked out a simple hack to de-crud Google results, worth looking up.
Thanks for this - really enjoying your work and appreciate the recommendations. I've also been really excited to see Alex's initial launch recently! https://www.hyperfixedpod.com/
[Sorry - I thought there'd be a post for every podcast.... so I'm posting this here, given the topic, I think you'll understand]
Hey PJ. Long time listener (since ReplyAll started), first time poster.
I'm really enjoying your conversation with Angel Kyodo Williams.
I've always balked at the 5 day silent retreat, but my neighbourhood yoga teacher often did a 15 min mediation or breathing excercise.... and when she left, and I was getting over a long-covid-like syndrome, I found Tara Brach doing talking meditations, which are very easy to follow, and can give you the structure for doing it by yourself, but because Tara is gently telling you to observe and then come back... it's much easier to see when you have the small in-between moments in the moment, and see how you can expand that.
https://www.tarabrach.com/ ... I don't read Tara a philosopher (maybe I should), but she has great 20 min classic breath and body and heart meditations which are great for us beginners!
OMG I didn’t know Ryan had a new podcast. And with Katie as his first guest! What a treat. Super fun when she was on Search Engine. Thanks for the share.
PJ, I just heard you say that you wonder what podcasting is for, and wanted to sit down right away and respond to that. What it is for you is of course different perhaps than for your listeners. But for us, or me at least, it is vital. Even during the Great Depression, when people had so little, movies and radio and books, continued on. I believe that we humans deeply need someone to tell us a story. I honestly think it comes close on the heels of nourishment and shelter in the rankings of human needs; you find storytelling through all cultures and times. Listening to podcasts is for me a respite from stress, an education, an amusement, company when I'm alone, and with the few podcasts that people I love also listen to, a jumping off place for conversations. It can be information about the world we live in, but oftentimes it is simultaneously a much needed break from it all. I don't have a lot of leisure time, and I cannot read or watch tv while I'm driving or washing dishes, but I can listen to podcasts. I honestly cannot figure out how my house ever got clean before podcasts became a thing; was I just IN MY OWN HEAD the whole time?!?
As much as I adore podcasts, there are very few of them that make the cut. I am constantly looking for more that I will like as much as I like the ones that you have created, but for the most part they always fall short. Here are a few that I think come close.
Imaginary worlds
My Favorite Murder
Heavyweight
The Moth
Apart from the fears about the impact on livelihoods, what about the cost of AI as our planet becomes inexorably uninhabitable. We’re not making the connections in our everyday conversations about the energy consumption needs and impact on our environment.
This!!!!!! This is exactly what I shouted when I read the newsletter. AI is an environmental disaster. It drives me crazy that people are only worrying about intellectual property theft (even though it's a valid concern) and jobs (also valid) when it's part of how we are destroying our habitat.
I forgot to link to what I was thinking about when I posted this: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/10/08/google-meta-omaha-data-centers/
Aware that I sound like an old crone sitting on her porch yelling, but: I'm surprised you don't mention having any qualms about the wholesale plagiarism of LLMs, or the sheer contempt that AI peddlers have for creators. Also it's terrible for math.
Kvetching aside, a recommendation- Ernie from Tedium worked out a simple hack to de-crud Google results, worth looking up.
Thanks for this - really enjoying your work and appreciate the recommendations. I've also been really excited to see Alex's initial launch recently! https://www.hyperfixedpod.com/
[Sorry - I thought there'd be a post for every podcast.... so I'm posting this here, given the topic, I think you'll understand]
Hey PJ. Long time listener (since ReplyAll started), first time poster.
I'm really enjoying your conversation with Angel Kyodo Williams.
I've always balked at the 5 day silent retreat, but my neighbourhood yoga teacher often did a 15 min mediation or breathing excercise.... and when she left, and I was getting over a long-covid-like syndrome, I found Tara Brach doing talking meditations, which are very easy to follow, and can give you the structure for doing it by yourself, but because Tara is gently telling you to observe and then come back... it's much easier to see when you have the small in-between moments in the moment, and see how you can expand that.
https://www.tarabrach.com/ ... I don't read Tara a philosopher (maybe I should), but she has great 20 min classic breath and body and heart meditations which are great for us beginners!
cheers,
Keith D
OMG I didn’t know Ryan had a new podcast. And with Katie as his first guest! What a treat. Super fun when she was on Search Engine. Thanks for the share.
I can't wait to start listening to Panic World! that looks like my kind of mayhem