This speaks in part to why I sold my house, have packed up and am moving to another country at 73. What's in front of me is hard: learning a new language, culture and ways of life, a return to riding horses several times a week, a way to return to adventure travel. Lots of irritations and problems ahead. That's what I signed up for.
That's a big change, no doubt, and I'm sure it takes much courage to make. I look forward to hearing how it goes, and of course wish you nothing the best in the process!
thanks Brad. I spent four years in my early thirties tooling around and living in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. This is a bit different…but I still rock a backpack, and hiking boots.
There's a reason as to why I train for & run ultras, live on a farm, read books incessantly, and have a grudge-on for AI photography. Use it or lose it and I'd rather use than lose. If I could give this article a bouquet of hearts, I would.
I am reading your book now, and I love how many of these great phrases you include in your writing: shitty flow, diabetes of the soul, zombie burnout. These really help the ideas to feel "sticky" and memorable.
I have been a school leader in middle schools for the past 5 years, and during that time we always had an "8 to 3" ban on having phones out (before such bans started sweeping the country, I'm proud to say!). When I walk into a cafeteria where teens are allowed phones, it's eerily silent, but our cafeteria was always buzzing with middle school exuberance. At that age when it's already awkward to try and connect and make friends, it's so important that we give them phone-free zones in their lives, so they can practice the real thing, not just the shitty version of connection.
I really love the metaphor of Germany for how we think about tech in our lives. Germany has BOTH ultra-fast autobahns and medieval cities with totally car-free zones in their ancient cores. I want to use tech where it truly benefits me (like writing a substack!) and set up serious barriers against using it in places/ways where it will destroy something precious.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Ruth (and for being a school leader)! I think this sort of intentionality around devices is a trend that is going to continue, and thank goodness for that.
Having just come back from an Advocacy trip to DC your point about politicians really struck a chord.
We definitely need to advocate for ourselves in our own lives, but we can't abdicate to these idiots either. We need to advocate for the human race as well - I would argue even more.
Great post, Brad. The analogy to diabetes resonates. I can always tell when I’ve been engaging in way too much shitty flow. I feel foggy, lethargic, and physically uncomfortable. Sometimes this is simply chalked up to “screens” but there a huge difference between screens for passive consumptions versus creation. We can’t have McDonald’s for every meal without suffering the consequences.
As much as I like and agree with the encouragement to ‘just turn off the xyz,’ I fear that the vast majority of us will continue to lose our individual battles. Corporations understand us better than we understand our own psychology, sadly. They know how to take advantage of our desire for meaning and replace real substance with easy & addictive alternatives. So, aside from policy action, I’m not sure what can fix this mess. Unfortunately.
I think it's got to be a bit of everything, as I tried to point out in the piece. I agree policy actions would go a long way, but I also think we can't just give up on our agency. Or put differently, I think we at least have to go down swinging as best we can.
“Diabetes of the soul” is a sharp metaphor because it points at overstimulation as a metabolic problem of attention. Too much input, too much outrage, too much comparison, and eventually the system stops processing meaning properly. The cure is not just less screen time — it is a different relationship with appetite.
“Shitty flow” is a brutal phrase because it names the trap perfectly. The problem isn’t that we’re unfocused; it’s that our focus keeps getting hijacked by low-effort rewards that leave nothing behind. Real flow asks for something from you first — skill, effort, patience, risk, reps — and that’s exactly why it gives something back.
Great post! The "shitty flow" concept is very insightful. Just finished the year with the most real, "hard flow" of my adult life. It's also been - as you'd expect - the most transformative and meaningful.
This was a great read, love how you framed it in easy to access, relatable language. It's crazy how our brains grow in the best way possible when we do hard things we don't want to do.
Great article - The main takeaway for me is what we may consider delegating to AI, and what we shouldn't. Your point about value alignment is incredibly powerful, and should anchor our lives.
This speaks in part to why I sold my house, have packed up and am moving to another country at 73. What's in front of me is hard: learning a new language, culture and ways of life, a return to riding horses several times a week, a way to return to adventure travel. Lots of irritations and problems ahead. That's what I signed up for.
That's a big change, no doubt, and I'm sure it takes much courage to make. I look forward to hearing how it goes, and of course wish you nothing the best in the process!
thanks Brad. I spent four years in my early thirties tooling around and living in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. This is a bit different…but I still rock a backpack, and hiking boots.
There's a reason as to why I train for & run ultras, live on a farm, read books incessantly, and have a grudge-on for AI photography. Use it or lose it and I'd rather use than lose. If I could give this article a bouquet of hearts, I would.
Keep going, Sherri (and I appreciate the bouquet!)
I am reading your book now, and I love how many of these great phrases you include in your writing: shitty flow, diabetes of the soul, zombie burnout. These really help the ideas to feel "sticky" and memorable.
I have been a school leader in middle schools for the past 5 years, and during that time we always had an "8 to 3" ban on having phones out (before such bans started sweeping the country, I'm proud to say!). When I walk into a cafeteria where teens are allowed phones, it's eerily silent, but our cafeteria was always buzzing with middle school exuberance. At that age when it's already awkward to try and connect and make friends, it's so important that we give them phone-free zones in their lives, so they can practice the real thing, not just the shitty version of connection.
I really love the metaphor of Germany for how we think about tech in our lives. Germany has BOTH ultra-fast autobahns and medieval cities with totally car-free zones in their ancient cores. I want to use tech where it truly benefits me (like writing a substack!) and set up serious barriers against using it in places/ways where it will destroy something precious.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Ruth (and for being a school leader)! I think this sort of intentionality around devices is a trend that is going to continue, and thank goodness for that.
Having just come back from an Advocacy trip to DC your point about politicians really struck a chord.
We definitely need to advocate for ourselves in our own lives, but we can't abdicate to these idiots either. We need to advocate for the human race as well - I would argue even more.
Keep it up 💪🏻
Thank you Brother Saeed!
Best thing I’ve read this week.
Thank you, Phil! So glad you found it resonant and valuable!
Great post, Brad. The analogy to diabetes resonates. I can always tell when I’ve been engaging in way too much shitty flow. I feel foggy, lethargic, and physically uncomfortable. Sometimes this is simply chalked up to “screens” but there a huge difference between screens for passive consumptions versus creation. We can’t have McDonald’s for every meal without suffering the consequences.
Exactly!
Wonderful essay, Brad!
As much as I like and agree with the encouragement to ‘just turn off the xyz,’ I fear that the vast majority of us will continue to lose our individual battles. Corporations understand us better than we understand our own psychology, sadly. They know how to take advantage of our desire for meaning and replace real substance with easy & addictive alternatives. So, aside from policy action, I’m not sure what can fix this mess. Unfortunately.
I think it's got to be a bit of everything, as I tried to point out in the piece. I agree policy actions would go a long way, but I also think we can't just give up on our agency. Or put differently, I think we at least have to go down swinging as best we can.
‘Shitty flow leaves you feeling like shit precisely because it requires no effort. Good flow leaves you feeling satisfied because it is earned.’ 🤌🏻
“Diabetes of the soul” is a sharp metaphor because it points at overstimulation as a metabolic problem of attention. Too much input, too much outrage, too much comparison, and eventually the system stops processing meaning properly. The cure is not just less screen time — it is a different relationship with appetite.
“Shitty flow” is a brutal phrase because it names the trap perfectly. The problem isn’t that we’re unfocused; it’s that our focus keeps getting hijacked by low-effort rewards that leave nothing behind. Real flow asks for something from you first — skill, effort, patience, risk, reps — and that’s exactly why it gives something back.
Great post! The "shitty flow" concept is very insightful. Just finished the year with the most real, "hard flow" of my adult life. It's also been - as you'd expect - the most transformative and meaningful.
This was a great read, love how you framed it in easy to access, relatable language. It's crazy how our brains grow in the best way possible when we do hard things we don't want to do.
Great article - The main takeaway for me is what we may consider delegating to AI, and what we shouldn't. Your point about value alignment is incredibly powerful, and should anchor our lives.
YES, YES, YES. Great article, Brad.