Hey Team,

In this edition
​1. The Writing Gym
2. Peacekeepers needed
3. Digital immigration encouraged
4. Meet Mikey Sklar

From the Writing Gym

I want to write faster.

I signed up for an online writing program called Ship 30 for 30. The aim is to write and publish 300 words a day for 30 days in a row. I don’t know why it’s not called ship 300 for 30.

I am sharing two atomic essays, as they are called. They were not easy to write. They are shorter versions of longer essays I haven’t published.

These topics insist on coming out.

Your Country Needs You

I debated in high school. Back then, both sides had a shared view of reputable information sources.

After 1,000+ hours of political discussions in recent years, it’s clear this doesn’t exist anymore.

As citizens, we need to follow the news and be active participants.
But we also need to protect our mental health.

So what do we do?

We need peacekeeping forces in the political storytelling wars

Let’s assume Americans continue to gravitate towards the news sources that soothe, reaffirm their existing world view, and make them feel smart.

This chart attempts to plot media bias. News programs and pundit programs are broken out.
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It also reflects the news industry's marketing strategies. The industry creates different products for different segments of the population. CNN was the first cable news channel. Then Fox and MSNBC slid in on either side. And the rest is an ugly history.

Since we no longer pay for our news via subscriptions or ads, we have become the product.

The more that Americans hear different explanations of events, the greater the polarization.

I have found one situation that helps reduce the flames: reveal the complexity of the topic and see if the other person agrees. If they agree it's complex, the debate shifts to exploring different viewpoints.

There’s an added bonus. People don't want to be considered simplistic. I can’t prove it, but I sense some start sharing fewer simplistic memes and emails.

The Worker Shortage

Ok, here’s a current topic where I hear people give confident answers: the labor shortage. What’s the root cause? Take a second to rank the following.

1. Older Americans retiring sooner
2. Fewer immigrants
3. Low-income workers induced to stay home by unemployment benefits
4. Unvaccinated workers induced to quit by unemployment benefits
5. Employees quitting because of vaccine mandates
6. Employees quitting because fear of covid
7. Families unable to find available or affordable child care.

I have opinions. But how interesting that I do. The employment topic so complex that macroeconomists with PhDs and decades of experience can't agree among themselves.

I did a quick scan of online cable news sources to see what they report:

What's the correct answer? All of the above. And more.

A question for you

What happens if millions of smart people like you start to convey the complex in simple manner like the above?

Maybe it would neutralize those who promote the simplistic and partisan.
Maybe it would create the space to re-connect.
Maybe it would change some minds.

At a minimum, by using the complex. you can avoid conversations with those in a simplistic distortion reality.

Source: Jungraphy​

A Real Digital World

Digital natives are those born after 1985. They have never known a world without the internet. Everyone else is a digital immigrant. Some of the latter walk and talk like digital natives. Some have barely packed their bag and gone online.

Many digital immigrants, specifically those not active online, often regard time online as wasted.

They see kids, spouses, and friends hunched over a phone or computer. They catch glimpses of what looks like meaningless exchanges of images and messages. They judge the exchange as low value. Sometimes they rightfully want the person to be present with them. But sometimes, the tone is critical and judgemental. This creates a digital divide.

The digital world is as real as the analog world

Online is like a constant house party or series of house parties. At the most familiar level, I have text groups. Or I can go to two private social platforms filled with writers I have never met in person but communicate with weekly, if not several times a day.

When I want to walk thru the crowd and hear what people are discussing, I go to Twitter. Sometimes I join the conversation. Sometimes I start a conversation. Many of these people are friends I know better than friends in the analog world.

To close the digital divide: ask for tours, give tours

The skeptic needs to understand why they should buy. This is like any sales or purchase scenario. The easiest way to do this is to give them a test drive. Don’t tell them. Show them. Show them what you find meaningful and valuable. Then help them visualize how they would benefit. They need a reason to explore.

The clock is ticking

Time online and the value received from it will only increase. If the analog world is the quadricep and digital the hamstring, one will need both muscles to be equally strong to run in the future.

Mikey Sklar

I ran into Mikey online. Same name, no connection.
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We've become friends through interests in tech, the creator economy, and writing. I would never have met him in the analog world. Here's a photo from last week.

Mikey likes to run. In a 10-day race he ran 526 miles. Yes, that's an average of 52.6 miles per day.

He came in 3rd place. You can follow him here.

One of these days we'll meet in person. I plan to leave my running shoes at home.

Time to wrap this up. I need to get out and walk around the block a few times.

Thank you for reading, and have a great weekend.

-Michael

P.S. - as always, feel free to reply to this email if you want to chat. I am a little behind on messages but plan to catch up.

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