Agreed. I just turned 60 this week and I can assure you that my years as a youth were not spent in a 'padded world'. When I run or bike outside I always only listen the voice in my head. It often is the best part of the day.
Yes, yes, 1,000 times yes! I am a yoga teacher who specializes in chronic stress and trauma. Interoception and proprioception are two skills we work on regularly. We take time to understand the difference between pain and discomfort, stretch and damage, learning to balance and the moment before falling. It is not easy work precisely because of what you describe: we are trained to numb out now, and we train our kids to do the same.
Great article, can I also add a couple of suggestions - ditch online shopping where you can, getting out of your home and being around other humans looking at stuff is part of being human in the first place. And walk whenever you can, again it’s part of being human and means you can look at stuff too - be it urban or natural.
Yesterday I read a newspaper article about self-scan checkouts in supermarkets. As is often the case the comments thread was more interesting! Comments were evenly decided between those who wanted to completely avoid any human interaction and thought the technology was wonderful, and those who actually liked the human interaction with the checkout operator.
I'm an immigrant. When I first arrived I worked on a checkout. It helped me learn the currency, the different products and to talk to locals. It helped me fit in. But the flipside was that I was often literally the only person some customers had spoken to all day. Elderly people. Single mothers. Disabled people. Other immigrants. Take away the human contact and you might be more efficient, but you lose a whole lot.
Thank you for writing this important article. I love podcasts and listen to them all the time, but when we got our dog several months ago, I decided that his first walk of the day would be podcast- and earbuds-free. Instead of walling myself off from other people, every morning I get into at least a couple of short, friendly conversations with other dog-owning neighbors. These little connections give me such a lift at the start of the day.
I did the same thing! First walk of the day with the dog, I don't even bring my phone! It was hard at fist but now it feels completely normal and gets my day off to the right start!
It's more than just wearing headphones while running. People now can't do 5k without massive headphones, a phone, running vest, bottle, layers of sports gear, hyper advanced shoes, whatever. It's endless ritual and comfort blankets as well as being influenced by marketing and social media that all this is necessary and normal.
Agree with a lot of this! Environment is very important in development and playground risk is particularly important for our kids development. Playgrounds in Germany are designed intentionally to incorporate risk: https://germanparenting.substack.com/p/playground-risk
Not exactly, but I’ve written about other types of “risk” in German childhood, that don’t often exist in a typical American childhood. Also there has been a lot academic research into risk in playground design. Some of the German playground manufacturers probably have blogs or content around this. This article is interesting, particularly how playgrounds are regulated in Germany: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/24/why-germany-is-building-risk-into-its-playgrounds
It boldens my opinion about the detriment to instant and constant access to AI. If we continue at the pace we're on, it will gat to a point where a large percentage of people wont be able to have critical thoughts or perform any single task with the need to consult AI.
We're slowly but surely losing our ability to stand the discomfort of thinking, researching, making initial drafts, opening books to find answers, discussing topics, forming thoughts to debate a subject, flipping through dictionary pages to find the definition of new words and more… because of our immediate race to AI for information.
This is a call to action for me to sit in the discomfort and let my brain and body build the signals and system they require.
An interesting piece largely because it identifies multiple problems without naming the source - capitalism. All of these things actually. People didn't switch to disposable diapers because they were choosing to be lazy or whatever, they switched because of both MASSIVE campaigns and that with increasing frequency parents needed to work more, making washing cloth diapers extra difficult. Diaper companies, because of capitalism, kept expanding - 12 month diapers, 2 years, 3 years, theyll sell more - so they put out false studies and convinced everyone 2.5 was average, and kept pushing. (Also, not so fun fact, the effects of multiple covid infections is pushing childhood development back and making this problem worse) we have got to root out the cause, and build new systems to support humanity. And absolutely to support the human NEED for silence and space and birdsong.
Yes. And women started entering the work force and getting the careers they deserved. But I'm surprised this was not brought up in this article. One parent (or if families could afford a nanny), typically the mother, stayed home and probably had more time to dedicate to potty training.
Your political bias has skewed your thinking. I worked in sales and marketing for 40 years, and for the last 30 of those years I also taught students in the field. I was an academic. I did research. The problem is not "capitalism". The problem is not "marketing". Let me assure you that it is not possible to make people buy things they don't want. It is possible to get someone confused to the point where they will buy something and then regret it. But the outcome is annoyance if not downright anger. They won't buy again and they tell all their friends.
What people are buying in a disposable nappy is convenience. The ability to be lazy. Exemption from responsibility. It is avoidance. It is much easier and less work to throw away human waste for someone else to deal with than having to actually deal with it yourself. That is not "capitalism". That is having so much money that you can avoid reality. Oh don't get me wrong, many people are suggestable and advertising can make a suggestable mind see easy answers. But let me assure you, in your socialist utopia disposable nappies aren't a problem. People are more concerned about having something to eat.
Lot of assumptions there. I'll just say that I, too, have done a great deal of research. The entire premise of marketing is convincing people to buy things they do not need. Want is a very different thing, and every human *wants* convenience, most particularly, yes, when burnt out because of capitalism. Pretending that the systems we live under - capitalism, patriarchy, white narcissism- the structures, the framing of our laws and norms, dont affect us at every turn is incredibly asinine and privilaged. You have a great deal to learn. May your mind open. Because these systems are eating themselves and burning down the planet.
You tell me that I "have a great deal to learn" about marketing because you've "done some research". You are a smug armchair expert. I worked in marketing for 40 years. For 30 of those years I also taught the subject at FE and HE level. I have an 80,000 word research masters and an 80,000 word doctorate in marketing.I am published in the subject. I created not just marketing modules but entire degrees and masters courses in marketing on two continents. I think I have a slight understanding of what it actually is.
Marketing does not exist to sell things that people don't want. That is a great way to go broke. It's about finding what people want and giving it to them. It's about finding different groups of people with different needs and creating different products to meet those needs.
Twenty five years ago I broke the teaching mould by taking a group of Marketing 101 students into the teachers' car park. It was a small residential college where the students and staff knew each other quite well. The lesson was the students telling me who owned which car, and why. Even people who couldn't tell a Volvo from an Aston Martin got every single one right. Not because they'd seen the person driving it. It just was that market segmentation is that simple.
Nobody can force you to buy something you don't want. Weak, easily influenced people buy things that are fashionable or trendy because they want to fit in, or to impress their friends, or keep up with the Joneses. All a marketer can do is make you aware of the product. A good marketer will explain the benefits of their offering over another offerring. That is entirely reasonable. Nobody forces you to buy anything. If you are too weak to say no, how is that anyone else's choice but your own? You are an adult human being with agency, not a victim.
I have never bought a cigarette in my entire life. I have no intention of buyng an electric car. My car is practical and was bought for my specific needs. I don't use expensive face creams or lotions. I don't buy new styles of clothes every year. I wear what suits me in colours and styles that suit me in specific fabrics. I don't have pay tv. My phone is second hand and very basic. My laptop was second hand.
I buy the things I need and occasionally I buy things I want. I have collections and hobbies. But
I don't vote because of an advertisement. I read the party's manifesto and make a decision. I don't buy things because some influencer told me to. I am an adult, I have a brain, I assimilate information and I make a choice. Because nobody can make me buy something I don't want.
And you're assuming I am? I already gave you a cookie lol.
But I am curious, have you ever bought a razor? Since you're impervious to marketing, no, right?
Fun fact! THAT particular "culture norm" originated around the time of ww1. See most men went off to war, which left the razor companies just not making as much money. And gosh capitalism says we gotta grow grow grow! So they began marketing to women, leaned in to and expanded via fashion - shave the armpits ladies now you can go sleeveless, shave the legs and look at those ankles, capitalism feeds itself on us, commodifing everything including our bodies. Healthy dose of patriarchy in this trend too, telling grown women it's better to look like prepubescent children, because american patriarchy.
But im sure you've never shaved your legs, because you would never fall for a capitalist patriarchal scheme. ✌️
Thanks for this. Human performance coach based in San Francisco here. For years, I’ve resisted using the big screen TVs when I teach a couple weekly spin classes, with about 20 people each week. We pay a ton of attention to breathing, observing the body’s sensations, and really, turning each spin into something of a meditation practice. I could NEVER pull this off if I put up the flashy graphics on the big screen TVs. My regulars totally get it and buy in. But when I sub in to a class not familiar with my program, folks literally sit on their bikes, mouth breathe, and stare at the blank(!) screens. It’s nuts.
Love the points you made about running and hearing the signals our body sends. I've never run with headphones solely because when I'm on a trail in the woods I value the sounds of nature all around me and also, perhaps most importantly, the process whereby my thoughts run free. There is almost always a time where I end up finding clarity on something I've been thinking about ... and I believe listening to music or a podcast would take that away from me. It's the best part!
I am definitely guilty of relying too much on a podcast. But the reality is that it's all just escapism from the chaos of the world around us. If I sat in my boredom more, maybe I would find more calmness.
As someone who literally can not tell when I’m full this is a real eye opener. One clear example of the outsourcing issue is the fact that I have a Dexcom which monitors my blood sugar all the time. (Turns out not having an eating offswitch has a bad effect on you, who knew.) Before the Dexcom I tested my sugars randomly the Dexcom makes it really easy to see exactly what is going on with my sugars. It also shows me how badly off my reactions to a high blood sugar and low are. I was dead certain I knew what it felt like to be low turns out I was wrong at least part of the time. The Dexcom made that disparity very clear and left me a bit shaken about my connection to my body.
Great article, I feel vindicated in some of my daily habits lol. Also. While it certainly has helped many people with diabetes and morbid obesity, this reminds me of the emerging discussion about GLP-1s side effect (or perhaps it's the intended effect, but it turned out to affect more than just appetite) of dulling a lot of signals your body naturally gives you.
Interesting. I've not heard of this yet. I just did a few online searches using various keywords (e.g., "GLP-1," "body signal," "dulling," "perception," "perceive,") and couldn't find anything. What do you suggest I search to find information on this discussion?
While absorbing information in bits and pieces "here and there" to create aggregated washes of "I seem to have heard this or that mentioned this or that place," is, I think, common and natural for us humans, I think it's also important to acknowledge that these washes of information are not things to be brought out as fact, but rather kept in the "not yet settled" area of our minds as starting places for curiosity and careful research when we have the time and clarity for it.
I understand that you were not stating that anything as dogma, but merely mentioning "seeing discussions emerging." However, since there's already much misunderstanding and vilifying of GLP-1s (and yes, there's also those who significantly downplay their limitations and downsides, but I don't think you'll find too many of those in this substack thread), I thought I'd make this comment just in case anyone reading this thread was tempted to run away with "GLP-1 meds dull body cues! I read it on the internet!"
Interesting! Lots of good points. But I was a bit confused about the air conditioning bit. Where you said insulin sensitivity had improved? That’s a good thing. What we don’t want is insulin resistance.
Yes, Sorry, didn’t make it clear. In 1 month of sleeping in cooler conditions in the winter, when we normally use heat to raise the temp for comfort…insulin sensitivity improved. So it’s the controlled 68-72deg or whatever that heat/AC does.
Articles like this should be pinned to every school notice board.
That would be wonderful!
And given out at the hospital to every new parent.
Agreed. I just turned 60 this week and I can assure you that my years as a youth were not spent in a 'padded world'. When I run or bike outside I always only listen the voice in my head. It often is the best part of the day.
Yes, yes, 1,000 times yes! I am a yoga teacher who specializes in chronic stress and trauma. Interoception and proprioception are two skills we work on regularly. We take time to understand the difference between pain and discomfort, stretch and damage, learning to balance and the moment before falling. It is not easy work precisely because of what you describe: we are trained to numb out now, and we train our kids to do the same.
I’m autistic and I really struggle with those two things. I think it’s why I struggle with so much anxiety.
Great article, can I also add a couple of suggestions - ditch online shopping where you can, getting out of your home and being around other humans looking at stuff is part of being human in the first place. And walk whenever you can, again it’s part of being human and means you can look at stuff too - be it urban or natural.
Yesterday I read a newspaper article about self-scan checkouts in supermarkets. As is often the case the comments thread was more interesting! Comments were evenly decided between those who wanted to completely avoid any human interaction and thought the technology was wonderful, and those who actually liked the human interaction with the checkout operator.
I'm an immigrant. When I first arrived I worked on a checkout. It helped me learn the currency, the different products and to talk to locals. It helped me fit in. But the flipside was that I was often literally the only person some customers had spoken to all day. Elderly people. Single mothers. Disabled people. Other immigrants. Take away the human contact and you might be more efficient, but you lose a whole lot.
People are actually having that much difficulty doing this. 😭 It's getting harder and harder for me to understand the world I live in.
Thank you for writing this important article. I love podcasts and listen to them all the time, but when we got our dog several months ago, I decided that his first walk of the day would be podcast- and earbuds-free. Instead of walling myself off from other people, every morning I get into at least a couple of short, friendly conversations with other dog-owning neighbors. These little connections give me such a lift at the start of the day.
I did the same thing! First walk of the day with the dog, I don't even bring my phone! It was hard at fist but now it feels completely normal and gets my day off to the right start!
I'm trying this as well!! (It's telling that it's been so challenging for me to go podcast-free on walks 😬)
It's more than just wearing headphones while running. People now can't do 5k without massive headphones, a phone, running vest, bottle, layers of sports gear, hyper advanced shoes, whatever. It's endless ritual and comfort blankets as well as being influenced by marketing and social media that all this is necessary and normal.
Agree with a lot of this! Environment is very important in development and playground risk is particularly important for our kids development. Playgrounds in Germany are designed intentionally to incorporate risk: https://germanparenting.substack.com/p/playground-risk
This is great! Do you have any more on this? I'd love to read about it.
Not exactly, but I’ve written about other types of “risk” in German childhood, that don’t often exist in a typical American childhood. Also there has been a lot academic research into risk in playground design. Some of the German playground manufacturers probably have blogs or content around this. This article is interesting, particularly how playgrounds are regulated in Germany: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/24/why-germany-is-building-risk-into-its-playgrounds
I love this analysis.
It boldens my opinion about the detriment to instant and constant access to AI. If we continue at the pace we're on, it will gat to a point where a large percentage of people wont be able to have critical thoughts or perform any single task with the need to consult AI.
We're slowly but surely losing our ability to stand the discomfort of thinking, researching, making initial drafts, opening books to find answers, discussing topics, forming thoughts to debate a subject, flipping through dictionary pages to find the definition of new words and more… because of our immediate race to AI for information.
This is a call to action for me to sit in the discomfort and let my brain and body build the signals and system they require.
An interesting piece largely because it identifies multiple problems without naming the source - capitalism. All of these things actually. People didn't switch to disposable diapers because they were choosing to be lazy or whatever, they switched because of both MASSIVE campaigns and that with increasing frequency parents needed to work more, making washing cloth diapers extra difficult. Diaper companies, because of capitalism, kept expanding - 12 month diapers, 2 years, 3 years, theyll sell more - so they put out false studies and convinced everyone 2.5 was average, and kept pushing. (Also, not so fun fact, the effects of multiple covid infections is pushing childhood development back and making this problem worse) we have got to root out the cause, and build new systems to support humanity. And absolutely to support the human NEED for silence and space and birdsong.
Yes. And women started entering the work force and getting the careers they deserved. But I'm surprised this was not brought up in this article. One parent (or if families could afford a nanny), typically the mother, stayed home and probably had more time to dedicate to potty training.
Absolutely also a factor!
Your political bias has skewed your thinking. I worked in sales and marketing for 40 years, and for the last 30 of those years I also taught students in the field. I was an academic. I did research. The problem is not "capitalism". The problem is not "marketing". Let me assure you that it is not possible to make people buy things they don't want. It is possible to get someone confused to the point where they will buy something and then regret it. But the outcome is annoyance if not downright anger. They won't buy again and they tell all their friends.
What people are buying in a disposable nappy is convenience. The ability to be lazy. Exemption from responsibility. It is avoidance. It is much easier and less work to throw away human waste for someone else to deal with than having to actually deal with it yourself. That is not "capitalism". That is having so much money that you can avoid reality. Oh don't get me wrong, many people are suggestable and advertising can make a suggestable mind see easy answers. But let me assure you, in your socialist utopia disposable nappies aren't a problem. People are more concerned about having something to eat.
Lot of assumptions there. I'll just say that I, too, have done a great deal of research. The entire premise of marketing is convincing people to buy things they do not need. Want is a very different thing, and every human *wants* convenience, most particularly, yes, when burnt out because of capitalism. Pretending that the systems we live under - capitalism, patriarchy, white narcissism- the structures, the framing of our laws and norms, dont affect us at every turn is incredibly asinine and privilaged. You have a great deal to learn. May your mind open. Because these systems are eating themselves and burning down the planet.
You tell me that I "have a great deal to learn" about marketing because you've "done some research". You are a smug armchair expert. I worked in marketing for 40 years. For 30 of those years I also taught the subject at FE and HE level. I have an 80,000 word research masters and an 80,000 word doctorate in marketing.I am published in the subject. I created not just marketing modules but entire degrees and masters courses in marketing on two continents. I think I have a slight understanding of what it actually is.
Marketing does not exist to sell things that people don't want. That is a great way to go broke. It's about finding what people want and giving it to them. It's about finding different groups of people with different needs and creating different products to meet those needs.
Twenty five years ago I broke the teaching mould by taking a group of Marketing 101 students into the teachers' car park. It was a small residential college where the students and staff knew each other quite well. The lesson was the students telling me who owned which car, and why. Even people who couldn't tell a Volvo from an Aston Martin got every single one right. Not because they'd seen the person driving it. It just was that market segmentation is that simple.
Nobody can force you to buy something you don't want. Weak, easily influenced people buy things that are fashionable or trendy because they want to fit in, or to impress their friends, or keep up with the Joneses. All a marketer can do is make you aware of the product. A good marketer will explain the benefits of their offering over another offerring. That is entirely reasonable. Nobody forces you to buy anything. If you are too weak to say no, how is that anyone else's choice but your own? You are an adult human being with agency, not a victim.
I have never bought a cigarette in my entire life. I have no intention of buyng an electric car. My car is practical and was bought for my specific needs. I don't use expensive face creams or lotions. I don't buy new styles of clothes every year. I wear what suits me in colours and styles that suit me in specific fabrics. I don't have pay tv. My phone is second hand and very basic. My laptop was second hand.
I buy the things I need and occasionally I buy things I want. I have collections and hobbies. But
I don't vote because of an advertisement. I read the party's manifesto and make a decision. I don't buy things because some influencer told me to. I am an adult, I have a brain, I assimilate information and I make a choice. Because nobody can make me buy something I don't want.
Ha! You tell 'em. One of my backgrounds is marketing. And the best marketing is ALWAYS in touch with reality. G'day!
Ok I'm sure you're right. 🍪
The difference is I'm not a communist.
Also, define "communist". 🤔
And you're assuming I am? I already gave you a cookie lol.
But I am curious, have you ever bought a razor? Since you're impervious to marketing, no, right?
Fun fact! THAT particular "culture norm" originated around the time of ww1. See most men went off to war, which left the razor companies just not making as much money. And gosh capitalism says we gotta grow grow grow! So they began marketing to women, leaned in to and expanded via fashion - shave the armpits ladies now you can go sleeveless, shave the legs and look at those ankles, capitalism feeds itself on us, commodifing everything including our bodies. Healthy dose of patriarchy in this trend too, telling grown women it's better to look like prepubescent children, because american patriarchy.
But im sure you've never shaved your legs, because you would never fall for a capitalist patriarchal scheme. ✌️
Thanks for this. Human performance coach based in San Francisco here. For years, I’ve resisted using the big screen TVs when I teach a couple weekly spin classes, with about 20 people each week. We pay a ton of attention to breathing, observing the body’s sensations, and really, turning each spin into something of a meditation practice. I could NEVER pull this off if I put up the flashy graphics on the big screen TVs. My regulars totally get it and buy in. But when I sub in to a class not familiar with my program, folks literally sit on their bikes, mouth breathe, and stare at the blank(!) screens. It’s nuts.
Love the points you made about running and hearing the signals our body sends. I've never run with headphones solely because when I'm on a trail in the woods I value the sounds of nature all around me and also, perhaps most importantly, the process whereby my thoughts run free. There is almost always a time where I end up finding clarity on something I've been thinking about ... and I believe listening to music or a podcast would take that away from me. It's the best part!
I am definitely guilty of relying too much on a podcast. But the reality is that it's all just escapism from the chaos of the world around us. If I sat in my boredom more, maybe I would find more calmness.
As someone who literally can not tell when I’m full this is a real eye opener. One clear example of the outsourcing issue is the fact that I have a Dexcom which monitors my blood sugar all the time. (Turns out not having an eating offswitch has a bad effect on you, who knew.) Before the Dexcom I tested my sugars randomly the Dexcom makes it really easy to see exactly what is going on with my sugars. It also shows me how badly off my reactions to a high blood sugar and low are. I was dead certain I knew what it felt like to be low turns out I was wrong at least part of the time. The Dexcom made that disparity very clear and left me a bit shaken about my connection to my body.
‘We padded the world. And now we’re wondering why nobody can feel anything.’ 🤌🏻
Great article, I feel vindicated in some of my daily habits lol. Also. While it certainly has helped many people with diabetes and morbid obesity, this reminds me of the emerging discussion about GLP-1s side effect (or perhaps it's the intended effect, but it turned out to affect more than just appetite) of dulling a lot of signals your body naturally gives you.
Interesting. I've not heard of this yet. I just did a few online searches using various keywords (e.g., "GLP-1," "body signal," "dulling," "perception," "perceive,") and couldn't find anything. What do you suggest I search to find information on this discussion?
I got the idea here https://stevemagness.substack.com/p/the-hidden-cost-of-comfort
I think you put the wrong link down. That is this post lol
OMG I didn't realize LMAO. Yeah I was only thinking of a couple posts floating around in Substack but this one was the one that came to mind. My bad!
Thanks for replying and clarifying.
While absorbing information in bits and pieces "here and there" to create aggregated washes of "I seem to have heard this or that mentioned this or that place," is, I think, common and natural for us humans, I think it's also important to acknowledge that these washes of information are not things to be brought out as fact, but rather kept in the "not yet settled" area of our minds as starting places for curiosity and careful research when we have the time and clarity for it.
I understand that you were not stating that anything as dogma, but merely mentioning "seeing discussions emerging." However, since there's already much misunderstanding and vilifying of GLP-1s (and yes, there's also those who significantly downplay their limitations and downsides, but I don't think you'll find too many of those in this substack thread), I thought I'd make this comment just in case anyone reading this thread was tempted to run away with "GLP-1 meds dull body cues! I read it on the internet!"
There are lots of papers written about it. Try PubMed.
Interesting! Lots of good points. But I was a bit confused about the air conditioning bit. Where you said insulin sensitivity had improved? That’s a good thing. What we don’t want is insulin resistance.
Yes, Sorry, didn’t make it clear. In 1 month of sleeping in cooler conditions in the winter, when we normally use heat to raise the temp for comfort…insulin sensitivity improved. So it’s the controlled 68-72deg or whatever that heat/AC does.
Oh ok, thank you for clarifying!