How to Change the World

Howdy,

Last week, I debriefed you on my phrase "value over validation."

This week, I'm breaking down the top resources I consume to create value in the world.

Most of what we consume is low signal, high noise.

Signal - engaging, informative content that reveals truths about the world

Noise - mind-numbing, low-value content that solely focuses on racking up clicks

The internet is predominantly filled with noise.

Think about it this way: advancement in society was stalled for centuries due to our inability to distribute information. Then came the printing press, followed by the digital age. Now, we no longer have a distribution problem. We have a curation problem.

We struggle to filter out the noise (sensationalized news cycles, clickbait articles, endless scrolling on social media) and uncover signal (well-informed pieces on current events, timeless concepts, and ancient wisdom).

In the spirit of helping to solve this curation problem, my goal in this piece is to highlight publications that are producing fun, high-value content to improve the world.

Resource #1 - Economics (Marginal Revolution University)

I studied economics in college. It completely changed my life. The way in which I approach high-level, theoretical thinking across disciplines draws back on economic concepts such as game theory, supply/demand curves, and econometrics.

Folks outside of economics too often think the subject is solely about numbers, wealth, and politics. At its core, economics is about identifying the relationship between variables in a complex world. It provides us with models for better thinking. These models help us think critically and become better problem solvers, no matter your background.

Marginal Revolution University (MRU) provides fun, engaging, informative videos to break down economics. Give MRU a try by testing out one of my favorite videos by them below.

They have entire courses that you can take. Or you can pop around on their YouTube page to pick and choose what topics you want to learn.

A letter to all learners on behalf of the MRU team (Marginal Revolution University Site) 

Resource #2 - Ethical Tech (Center for Humane Technology)

I've previously written about my concerns with today's tech. We are leaning into convenience at the expense of our own well-being. This is by design.

More dopamine = more engagement

More engagement = more profit

It's a business decision for companies to keep us hooked.

The Center of Humane Technology has produced a few different resources to inform us about the consequences of over usage of tech. This includes a Netflix documentary called The Social Dilemma (see trailer below), a podcast called Your Undivided Attention, and their newsletter providing frequent updates on the center's activity. 

Trailer for The Social Dilemma (available on Netflix)

Resource #3 - Climate, Health, Food, & More (Important, Not Important)

This one might be the coolest of the 3 resources. It's a weekly newsletter of subjects that you should care about. These newsletters achieve incredible depth while remaining concise. Additionally, the way in which they format their newsletter is exceptional.

The folks at Important, Not Important structure each major subject into 3 categories: The News, Understand It, and Action Step.

The News helps you determine what current event they're discussing. Understand It breaks down the event's causes or potential primary/secondary effects resulting from the news. Action Step helps you do something concrete about it.

They also produce audio versions of each of their newsletters. You can access their podcast episodes here.

Thanks for reading

I hope these curated resources are of interest! Go consume more signal than noise today,

Josh