RSA You are being distracted by design and bumfuddled for money

[gpatt0n]

I watched this earlier and while it is not as dynamic assome lectures, there is a lot to the point that this authorand motorcycle repair shop owner from Virginia has tosay.  The topic involves the concept of freedom ...which today's consumer culture defines as a dizzying arrayof choices. Matthew Crawford rejects that definition offreedom and says, instead, that freedom is the opportunitynot to be screwed with ... the opportunity to have the timeand peace and quiet to know what you want ... even if allyou want is peace and quiet. Of the references that seems particularly insightful is hisanswer to the last question in the QnA session whichreferences the book "Addiction by design" which relates tothe almost dark sophistication that goes into the design ofmodern slots and video poker games ... which are accordingto the engineers perfecting the form ... capable of beingaddictive by design.  Here is a linkto a brief lecture by the author of the book Crawfordcites. Streamed live on Apr 22,2015 With ever-increasingdemands on our attention, how do we focus onwhat's really important in our lives? Matthew Crawford, acclaimed author of TheCase for Working with Your Hands, argues that ourcurrent crisis of attention, dissatisfaction withourselves and alienation from other people, is theresult of long-held assumptions in Western culturethat are profoundly at odds with human nature. In order to flourish, we need to establishmeaningful connections with the world, the peoplearound us and the historical moment we live in. What is needed is an ‘ethics of attention forour time’, grounded in a realistic account of themind and a critical gaze at modern culture. Speaker: Matthew Crawford, philosopher andmechanic Chair: Jonathan Rowson, director, RSA SocialBrain Centre

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