34 Comments
User's avatar
Aden Date's avatar

Yeah but also reading books, visiting an art gallery alone, self-retreat meditation… this is all true until it isn’t. Perhaps solitude vs. loneliness is a helpful distinction here.

Stephan Brault's avatar

I came here to state almost the same thing. Well said.

Matt Smith's avatar

I absolutely love this. This is an incredible, insight-giving framework, very well observed - thank you.

Stephan Brault's avatar

I struggle with absolutes, and this matrix tells me reading a book alone is bad. How about going to see a play/musical alone?

I understand the concept of the matrix presented. Just remember, there is a lot more gray vs black & white.

Gyri Reiersen's avatar

🙏

mads's avatar

"If there was an index fund for touching grass, I would buy it."— thanks for the chuckle this morning

Dozie Anyaegbunam's avatar

do you mind if I say "I love you" for writing this?

David Cohen-Tanugi's avatar

Very nice post, Ben. The "less religion" part of your diagram reminds me of this report about how people are finding replacements for religion as a way to find community, accountability, meaning, etc: https://caspertk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/how-we-gather.pdf

Corey Pudhorodsky's avatar

Last weekend I spent 50 continuous hours demonstrating 50 Climate facts in public. Your post describes well what made it special — being around other people and creating and sharing content in a way that felt risky and collaborative. Thanks for putting it into words.

Anna March, PhD's avatar

This must have popped up for me because I literally just published this on fun. What I didn't include in my piece was the connection between people. I think you are right, as is Catherine Price in The Power of Fun.

https://annamarchphd.substack.com/p/are-we-having-fun-yet?r=530lxe

Virginia's avatar

Ben, thanks for expressing so simply something that I’ve been feeling for years! Everybody knows brainrotting is bad and making them sadder/lonelier but not necessarily what to do about it and how it fits in a broader context. The happiest times of my life are when I set out to do something with a group of people. P.s. judging by your top 2 saved reels i think you have great taste 🙂‍↕️

Nathan's avatar

Found this via the Minifax and love it deeply. I once read a poem with a few lines that jumped off the page at me and have been an ethos ever since:

Then I said:

Will I ever find meaning?

And they said:

You will find meaning

where you give meaning.

https://reneeroederer.com/2024/04/26/narrative-theology-1-by-padraig-o-tuama/

Jakub Nowak's avatar

Very nice post, I feel like this is the direction I've been kind of trying to point at with my "eventmaxxing" post but yeah, not all events are the same. Creating together > consuming together. This is a nice heuristic and great examples you've got there. Shared with friends already, will share in my newsletter, and of course - subscribed! :)

Jason's avatar

I love your opinion !

nihal | deeptech decoded's avatar

Creating together. Who wouldn't love that?

N. M. Rudolph's avatar

Love the diagrams! How'd you come up with those?