People as Content Filters
The internet has given us an unprecedented abundance of content. Never before have we been able to learn from others so freely. However, with more information comes more noise. It’s harder than ever before to sort the relevant from irrelevant. With the advent of social media platforms come filter bubbles and fake news.
In may ways this is a strange problem to have. You would think with more access we would develop tools to get the most relevant content delivered to us at the right time. Unfortunately we’re not there yet so my solution has been to turn to people as filters.
It’s much more interesting to learn about the world from people, instead of publications trying to squeeze every cent out of your attention with banner ads and listicles.
Especially people who are genuinely motivated by the goal of informing others. Using their expertise to make things digestible. Providing unique analysis and trustworthy information.
Over the years I’ve built up a large list of individuals who fit into this category, whom I turn to every day to help me understand the world.
If there are others you think should belong on this list please share them with me!
Tim Urban (Wait But Why)
WaitButWhy satisfies that insatiable curiosity that we’re all born with. That urge to spend days digging into the weeds of a topic or event to really understand what is going on. When Elon Musk, Bill Gates and seemingly the entire tech industry went into semi-meltdown mode after Nick Bostrom (sidenote: read his paper on simulation theory, it’s great) published his book on Superintelligence, Tim Urban was there to explain what all the fuss was about.
Shane Parrish (Farnam Street Blog)
Shane reads over 100 books a year, is a big Charlie Munger fan and spends most of his time thinking about how to think. Taking the time to reflect on the things Shane writes about has helped me be more effective in my work but also in my personal life.
Pwn All The Things
Given the increasing connectivity of our world, with Alexas, smartphones galore and internet connected fridges (?), information security is more important than ever. Add to that the DNC Hacks and things like the Buzzfeed dossier, it’s almost impossible to know what constitutes intelligence, counter intelligence and just bullshit.
Pwn All The Things tells it like it is. The CEO of a Security company and former GCHQ specialist, Matt Tait makes a ridiculously convoluted topic easier to navigate through tweetstorms (!).
Ben Thompson (Stratechery)
With unique insights and a fascinating analysis of the on-goings in the technology sector, Ben Thompson has built a small empire with Stratechery. He spends the time to give a measured take on relevant trends. Ben’s articles are usually first on my list to read whether it’s about the impending Snap IPO or the intersection of technology and democracy.
Michael Lombardi
I’ve spent years of my life in the football world. The chess of team sports is a fascinating subject. Consider that a football coach probably spends the same amount of time watching and re-watching an individual play as the average fan does paying attention to an entire game. It’s remarkably complex and Michael gives you the context to look at the game from a more analytical perspective. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to the typical stuff you see on ESPN’s front page.
Clearly there’s some good stuff out there. I’m sure I’ve only barely scraped the surface though and that’s where you come in. Tweet at me or comment below with your own favorite human filters.
Maybe there’s hope for us yet.
