The100: Peak social media, rebuilding attention and the most beautiful libraries in the world

Have we passed peak social media?…

…The Financial Times thinks so ($). Their recent article showed that we’re now using it less and for different reasons. However, there was a bit of brouhaha about the validity of the data. Nick Emmel of Mr President spoke to multiple folk involved and summed it up nicely: 

“The research question is defined by self-reported use of Social Media – “On an average day, how long do you spend on Social Media?” […] It is an all-encompassing, consistent question asked of their global panel over a number of years […] That is not to say that people’s own definitions of what social media is might be changing […] Nor does it indicate whether people’s perceptions of use of social media has a growing stigma, which might lead to a lower claimed usage […] But these are small factors that can’t account for the plateauing and drop of claimed usage overall. Especially when combined with the data on the claimed reasons for using social media – which indicate a very clear trend in using it for less “social” reasons.”

In a nutshell, Social Algorithmic Media is becoming more about entertainment. While the communication, connection and the ‘social’ elements are moving elsewhere. 

“Operators of systems or orchestrators of meaning”

Neil Perkin is in The100 AGAIN this week with another corker on AI. This time mapping scenarios for how the role of those who represent the consumer (researchers, insights teams, strategists) could evolve in the coming years:

“The difference between these futures will depend less on technology itself and more on how strategists choose to redefine their value: as operators of systems or as orchestrators of meaning. The next few years may prove whether strategy becomes an input to optimisation, or remains a discipline of interpretation, foresight, and imagination.”

How to pay attention again

Has anybody else’s attention span become akin to that of a teaspoon? I’ve been trying to echo locate mine for a while now, so enjoyed neuroscientist Yana Yuhai’s tips for rebuilding focus. 

“Name the impulse: when you feel the urge to switch tasks or check your phone, pause and label it – distraction impulse. Tiny acts of awareness reactivate the prefrontal cortex and can give you back the freedom of choice. Start by changing the channel, not the habit: Often times, the brain isn’t just seeking distraction – it’s seeking stimulation. Try replacing doomscrolling with a more grounding form of novelty – a walk, a stretch, a song you haven’t heard in years.”

Brush off those red sneakers

If you want to be seen as competent, respectable, innovative and trustworthy at a stuffy industry event, try ditching the formal attire. Sultan of Behavioural Swings, Richard Shotton, on how we perceive non-conformists as having higher status:

“We showed our sample one of two images of a businesswoman presenting at a cybersecurity conference. In one, we told the participants she was conforming to the dress code, wearing a smart blue suit and sensible heels. In the other, we said she was non-conforming — casually attired in stylish sweats and red trainers […] Across the four metrics on average the non-conformist was rated 43% higher. Psychologists think this happens because people assume you must be high status to be bold enough to flout conventions.”

And finally…

Himesh Patel reads Paul Devlin’s letter to Harvard, in which he plays an Uno reverse card and rejects their rejection letter. Genius.

We love a map in The100. And I like to think I’m pretty au fait with them. (I spent most of my school maths lessons memorising the capital cities listed in the back of my workbook.) However, I’ve got nothing on the folk at the Geoguessr World Championships. The accuracy and speed with which they’re able to deduce where they are is something else. 

The 10 most beautiful libraries in the world. *Adds the The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading to bucket list*

Bon weekend,

Fran