Garlic Aioli, Greedflation, and Phone Addiction

Tings Newsletter #22

If you’re new here: I’m Michael Karnjanaprakorn, ex-founder of Skillshare and Otis. I write a newsletter about navigating modern life, work, technology, and random tings. If someone forwarded this to you, subscribe along 5K others.

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1. We just got back from Spain! They truly know how to live: siestas, late dinners, and delicious pan con tomato with garlic aioli.

2. The price difference between food in Europe and the US was surprising. Why are food prices so high in the US? A $22 burrito went viral for highlighting inflation. Is it greedflation, shrinkflation, upflation, or something else?

3. I read some good books on vacation: Tomorrow Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Crypto Confidential, Midnight Library, and Yellowface. If you’re looking for new reads, check out theNYT Readers’ Picks for the 100 best books of the 21st century.

4. My most popular podcast episode is with Kevin Dahlstrom, where we discuss how work comprises only 10% of his identity and how to design a life you don't need to escape.

5. I recently watched a viral video by an MIT-educated neurosurgeon who quit his job at 38 and moved to the woods due to ethical concerns about the effectiveness of his work. He discovered that lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, and stress management were more effective for recovery than surgeries.

6. I was recently interviewed on the Next Play Podcast, discussing my transitions, lifestyle design, and the repeat founder cycle.

7. Jonathan Haidt’s interview is worth listening to. He wrote The Coddling of the American Mind and The Anxious Generation. He offered some good guidelines for social media usage with kids: 1) no smartphones before high school, 2) no social media before age 16, 3) phone-free schools, and 4) more free play and responsibility in the real world.

8. I believe phone addiction is the world’s biggest addiction. A good guideline is less than 150 pickups and less than 2 hours of screen time daily. And whatever you do, don’t check your phone first thing in the morning.

9. What's the amount to retire early, live comfortably, and never have to "work" again? This question went viral on Twitter, with everyone discussing their retirement number. I expanded on it here.

10. For some insightful investigative journalism, check out Benjamin Sandofsky’s piece on Fast Crimes at Lambda School, which covers the rise and fall of Income Share Agreements (ISAs) and the deceptive marketing that led to its rebranding.

11. The Holy Grail in education is personalized learning. Read more about how AI will change education. If you’re building an AI Tutor, please get in touch!

12. If you like my newsletter, you’ll also like Ryan Hoover’s, which has a similar format. Looking to make new friends as an adult? Pick up a social sport.

13. A summer tip from Julien’s newsletter: get rid of mosquitos by filling buckets with water and adding mosquito dunks. I’ve been doing this monthly, and it has mostly eliminated mosquitos.

14. Here’s good advice on choosing the right life path.​

15. And more unsolicited advice on how to live an asymmetric life.

16. I just discovered Cities: Skylines — it’s like Sim City. If you enjoyed city-building games as a kid, you'll love playing this game.

17. Want: Pebble Flow, an electric RV that can also power your home! Its battery capacity is 3.5x that of a Tesla Powerwall.

18. I’ve switched to carrying a man bag/travel sling/fanny pack. It’s far better than cramming everything in your pockets. Why was I not on this trend much sooner? I bought one from Snow Peak but was also considering one from Cotopaxi and Lo & Sons.

19. If you’re excited about the Olympics, check out Sprint. It follows the fastest sprinters in the world as they prepare for the World Championships.

20. If you follow UFC, you will find this hilarious about Israel Adesanya. WE HEARD IT THE FIRST TIME 🤣❄️

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Until the next one,

Michael Karnjanaprakorn