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Something You Should Know

Embracing Optimism & How Algorithms Narrow Your Choices

Something You Should Know

Mike Carruthers | OmniCastMedia

Science, Self-improvement, Social Sciences, Health & Fitness, Education

4.5 • 4.3K Ratings

🗓️ 4 March 2024

⏱️ 54 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Distractions while driving can be dangerous. Good drivers know they need to minimize distractions. However, some things that are intended to deliberately distract drivers, such as billboards. And it turns out certain types of billboards can be REALLY distracting. Listen as I explain. Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2280521/ It would seem that being an optimist would be better than being a pessimist. But is it something you can really change? And why do some people see the glass half empty, and some see it half full? It turns out that the science of optimism is fascinating and there is a lot we can do to become more optimistic about the world and our lives. Joining me to explain how is Dr. Sue Varma. She is a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice and a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at New York University. She is also author of a book called Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being (https://amzn.to/3TbPjv5). When you search online for something whether it’s a movie on Netflix or a screwdriver on Amazon, the choices you see are determined by an algorithm. In other words, you don’t see every screwdriver in the world, you see the ones the algorithm has determined you might like. While that may be good for a screwdriver, it may be very limiting when it comes to other things. Here to explain why this is important is Kyle Chayka. He is a staff writer at The New Yorker, where he writes a column on digital technology and the impact of the Internet and social media on culture and he is author of the book, Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture (https://amzn.to/4bSgpj6). Everyone knows that it is dangerous to drive if you have been drinking. However, driving when you're sick may be even more dangerous. Listen as I reveal how even a slight cold can affect your body and put you at risk when you drive. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2283323 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Del.com/deals to access great deals on leading-edge technology & free shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Turbo Tax experts make all your moves count, filing with 100% accuracy, and getting your

0:07.5

max refund guaranteed.

0:10.3

So whether you say start at a podcast, or side hustled your way into some great concert tickets or or sold some cherished Hollywood memorabilia,

0:20.0

switch to TurboTax and make your moves count.

0:24.0

See guarantee details at TurboTax.

0:28.0

Experts only available with TurboTax Live.

0:32.0

Today. available with TurboTax Live.

0:41.0

Today on something you should know, how some billboards can actually mess up your driving.

0:47.0

Then understanding optimism and all the reasons to worry less and be more optimistic. What we found, what research has found is that 85% of the time, things that you worry about don't actually happen.

0:55.0

When they do, you're better equipped to handle them than you actually gave yourself

1:00.4

credit for.

1:01.4

And this is a really important point for people to take home.

1:04.0

Also how driving with a cold could be worse than driving drunk and algorithms.

1:10.0

They make recommendations for everything you buy online, but is that a good thing?

1:15.0

There's so much frictionlessness on the internet now that just encourages you to just go with that first recommendation.

1:22.0

It works for some things in other places I think

1:24.8

it's made us into worse consumers. All this today on something you should know.

1:34.2

When you think about how important it is to hire the right person when you have a job opening,

1:40.8

doing it the old way seems archaic, you know plotting through a bunch of resumes that don't

1:46.4

really tell you what you want to know and then slogging through interviews with so many people

1:51.1

it just leaves you numb. There's a better way which is why you

1:54.9

need indeed. Indeed is your matching and hiring platform with over 350 million global monthly visitors according to Indeed Data and a matching

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