Autotelic: A Podcast about Attention

Absorbers and Distractors, Part 1

Our nearly constant interactions with digital technologies, and the cell phone in particular, is literally rewiring our brains, creating neural pathways based on the parameters and habituating effects of these devices. As Dr. Jonathan Haidt points out in his bestselling book, The Anxious Generation, this is strikingly apparent in the first generation to be raised by the cell phone, current Gen Z teens and young adults. As a teacher, I see this every day in the classroom. Beyond their general inability to hold sustained focus, young people today find a more compelling reality and type of socialization on the phone than that found in what preceding generations have called "reality." For this generation, the reality that counts is what appears on the phone screen. Whatever that reality is, it is always preferred over the uncontrollable messiness of physical reality and in-person social interactions. The Autotelic podcast examines this generational change, which will affect humans going forward, and will alter the nature of what we consider "real" or of value. In addition, Autotelic contrasts the scattered, incoherent consciousness fostered by phone addiction with the deeply focused, rewarding, and personally satisfying states of mind made available through practices involving what I call "absorptive awareness." I offer my daily practice of drumming as a way to illustrate the nature and potential of what I call "absorbed awareness," and I discuss how anyone can bring such rich awareness into their daily life. The ideas discussed in Autotelic can be applied to any number of activities that provide opportunities for self-challenges, self-examination, and the attainment of meaningful personal goals.  Thank you for listening! More episodes to come. All music in this episode by Louie Simon. To hear more, check out: SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lsimon33 bandcamp: https://louiesimon.bandcamp.com/album/tongue-drumming MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/louie-simon/ TikTok: @louiesimon405 Instagram: autotelic33 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9HmEdyDJRO-ugh2NM-gMjQ To contact me, please write to: absorbedawareness@gmail.com