Creative Destruction

Creative Destruction is a newsletter addressing societal and technological challenges and opportunities for systemic reform. It examines productivity, technology's impact, climate action, worldview reform, and sustainable living through thought-provoking perspectives aiming to foster imagination, systemic change, and a better future.

Productivity and Society Technology and Humanity Systemic Reform and Sustainability Climate Action and Communication Well-being and Mental Health Economic Models and Wealth Building Consumer Culture and Sustainable Living Future Imaginings and Possibilities Personal Development and Societal Change

The hottest Substack posts of Creative Destruction

And their main takeaways

Returning To Human Scale

55 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Development Physical health Mental health Spiritual growth
  1. Reconsidering the scales we use in society can lead to more sustainable practices and healthier relationships with ourselves and nature.
  2. Applying a human/nature scale to businesses, cities, and work schedules can prioritize well-being over profitability and efficiency.
  3. Shifting to a human/nature scale approach in areas like internet communities and democracy can foster closer connections, better decision-making, and a more inclusive society.

12 Steps To Inner Rewilding

53 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Observation Connection Planning
  1. Start by taking time to do nothing for inner rewilding, giving yourself the space to observe and disconnect from things depleting your inner diversity.
  2. Conduct an inventory of your inner self, focusing on understanding your thoughts, feelings, connections, and overall ecosystem to initiate the process of inner rewilding.
  3. Seek guidance from individuals who are experienced in inner rewilding and reconnect with systems and people around you to develop a plan for reintroducing inner wildness.

Cultivating A New Worldview For A Better World

68 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Connection Nature Wisdom Culture Indigenous
  1. Cultivating a new worldview involves reconnecting with nature and embracing a more holistic way of living.
  2. Inner rewilding and re-humanization are essential for rehabilitating humanity and breaking free from destructive living patterns.
  3. Exploring ideas like traditional ecological knowledge and animism in investing can offer valuable insights for nurturing a new worldview rooted in interconnectedness.
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From Vicious to Virtuous Cycle

32 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Activism Sustainability Worldview Addiction Vision
  1. Acknowledging the need for help and motivation are crucial in starting the rehabilitation process for humanity's addiction
  2. Current activist movements may need to shift focus from guilt and fear to understanding and addressing the deep-seated needs driving destructive behaviors
  3. Presenting enjoyable visions of a future that genuinely satisfies these deep-seated needs can motivate and guide people towards a virtuous cycle of healing and positive change

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #70

22 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Art Philosophy Technology Health & Wellness Literature
  1. Living life as an art involves creativity within constraints, promoting virtues over self-improvement schemes.
  2. Involvement with land and soil can combat anxieties stemming from detachment in modern progress narratives.
  3. Digital lifestyles can lead to de-humanization, turning us into 'storysellers' and impacting how we form connections and perceive reality.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #71

17 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Communication Strategies
  1. The economy has seen massive gains in productivity, but the transformation into more free time is still viewed as radical or lazy.
  2. Modernization and factors like smartphone use, ultra-processed foods, and declining family bonds can have negative effects on mental health.
  3. Calling people forward instead of out can be a more effective approach for change, focusing on positive visions of the future and inviting growth.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #68

28 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Media Sustainability Information Mindset Art
  1. In today's age of information overload, our curiosity now distracts us, leading to intellectual obesity in the form of a flood of low-quality 'junk info'. This 'junk info' is like fast food for thought - cheap to produce, satisfying to consume, but low in nutrition.
  2. The sustainability movement needs to focus on internal sustainability, not just external factors like ecosystems and technology. Our mind plays a crucial role in the climate crisis as it determines our relationships with ourselves, others, and nature.
  3. Immediacy, or the collapse of mediation, is a powerful and destructive driver in the modern world. It eliminates the middle ground of reflection and personal connection, affecting how we perceive and engage with information and culture.

A Frictionless World Is Boring As F*ck

55 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Digital technology Social Impact Ethics Human-Machine Interaction Tech industry
  1. The negative effects of digital technology are becoming more evident and people are noticing a shift towards more harm than benefit.
  2. The concept of "frictionless" living, promoted by technology, can lead to a sterile and unfulfilling future with a lack of connections and responsibility.
  3. To address these issues, there is a need to re-humanize technology and our way of living by fostering healthy relationships with devices, reframing the idea of friction, and exploring non-technological solutions for progress.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #69

17 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Technology Climate Humor Education Health & Wellness
  1. Reality collapse warning: AI-generated content blurs reality, causing disconnect.
  2. Rituals as an antidote: Genuine, physical rituals offer stability and depth in a tech-driven world.
  3. Climate humor for change: Using humor and relatable language to communicate climate issues can inspire action and bring people together.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #63

36 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Ideas Technology Narratives Creativity Society
  1. Change is often slow and gradual, not sudden and miraculous, so embrace the process.
  2. Uncertainty can be a strength in dealing with complex challenges and building mental resilience.
  3. The tech sector, driven by AI hype, often focuses more on storytelling and future potential than practical value.

Two Years of Frame-Changing Ideas

36 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
🚌 Education Ideas Newsletter Learning Community Building
  1. The newsletter saw significant growth in subscribers and views in 2023, reaching around 2,360 subscribers and 12,000 views per month on average.
  2. Top posts of 2023 focused on reframing productivity, promoting climate action, and transforming worldviews.
  3. Plans for 2024 include focusing on audience growth, establishing clear branding around the concept of reframing, and aiming to make the newsletter financially viable.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #67

15 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Internet Pollution Nature Technology Activism
  1. A call for a more human-run internet with a return to a diverse and personal-scale online experience, away from the dominance of giant corporations.
  2. Noise pollution, particularly from cars, is a serious issue affecting humans and animals, emphasizing the need for grounding in space to combat its negative impacts.
  3. Highlighting the shift from viewing the human body as a commodity to embracing it as an integral part of nature, encouraging a sense of belonging and a move away from control and domination.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #62

13 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Ideas Environmentalism Pets Futurism Tech industry
  1. Consider the concept of central carbon banks for better long-term decision-making on climate change.
  2. Reflect on the idea of reevaluating pet ownership and its impact on animals and the environment.
  3. Explore the potential of the solarpunk movement as a source of optimistic and sustainable visions for the future.

Visualizing A Better Future

7 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration
  1. In an age of polycrisis, we lack optimistic visions of the future.
  2. Visualizations and images can make narratives of a better future more tangible.
  3. Artists use AI and creativity to explore preferable future scenarios.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #60

9 implied HN points • 13 Dec 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Consumption Engineering Degrowth
  1. The Slow Revolution is about embracing a lifestyle with enoughness and meaningful nourishment.
  2. Viewing our consumption habits as a form of addiction sheds light on the need for a therapeutic approach to promote sustainable living.
  3. Degrowth Engineering suggests reimagining how engineers design products within the limits of economic, human, and ecological needs.

We Suck at Promoting Climate Action, Here is How We Change That

20 implied HN points • 26 Jul 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Communication Narratives Emotions Community Solutions
  1. Climate action communication needs to shift to be more people-focused, emotional, and clear to effectively engage the majority of the population.
  2. Utilizing emotional storytelling over facts can be more impactful in inspiring action and building community connections.
  3. Efforts to promote climate action should aim to create positive, awe-evoking narratives of a sustainable future to counterbalance doomerism.

Rabbit Holes #61 🎄

5 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Rituals Learning Happiness Reflection Indigenous
  1. The story of Santa Claus may have origins in rituals of the Sami people, including psychedelic mushrooms and shamanic healings.
  2. Rituals are powerful tools to regain agency in a world that feels out of control and can shape our lives and communities.
  3. Shift the focus from achieving goals to a culture of learning, as it offers long-lasting emotional and psychological benefits.

Throughlines

7 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Nature Humanity Connection Identity Existence
  1. Creating a new, desirable story is crucial to address uncertainty and complexity in society.
  2. Reconnecting with nature and acknowledging our entanglement is vital to tackle climate and biodiversity crises.
  3. Re-humanizing involves reconnecting with our inner selves, embracing diversity, and finding balance with our natural environment.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #44

9 implied HN points • 09 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Social Issues Media Opinion Literature Creativity
  1. Feedback about newsletter length can lead to positive changes like featuring fewer curated pieces.
  2. Traditional impact measurement approaches may not be effective in complex systems, suggesting a shift to collaborative learning and adaptation.
  3. The current culture often leads to extreme overreactions, where popular opinion dictates quality, affecting critical assessment and potentially leading to worse entertainment.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #43

9 implied HN points • 02 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Society Nature Leisure Relationships Technology
  1. Society needs better ways to anticipate the future and engage in discussions about desirable futures.
  2. Disposability culture is a serious generational issue leading to pollution and affecting personal relationships.
  3. In a world of constant information, there's a lack of leisure time for contemplation, leading to a loss of unique human qualities.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #53

5 implied HN points • 18 Oct 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Technology Design Communication Urbanism
  1. Spirituality can be a missing element in sustainability efforts, focusing on inner development rather than just external actions.
  2. Technology and convenience may create a feeling of disconnection and lack of control in our lives, rather than making things easier.
  3. Open-source urban design encourages flexible, adaptable, and nature-inspired city planning that involves the community in ongoing development.