Why Infinite Scroll Wins and Your dApp Doesn’t

As the world shifts to more digital competition, one of the most powerful long-term advantages is addiction. For businesses, this means that services that can grab and hold consumers’ attention for longer will be rewarded. For consumers, it means that we will have to be ruthless in our relationship with technology. Business best practices are not e... See more

0.1% Ideas: Turning Life Into A Video Game

​

​What idea do you think is true AND underpriced?

​

Here’s mine: The most productive people design life like a video game.

I had this red pill moment when I saw the following:

The laziest person I’ve ever met play a video game for 16 hours straight, 7 days per week.

My brain began to hurt: The laziest person I k... See more

The most addictive platforms get us hooked by exploiting five universal psychological vulnerabilities: the slot machine effect of getting intermittent, variable rewards (“Did I get a new email, text, or DM!?”); the need to be seen (“Notice me, acknowledge me, like me, love me!!”); the need to reciprocate (“I have to respond and say thanks—can’t see

... See more

This current manifestation of the internet and consumer technology is insidiously powerful because of the way that it can mimic these loops that evolved for other things and were necessary for our survival. They’re now essentially being co-opted by a sort of fake system. The tech systems have gotten so good at mimicking these ancient reward pathway

... See more

What’s amazing is how chronological feeds — essentially accidental experiments of digital architecture — have rewired our brains. In the feed, everything is fleeting. This design property means you’re either always on and connected, or you’re off and wondering if you’re missing something important.