Field Notes

"If AI become sentient, they'll definitely come after those who were mean to them first."

When I show others how I interact with AI, the most frequent immediate comment is "Alex, you're so polite with your AI." They notice that I…

I like the idea of being technologically illiterate with a partner who is savvy, so that food can magically appear out of thin air whenever I think of it.

Meanwhile, if both partners are savvy then spend time complaining about having to wait 12 minutes or which app has a better UX or how to sa…

As humans, we need closure. But for better or for worse, nothing ever remains permanently closed.

Closure is emotional resolution – not the end. Vastly contradictory, I know – but living is the art of being able to hold multiple conflic…

"Am I happy?" vs. "Am I becoming someone who can carry more?"

What exactly does it mean to be happy? Is it a feeling? Is it an emotion? Are feelings and emotions even the same thing? Is it a dispositio…

"Wanting" is the motivational drive to pursue a reward. This is strongly associated with dopamine pathways, particularly the mesolimbic system.

It's been interesting to work with my clients to distinguish the vast difference between wanting vs liking something. The definition of “…