The Art of Manliness

You can't help but notice, in yourself and in others, how much less people are reading these days. When it comes to content consumption, we're often replacing articles and books with videos and, well, podcasts.My guest says that this shift is having consequences, not only for our shrinking individual attention spans, but for society, and Western civilization writ large. His name is James Marriott, and he's a columnist at The Times of London and the author of The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society. Today on the show, James explains how people thought and interacted before the rise of reading and writing, how literacy changed our minds and made possible everything from democracy to modern science, and how television and smartphones may be returning us in some ways to a preliterate age. We then explore how our increasingly visual culture is making public debate more emotional and influence more personality-driven, and what it might mean for the future.After the show is over, check out the show notes at aom.is/darkagesResources Related to the ShowThe Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes by Jonathan RoseAoM Article: The Medium Is the MessageDying Breed Article: The Four Ages of Communication: How Changing Media Transforms the Human ExperienceOrality and Literacy by Walter OngAmusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil PostmanConnect With James MarriottJames' Substack: Cultural Capital0:00 Introduction0:39 The Decline of Reading5:14 The Golden Age of Mass Literacy8:24 How Literacy Changed the Mind12:06 The Preliterate Mind14:51 Truth and Conflict in Oral Culture19:18 How Literacy Built Civilization21:34 The Gutenberg Press & the Reading Revolution30:45 Television and the Decline of Reading33:16 Amusing Ourselves to Death42:03 The Smartphone & the Post-Literate World50:50 The Future of ReadingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’ve been following the Art of Manliness for a while, you know that I typically interview the authors of books on this podcast. But,if you’ve been following the Art of Manliness for a while, you’ll know why I had to make an exception for today’s guest.Brandon Flowers is my very favorite musical artist. He is the frontman for the multi-platinum-record-earning band The Killers and has also put out three solo albums.I recently had the chance to talk to Brandon backstage before one of his shows in Las Vegas. My wife Kate, as well as a couple of friends, were also on hand, and you’ll hear me allude to them a couple times during the interview.Brandon and I had a great conversation. We discuss his third and latest solo album, Thrasher and why he went country-western on it, what his dad taught him about what makes a good man, what he’s currently reading (hint: it involves the author of my all-time favorite novel), his top five favorite country songs, the influence of faith in his life and music, what’s on his mind in midlife, and how he balances work and family.Resources Related to the PodcastThrasher on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTubeFlamingo on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTubePressure Machine on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTubeImploding the Mirage on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTubeWinesburg, Ohio by Sherwood AndersonThe Pastures of Heaven by John SteinbeckAoM Podcast #824: Lonesome Dove and Life’s Journey Through UncertaintyAoM Podcast #1,104: Ecclesiastes on Enjoying Our Weirdly Unsatisfying LivesMama Baskets at CostcoCome Follow Me LDS scripture study program“My Lord, What a Morning”Take the Simple Test That Can Predict Your MortalityBrandon’s favorite country songs:“Don’t Close Your Eyes” by Keith Whitley“The Winner” by Kris Kristofferson“Silver Stallion” by The Highwaymen“A Lot of Things Different” by John Conlee“What I’d Give” by Ian NoeConnect With Brandon FlowersBrandon’s WebsiteBrandon on InstagramBrandon on YouTubeBrandon on FacebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Modern life is filled with conveniences designed to make things easier. We can order dinner without leaving the couch, check ourselves out at the grocery store, communicate instantly with anyone, and stream nearly every movie and song ever made.So why do we often feel busier, more stressed, and more, well, inconvenienced than ever?My guest today argues that many supposed advancements don’t actually save us time, money, or energy — and that even when they do, they can eliminate forms of friction that made life richer, more enjoyable, and more human.His name is Gabe Bullard, and he’s the author of Against Convenience. Today on the show, Gabe and I discuss how self-checkout, mobile ordering, digital communication, streaming services, food delivery, and even smartphone cameras can paradoxically make life more annoying and less satisfying. Gabe also shares questions to ask yourself to decide which conveniences are worth keeping, and why deliberately adding a little friction back into your life can sometimes make it better.0:00 Introduction1:45 Why Convenience Isn't Working4:22 Self-Checkout & Starbucks App Failures11:29 The Illusion of Technological Progress17:28 Phones as a Single Point of Failure18:20 How Digital Communication Hurts Relationships23:49 Dating Apps & Making Friends27:15 Smartphone Cameras & the Value of Photos32:41 Streaming & Entertainment Disappointment40:10 Food Delivery Problems46:30 Wendell Berry's Questions for New Tech50:12 Practical Tips for Embracing FrictionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When people are faced with problems and complexity, our instinct is to add instead of subtract. As a result, we have a tendency to make our work and our lives more and more complex, and less and less effective and fulfilling. Even when what we add is new technology that promises to make us more productive, it often only seems to bog us down and give us even more to do.My guest says that to fight this drift toward complexity, especially in the modern age, you’ve got to be ruthless about cutting out the superfluous and focusing on what’s most important. His name is Jim VandeHei, and he’s the co-founder and CEO of Axios and the co-author of Simplify.Today on the show, Jim explains how to simplify your work and personal life using a three-step process: confront, delete, and amplify. We discuss how to identify the “slop” we’re all inundated with (and he’s not just talking about what’s generated by AI), rules of thumb for what to say no to, why you should spend more time developing your strengths than fixing your weaknesses, and the importance of getting clear on what you want out of life, both personally and professionally.Resources Related to the PodcastJim's Book: Simplify: Do 50 Percent More with 50 Percent LessJim's last appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #987 — The No-BS Secrets of SuccessSmart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with LessAoM Article: The Spiritual Disciplines — SimplicityAoM Podcast #699: The No-Nonsense Guide to Simplifying Every Aspect of Your LifeConnect With Jim VandeHeiJim at Axios0:00 Introduction & Website Redesign0:48 The Problem with Complexity1:56 Interview Begins: Why Another Book on Simplifying?3:00 How AI Makes Life More Complex5:42 The Confront, Delete, Amplify Framework8:14 Why Complexity Creeps Into Everything11:35 Identifying Slop in Work and Life17:43 How to Confront Your Habits24:59 Rules for Saying No29:48 Amplify Strengths Over Weaknesses37:35 Simplifying Communication at Work42:29 Using AI to Simplify Your LifeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.