In this episode, I chat with UX designer, leftist technologist, and creator of Irrational Technology, Lou Millar-McHugh, about the sort of questions we really need to be asking about our relationship to social media.
We also talk about: why understanding is more important than control, how social media literacy could improve leftist comms strategies, the problem with screen time apps and gamification, ADHD tech beyond productivity, and why Jonathan Haidt sucks so much!!
LINKS:
* Irrational Technology: Substack, TikTok, Youtube
* A Leftist Guide To Staying Off Your Phone (Notion)
* Social Media Strategy Template for Social Change Orgs (Notion)
* Pre-print showing screen time apps don’t work: Skeggs and Orben, Social Media Interventions to Improve Wellbeing
* Beyond the Essay: New Ways of Critical Reflection, a project exploring how to create digital spaces that lead readers toward critical reflection
* my discussion thread on ADHD technology (add your 2 cents!)
* the video essay I made on Digital Madness
* some of Lou’s excellent book recommendations for further reading!!!!
00:00 Intro
01:22 Lou's Background and Educational Project
02:25 The Concept of Irrational Technology
04:14 Persuasive Design
06:03 Critique of Addiction Metaphors and The Anxious Generation
10:48 A Leftist Critique of Technology
12:54 User Autonomy and Social Media
15:11 How to Develop Effective Leftist Media Strategies
22:33 A Leftist Guide to Staying Off Your Phone
27:19 How Personalization in UX Design Creates an Illusion of Control
28:34 Why Screen Time Apps Don’t Work
29:44 The Problem with Gamification
32:37 ADHD Technology and the Benefits of Simplicity
37:22 Lou’s Content Creation Process
40:59 The Platforms Lou Will Be Using in 2025
47:37 Where to Find Lou’s Work
