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The Observe and Rapport Newsletter
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A weekly guide of my favorite books, articles, products, and lifestyle habits.
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November 1st, 2024 | by Kyle Brennan
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Thought of the Week
In it, he explains how the algorithm works in two distinct ways:
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- The first approach is how most people think of algorithms: their main goal is to predict what you’re likely to click on and show you content that matches those interests.
- But the second way is far more sinister. It nudges your preferences to make you easier to predict.
In other words, the algorithm is engineering our behaviors to make its life easier.
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It’s designed to keep us scrolling, hooked by content that feels like it was made just for us—and often, it is. But with perverse incentives, it can feel like a Frito-Lay exec setting up shop in your kitchen, nudging you toward a balanced dinner of Pepsi and Cheetos.
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Convenient—for them. Not so great for you.
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I’m not here to paint AI as good or evil. Like it or not, it’s here to stay, and will no doubt be integral in every part of our lives. We should welcome the incredible value it can bring, but we also need to stay clear-eyed about its incentives.
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The reality is, AI may be here to help us—but it’s also here to keep us engaged. And as it becomes more entwined with our habits and choices, it’s up to us to notice when it’s shaping who we are, one click at a time.
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*This post was edited by ChatGPT
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What I'm Reading
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I dropped reading entirely in college—that is until I stumbled upon Malcolm Gladwell. His early books, The Tipping Point, Outliers, Blink, and David & Goliath, not only got me back into reading but also opened my eyes to fascinating ideas in sociology and history from new angles.
Then, the thrill faded. Gladwell’s later books felt off, and some of his ‘data-backed’ claims came under fire for, well, shaky facts. Safe to say, the magic wore off
Still, it’d be a mistake to dismiss Gladwell entirely. He’s not out to deliver hard science; he’s more like a thought experiment in book form—a ‘what if’ machine that takes familiar ideas, flips them on their heads, and asks us to think them through from unexpected angles. Sure, his theories might miss the mark on accuracy, but they nudge us closer to the truth by exploring overlooked contexts.
So, when Revenge of the Tipping Point appeared—conveniently free at my hotel—I decided to give him another shot. In it, Gladwell revisits the cultural shifts he popularized 25 years ago in The Tipping Point, weaving in some fresh ones too. One chapter, ‘The Magic Third,’ brought me back to that classic Gladwellian style, arguing that critical mass for newcomers lies between a quarter and a third.
You may want to agree or not with his beliefs and findings; at the end of the day, his narrative is just entertaining to follow through.
Rating: 4.0 / 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My Latest Article
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For the last three years, I’ve made it a tradition to look back and capture the best lessons I’ve learned from books, podcasts, and conversations with great people. It’s become a favorite habit because it forces me to see just how much I’ve absorbed (and how often I’ve had to learn the same lesson twice).
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With each year, my collection of life lessons grows — some get discarded, some evolve, and some blend together into something new. It’s a messy catalog that I’ll never fully organize, but every year, I pull out the highlights to share.
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I hope you find these insights useful.
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What I'm Watching
Shrinking [AppleTV] - Season 2
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I love Jason Segel and frankly missed him after a long hiatus after Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I Love You, Man, and How I Met Your Mother. But I actually think it's Harrison Ford who steals the show.
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I've always joked that it seems like someone forced Harrison Ford into acting against his will - and he just happened to be good at it, so he kept getting great roles.
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The series stars Segel as a grieving therapist who decides to become drastically more involved in his patients' lives. Harrison Ford plays the older, wiser mentor to Segel and the comedic relationship between the two is fantastic.
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What I'm Listening To
Presidential Podcasts
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We're starting to see a tremendous shift in media. Presidential candidates no longer get the same value from highly edited segments on legacy media networks.
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Donald Trump has been running the podcast circuit - appearing on Joe Rogan, Theo Von, Flagrant 2, and Patrick Bet-David's podcasts. Even Kamala has ventured into the podcast waters, going on Alex Cooper's top podcast, Call Her Daddy.
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It's been a long time coming, and I'm glad that political candidates are beginning to see the value of long-form conversations vs. ten-minute scripted interviews on television networks. It's far easier to understand the nuance of each individual - their demeanor, opinions, and rationale - in an informal heart-to-heart discussion.
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What I'm hopeful for is that this trend will begin to generate candidates who don't fit the classic political mold of the past. The medium is the message. In the past, a political candidate could rise through the polls with generalized statements, scripted monologues, and phony taglines. On podcasts, there's nowhere to hide. Podcasts will expose each individual's naked personality and you can judge them for yourself - not based on the opinions of various talking heads on TV.
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Never before has there been an opportunity for the public to evaluate their political leaders in such a candid medium.
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Whether or not your vote is settled, I urge you to listen to both Trump and Kamala in the podcast form. It may not change who you end up voting for, but it may give you insight into the person that you previously overlooked - positively or negatively.
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Quote I'm Pondering
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"Groups search for consensus, individuals search for truth." - Naval Ravikant
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Keith and Kyle sit down to discuss the recent success they've found on social media with Keith's reenactments of famous movie scenes, how memory works, and how to use it to your advantage, and Kyle talks about mind-blowing facts about processed food and the food industry in general.
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Books discussed in this episode:
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- The Art of Learning - Josh Waitzken
- Moonwalking with Einstein - Joshua Foer
- Ultra-Processed People - Chris Van Tulleken
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Check Out My Amazon Favorites Bookstore
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Browse my favorite book selections hand-curated by me. I also earn commissions so if you buy anything, those earnings get reinvested right back into this fancy newsletter ;)
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Affiliate Links!
I've had the fortunate opportunity to partner with some great brands that I love. Use the links below to find great hats, sweatshirts, and sunglasses
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- Huega House - 15% off first order with promo code: KYLEBRENNAN. My everyday hat is the Athletic Association in Green & white
- Find the Good Brand - 10% off first order with promo code: OBSERVE. I've been loving my 3 Simple Words Embroidered Hoodie in cream.
- WMP Eyewear - Excellent array of eyeglasses and stylish sunglasses. My favorite are the Sawyer Polarized for $45
- Amazon Storefront - Check out my collection of favorite books, workout gear, and tech tools for work-from-home!
- LMNT - I start every morning with LMNT's electrolyte drink, filled with salt, magnesium and potassium. It tastes delicious and contains zero sugar or any other junk. Try LMNT Risk-Free with a free sample pack (US only).
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33 Life Lessons on My 33rd Birthday
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Thirty-three was a big one. Mostly because I became a dad. Our daughter was born on New Year’s Eve — a fitting arrival for a kid destined to reset everything. It’s been a beautiful, if slightly sleep-deprived blur ever since. I’ve only been “Dad” for less than ten months, but if I’m being honest, I’ve been preparing for the role for over …
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Depth Over Downloads: Why Spending Time with Books Still Matters
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Everyone wants faster information. But no one asks if faster information leads to better understanding — or a better life. In the age of AI and tweet-sized wisdom, we’ve confused information with transformation. But there’s a massive difference between knowing what a book says and being changed by it. The Delusion of Instant Learning In a recent interview, political journalist Ezra Klein admitted he once believed …
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The Jack Reacher Approach to Never Being Caught Off Guard
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There’s no difference between a pessimist who says, ‘Oh, it’s hopeless, so don’t bother doing anything,’ and an optimist who says, ‘Don’t bother doing anything, it’s going to turn out fine anyway.’ Either way, nothing happens.” —Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia I don’t read much fiction, but I’ve always been hooked on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. He’s not your typical …
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