# What is Conscious Computing? Start Here ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RYruuhcA7Cw/maxresdefault.jpg) ## What is Conscious Computing? [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=0s) - Technology has shifted from tools that enhance human capabilities to products focused on speed, power, and automation, leaving the human element behind. [26] - While movements like digital minimalism offer strategies for reducing technology use, the focus should be on utilizing technology to improve lives. [(00:00:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=48s) - Conscious computing aims to find a balance between human potential and technological potential, enabling individuals to leverage technology for meaningful purposes. [(00:01:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=84s) ## A 9-G Force Rocket For The Mind [(00:01:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=102s) - Technology has enabled people to achieve things that were previously unimaginable. [(00:01:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=110s) - There is a correlation between new technology and feelings of sadness, indifference, and distraction. [(00:02:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=125s) - Technology is developing at a pace that humans can no longer tolerate. [(00:03:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=206s) ## Conscious Computing In an Unconscious World [(00:04:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=292s) - The world is full of inputs and outputs, and the process of transforming one into the other is computation. [(00:04:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=293s) - Technology can either improve or impoverish the process of computing reality. [(00:05:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=327s) - Much of modern computing offers more noise than answers, using up limited resources to process information that is often useless and toxic to well-being. [(00:06:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=361s) - To make computing more conscious, set an intention for what you want to create, experience, change, or learn. [(00:06:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=409s) ## The Tools of Conscious Computing [(00:07:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=428s) - Conscious computing does not require abandoning technology; instead, it advocates for using tools strategically to align with personal intentions. [(00:07:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=444s) - The conscious computing scale, with five criteria, helps evaluate technology based on individual needs, each criterion ranging from 0 (no technology) to 10 (fully automated). [(00:07:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=447s) - The five criteria are: input (information intake), throughput (information processing), stay put (connectivity level), compute (delegation of thinking), and output (results and intentionality). [(00:07:58)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=478s) ## Factor 1: Inputs [(00:09:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=577s) - Inputs are ranked on a scale from 1 to 10, with a book being a 1 and a smartphone loaded with apps and notifications being a 10. [(00:09:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=578s) - Examples of inputs include books, articles, podcasts, and videos. [(00:09:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=593s) - It is important to optimize inputs for the highest signal-to-noise ratio, as too few inputs result in too little signal and too many inputs lead to being overwhelmed by noise. [(00:10:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=602s) ## Factor 2: Throughputs [(00:10:36)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=636s) - Throughput, in the context of information processing, can be understood as a measure of efficiency, with lower values representing manual methods and higher values indicating technological assistance. [(00:10:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=637s) - A tablet with organizational software would have a higher throughput score than a blank sheet of paper because it offers multiple input methods (keyboard, mouse, voice) and automatic organization features. [(00:10:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=648s) - While technology should ideally streamline work and thought organization, an excess of features can be distracting and counterproductive. [(00:11:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=667s) ## Factor 3: Stayputs [(00:11:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=693s) - A "stayput score" can be used to describe how well something holds your attention, with a low score indicating fewer distractions and a high score indicating more potential distractions. [(00:11:34)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=694s) - Technology, such as tablets, often has a high stayput score because it offers easy access to a wide range of information and entertainment, making it difficult to stay focused on a single task. [(00:11:51)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=711s) - To improve focus and productivity, it's essential to minimize distractions and make the work itself the most engaging aspect of the task, potentially by limiting access to extraneous information and entertainment. [(00:12:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=750s) ## Factor 4: Compute [(00:13:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=787s) - Compute refers to the amount of thinking or work done for an individual, with a higher value indicating more assistance from external sources. [(00:13:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=787s) - While technology can be beneficial for handling tasks that individuals may not find interesting, relying too heavily on it for tasks that are considered important can hinder personal growth and lead to dependency. [(00:14:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=854s) - Technology can accelerate cognitive development by allowing individuals to delegate uninteresting tasks and focus on areas of interest, ultimately enhancing understanding and progress. [(00:15:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=921s) ## Factor 5: Outputs [(00:15:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=944s) - Technology has enabled vast increases in productivity, but applying the standard of "more is better" to knowledge work in the age of AI is questionable. [(00:16:15)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=975s) - The value of technology should be based on its ability to help us create meaningful products and experiences. [(00:16:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=1016s) - The main metric for output in the context of conscious computing may be integrity, as it reflects the degree to which the creator is present and involved in the production process. [(00:17:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYruuhcA7Cw&t=1027s)