#23: The Illusion of Progress

☀️ What does it mean to actually move forward?

The other day I came across a timeline of major tech “revolutions”: from dot-com startups in the early 2000s, to crypto mania, the metaverse hype, and now the rise of AI agents.

All of them were sold to us as the future. All of them promised to change everything.

And yet, here we are: still dealing with slow bureaucracies, burnout, and social media outrage cycles. Still trying to remember why we opened that tab. Still searching for meaning in the mess.

This got me thinking: is this progress… or just movement?

Because moving fast isn’t the same as moving forward. And a lot of what we label as “innovation” might just be distraction with better branding.

This week’s edition explores the line between growth and noise, novelty and necessity, productivity and performance.

Let’s question the chase, and figure out what’s actually worth moving toward.

📖 3 Articles to Spark Your Curiosity

1. Asteroid Economics: Why We’re Shopping Our Way Through Armageddon
   When the future feels uncertain, we shop, not for essentials, but for illusions of control and comfort. This piece explores the "asteroid theory": how crisis-driven behavior leads us into unsustainable consumption, even when we know better.
   → Read on Psyche

2. The Dot‑Com Bubble: Lessons from the Boom and Bust of Internet Startups
   The frenzy of the late‑1990s shows how hype and FOMO can fuel unsound optimism, and how only the most resilient (and realistic) ventures survive. A useful lens for spotting the difference between wildfire and roots.
   → Read on Haystack

3. The Sovereign Individual and the Paradox of the Digital Age
   Data and technology promise freedom and autonomy, but they also come with new forms of classification, control, and hierarchy. This essay unpacks the contradictions of our hyper-connected yet subtly constrained era.
   → Read on Aeon

🗞️ 3 Headlines Worth Exploring

1. Ecosia’s Vision: Stewardship Over Chrome
   The nonprofit search engine Ecosia has proposed to manage Google’s Chrome browser under a 10-year stewardship agreement. Their plan? Use part of the profits to fund climate initiatives, melding influence with environmental purpose.
   → Read on TechCrunch

2. A Cosmic “Hand” Appears Amid the Stars
   Astronomers have captured a mesmerizing new image of a nebula shaped like a hand,think cosmic uncanny valley. The “hand” is actually material ejected by a pulsar, now revealed in incredible detail through combined radio and X-ray imaging.
   → Read on Good News Network

3. Wall Street’s AI Dream Doesn’t Match Reality (Yet)
   An MIT study shows a shocking truth: 95% of organizations investing in AI have seen no returns on those deployments. With staggering sums spent and hype still high, the financial illusions behind "progress" are worth re-examining.
   → Read on Axios

☀️ 3 Actions to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

1. Measure progress by presence, not productivity
   For one day, track your moments of attention instead of your tasks. When did you feel fully present? When did you rush without noticing? You might find that real progress isn’t always about getting more done, but about being more there.

2. Do one thing slowly on purpose
   Pick a task you usually speed through (brushing your teeth, checking email, walking to the store) and do it at half the speed. Notice what changes when you interrupt your automatic sense of urgency. Is slowness uncomfortable? Boring? Revealing?

3. Audit your “default next steps”
   Choose one area of your life (career, health, creativity) and write down the next 3 things you assume you should do. Then ask: Are these truly what I want, or just the expected milestones? Rethinking your roadmap might be the most radical step forward.

⚡ 6 Quick Resources

🧠 To think about: Smartphones, Literacy, and Democracy
Can digital literacy keep up with the pace of tech? A sharp opinion on how smartphone dominance might be warping our ability to think critically, and what that means for democracy.

🎮 To play: Absurd Trolley Problems
If progress comes with trade-offs, how do we choose what matters? This darkly funny interactive game forces you to make impossible ethical decisions, with a side of existential laughter.

🍓 To cook: Summer Recipes to Savor the Season
Take a break from the hustle and enjoy something that doesn’t need to be optimized. These simple, vibrant dishes are a reminder that joy can be an end in itself.

🔬 To watch: Pseudoscience Support, Vol. 3 – WIRED
Biomedical scientist Dr. Andrea Love returns to unpack modern wellness myths. From lion’s mane mushrooms to late-night snacking, a reality check on what we think we know about health.

🔥 To add to your routine: The Science of Saunas
Can a little heat slow aging? This TED-Ed video explores why ancient cultures were onto something with sweat rituals, and how your body responds to this timeless tradition.

🐟 To add to your nutrition: Eat More Small Fish
Sustainable, nutritious, and often overlooked: small fish may be one of the smartest (and most realistic) upgrades you can make to your diet, without falling for the next wellness fad.

🎲 This week’s wonderfully random corner of the internet 

💻 The Old Net

Ever wondered what the web used to feel like? The Old Net is a nostalgic dive into the internet’s early aesthetic, complete with vintage layouts, beeping splash pages, and neon clip art.

→ Take a time‑travel scroll at theoldnet.com

📝 Word of the Week

Kōan (Japanese Zen) - A paradoxical riddle or question used in Zen practice to challenge linear thinking and spark insight.

In a world that rewards fast decisions and constant movement, kōans remind us that not all progress is forward, and not all answers are logical.

🧘‍♀️ Question of the Week for Introspection

What’s one belief or goal you’ve been chasing that might be built more on assumption than intention?

See you next Sunday! Until then, keep your eyes open, your questions big, and your sense of wonder alive.

Your curious internet friend,

Ruxandra