Everything Is Becoming Television: The Passive Flow Erodes Thought

Resources

Books

• "Television Technology and Cultural Form" by Raymond Williams - This book, written in 1974, is cited as an early analysis of television that understood its unique nature as a medium that was always "on" and created a "flow" state for viewers.
• "Amusing Ourselves to Death" by Neil Postman - Mentioned as an early analysis of television's impact on society.
• "Abundance" by Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein - The book co-authored by Derek Thompson, which became a major bestseller and is discussed in relation to its impact on politics and the Democratic Party.

Videos & Documentaries

• "The Halal Cart Video" - Mentioned as an example of effective short-form video content that resonated widely, potentially comparable to content that might have been produced by outlets like Vox or Buzzfeed.

Research & Studies

• FTC Filing by Meta - Meta's argument to the federal government that they are not a social media monopoly, stating that a majority of time on their apps is spent watching short-form videos recommended by AI, not from friends.
• National Report Card by NAEP - A report that found average reading scores in America hit a 32-year low.
• John Burn-Murdoch's Reporting at the FT - Findings that show declining performance in reasoning and problem-solving tests in advanced countries with high smartphone penetration, affecting both teenagers and adults.
• University of Michigan Consumer Survey - Cited as an example of economic data that is relevant to understanding political trends.

Tools & Software

• Substack - A platform that writers are using to publish their work independently, with an ecosystem that supports writers in building an audience.
• TikTok - Mentioned as an example of a platform that is even more "television" than traditional television due to its endless flow of short-form video content.
• Instagram Reels - Compared to TikTok and Facebook's news feed for its endless consumption of content.
• Spotify - Mentioned as a platform where podcasts are available to watch.
• YouTube - Mentioned as a platform where podcasts are available to watch.

Articles & Papers

• Derek Thompson's Essay "Everything is Becoming Television" - The essay that sparked the discussion, arguing that various media forms are converging towards a television-like model.

People Mentioned

• Derek Thompson (Co-host of the Plain English podcast, author, contributing editor at The Atlantic) - The guest of the episode, discussing his theories on media and his recent career moves.
• Max Tani (Co-host of Mixed Signals, Media Editor at Semafor) - One of the hosts of the podcast.
• Ben Smith (Co-host of Mixed Signals, Editor-in-Chief at Semafor) - One of the hosts of the podcast.
• Marshall McLuhan - Cited as an early analyst of television who understood its impact on society.
• Ken Burns (Filmmaker) - Mentioned for his perspective on long-form content and his skepticism towards moral panics about media.
• Walter Ong - Mentioned in relation to the idea of a transition from oral to literate to post-literate cultures.
• Zorn Mamdani (Mayor of New York City) - Cited as an example of a political figure who excels at direct-to-camera performance.
• Donald Trump (Former US President) - Mentioned as an example of someone with political genius, in part due to his understanding of media.
• J.D. Vance (US Senator) - Mentioned in comparison to Donald Trump regarding political genius.
• Barack Obama (Former US President) - Mentioned as a skilled media consumer who understands narrative and has moved into documentary production.
• Kamala Harris (US Vice President) - Mentioned in comparison to Barack Obama regarding political genius.
• Cleo Abram (Genius in science and technology communication) - Cited as an example of someone creating excellent science and technology content.
• Rakesh Patel (Genius in science and technology communication) - Cited as an example of someone creating excellent science and technology content.
• Gore Vidal (Author and critic) - Mentioned as an example of early intellectuals discussing politics.
• Bernie Sanders (US Senator) - Used as an example of a politician with a consistent message who is willing to appear on various platforms.
• Ezra Klein (Host of "The Ezra Klein Show," public editor for Mixed Signals) - Derek Thompson's co-author on "Abundance" and a frequent collaborator.
• Josh Spanjer (Google's VP of Marketing) - Interviewed in a branded segment about CMOs and AI.
• Christie Noem (Governor of South Dakota) - Mentioned as an example of a politician who may be better in person than on camera.
• Zelnor Myrie (Charismatic politician) - Mentioned as an example of a politician whose charisma might not translate to broader success without understanding the media landscape.
• Tim Miller (Podcaster) - Mentioned as a reporter and podcaster whose sources are often good media participants.
• Farid Zakaria (Host of "Fareed Zakaria GPS") - His show is cited as being highly effective at moving book sales.
• Chris Hayes (Host of "All In with Chris Hayes") - Mentioned as a TV host whose segments can serve as a teaser for books.
• Philip Roth (Novelist) - Mentioned as an example of a writer who experimented with form.
• Chino Ozaki (Producer) - Acknowledged for her work producing the podcast.
• Manny Fidel (Producer) - A new producer for the podcast.

Organizations & Institutions

• Semafor - The media organization producing the podcast.
• The Atlantic - Derek Thompson's former employer.
• Meta - Mentioned in relation to its FTC filing and its shift towards video content.
• OpenAI - Mentioned in relation to its efforts to build a "TikTok for AI."
• The Ringer - A media company whose shows are discussed in the context of video podcasting.
• Netflix - Mentioned as a platform that is influencing how TV shows are made to be more accessible to a distracted audience.
• Google - Mentioned in relation to its "Think with Google" initiative.
• Democratic Party - Discussed in relation to the book "Abundance" and its perceived brand issues.
• Republican Party - Discussed in relation to affordability and its impact on the MAGA coalition.

Courses & Educational Resources

• Think with Google - A resource for marketers offering insights from CMOs, guides on emerging tech, and strategies for growth.

Websites & Online Resources

• Derek Thompson's Substack (derekthompson.substack.com) - His personal newsletter where he writes about various topics.
• ThinkWithGoogle.com - The website where marketers can find insights and content.

Other Resources

• Plain English Podcast - Derek Thompson's podcast.
• Flynn Effect - The observed trend of rising IQ scores over time due to technological and scientific progress.