TECH005: What Tech Is Doing to Us with Justin Evidon (Tech Podcast)
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
In this eye-opening episode of Infinite Tech, host Preston Pysh explores the hidden costs of our digital age with guest Justin Evadon. The conversation delves deep into how modern technology creates a double-edged sword - offering incredible convenience while potentially rewiring our health, privacy, and freedom in ways we don't consciously recognize. (03:00) From AI algorithms that program our behavior to LED lights that disrupt our circadian rhythms, this discussion challenges listeners to approach technology with intentional awareness rather than blind adoption.
- Main Theme: Understanding both the benefits and hidden dangers of modern technology, from data privacy concerns to electromagnetic frequency impacts on health, while providing practical strategies for maintaining technological sovereignty.
Speakers
Preston Pysh
Host of Infinite Tech via The Investor's Podcast Network, exploring Bitcoin, AI, robotics, longevity, and exponential technologies. Preston brings a unique aerospace engineering perspective to technology discussions and has been actively engaged in the Bitcoin community for years.
Justin Evadon
Product manager at Unchained and technology enthusiast with a background in freelance photography and videography. Justin has spent years thinking critically about how technology impacts health, privacy, and freedom, while developing practical solutions for maintaining digital sovereignty without sacrificing convenience.
Key Takeaways
Master Your Algorithm Rather Than Being Mastered by It
Social media algorithms are designed to maximize engagement, not your well-being. (05:00) When Preston noticed X's AI-generated "for you" feed showing content he didn't actually want to see, he took aggressive action by immediately blocking or marking as "not interested" any unwanted content. This conscious curation dramatically improved his feed quality. The key insight: algorithms learn from your behavior, including how long you pause on content, not just what you consciously choose to engage with. By being intentional about training these systems, you can harness their discovery benefits while avoiding the dopamine-driven doom scrolling trap.
Embrace Privacy-Focused Alternatives Before It's Too Late
The convenience of centralized services comes with hidden costs that compound over time. (22:00) Justin explains how tools like Maple AI offer ChatGPT-level convenience with end-to-end encryption, while self-hosted solutions like Immich provide Google Photos functionality without surrendering your personal data. The critical realization is that every photo you take is geotagged and can be analyzed by AI to build comprehensive profiles of your life, relationships, and behavior patterns. Starting the transition to privacy-focused alternatives now, even imperfectly, is far better than waiting until convenience becomes a digital prison.
Optimize Your Light Environment for Peak Performance
Modern LED lighting is sabotaging your biology in ways you can't consciously perceive. (34:52) The simple smartphone slow-motion test reveals how most LED lights flicker constantly, forcing your brain to work overtime and potentially contributing to ADHD-like symptoms. Beyond flickering, LEDs concentrate energy in the blue spectrum while eliminating the full spectrum our bodies evolved to process. This disrupts circadian rhythms and sleep quality. Justin's practical solutions include using tools like Iris or Flux to adjust screen color temperature throughout the day, spending time in natural sunlight (especially first thing in the morning), and investing in non-flickering, full-spectrum lighting for your home.
Build Your Digital Second Brain Securely
AI tools can dramatically enhance your ability to capture, synthesize, and recall information, but only if you maintain control over your data. (18:00) The concept of a "second brain" involves using AI to help you connect ideas and insights from your personal knowledge base, but this requires feeding the system your private thoughts and conversations. Justin emphasizes the importance of self-hosted LLM solutions that keep your intellectual property local while still providing the synthesis benefits of AI. This approach turns technology into a genuine cognitive enhancer rather than a surveillance tool.
Understand the True Cost of Electromagnetic Exposure
The hardware emissions from our devices create invisible health impacts that accumulate over time. (33:45) While not advocating for complete digital abstinence, Justin raises important questions about EMF exposure from devices like AirPods, electric cars, and Wi-Fi networks. The key is making conscious trade-offs - understanding when the convenience is worth the potential risk and when alternatives exist. Simple changes like using wired headphones, ethernet connections where possible, and being selective about 5G usage can significantly reduce exposure without sacrificing productivity.
Statistics & Facts
- More than 10,000 global companies trust Vanta for security compliance, including major companies like Atlassian, Quora, and others, highlighting the growing demand for privacy and security solutions in business.
- 72% of small and medium-sized businesses using LinkedIn report that it helps them find high quality candidates, demonstrating the platform's effectiveness for professional networking.
- Research studies have shown dramatic behavioral differences in classrooms with flickering fluorescent bulbs versus non-flickering ones, with children exhibiting hyperactive behavior (jumping off chairs) versus calm, attentive behavior depending on the lighting conditions.
