Digital pollution, nose breathing to sleep and success from hate

Mar 28, 2023

There's digital pollution that we find, with ads and info that fills the mind.
Attention-seeking's the aim of the game, with scrolling as the most blatant example of fame.
Just as climate pollution harms our land, our minds are exploited, it's not in demand.

Digital pollution is a term coined by Scott Galloway in a recent excellent article. It’s the concept of unsolicited information in our digital lives. It describes how we are constantly assaulted by information we did not request and do not desire while trying to pursue our own goals.

The most obvious example are ads. The price for free Internet is the ads we see while using it. Which in itself is not awful. But it shapes the Internet to pollute our minds. It’s called the Attention Economy because modern empires have been built on getting people’s attention, aka getting us to consume information we did not intend. Scrolling TikTok/ Instagram/ Facebook/ Snapchat/ LinkedIn is the most obvious example. But far from the only one. Success online comes from stealing attention.

Climate pollution is the harmful side-effect of exploitation of our planet for profit. Digital pollution is the harmful side-effect of exploitation of our minds for profit.

It's more than our mind can comprehend, it's consuming information that doesn't mend.

A 2011 study estimates that an average modern human consumes the equivalent of 174 newspapers every day. It’s 2023. I think the volume has increased at least by half since then. So maybe over 250 newspapers’ worth?

Do you find this frightening?

If not, I challenge you to read 174 newspapers. Tell me how long it took. I bet it’s a ridiculous amount of time. And it will not be fun. You won’t do repeat it.

Yet you do repeat it. Every day. We read this enormous amount of information each day. It’s information we don’t seek out or request. Rather it’s information we are ‘persuaded’ into consuming.

This is a measure of digital pollution. These 174 newspapers are a measure of how much of your mind has become a barren wasteland instead of fertile soil for your soul.

3. Advice: set work boundaries

We should set work boundaries, that's the trick, and to focus on the work that sticks. Creating something new is our greatest need, and this is possible with less digital feed.

Ten years ago I was a workaholic. It sucked. And I had much less success than now. Since then I have quit that addiction.

There are two professional typologies: slacker or workaholic.

Slackers try to get by with the least possible effort. They are disengaged and often bring negative value.

Workaholics are involved and passionate about their work. They often work a lot. And even when not actually working, they think about work. Surprisingly they are more common than slackers.

This happens because our professional role tends to become our identity. Think about it. The first thing you ask someone you meet is “What do you do?”. Based on the answer we judge people.

To be honest this makes sense because for many there is little uniqueness to their lives outside of work. If all you do besides work is consume entertainment and buy stuff, then what identity do you have?

A vicious cycle takes root. As you grow professionally, work tends to become a bigger and bigger part of your identity. This leads to it taking over more of your time and attention. As a result it becomes a bigger part of your identity. And so takes over more of your time. And so on.

This is not healthy. It is not right.

You can be involved in your work. You can produce exceptional results. You can have great professional success.

You can do this without giving up the rest of your life. You can work normal hours and be successful. This leaves space for you to do other interesting things with your life. In turn this lets you develop an identity beyond work.

The trick is to do the work that matters and eliminate the one that does not. Most white-collar work now is useless. It’s busywork. It’s the constant informal back and forth and processing a never ending stream of information. This is exhausting. It blocks you from doing actual work. Exceptional work is when you create something new and remarkable. You need to have the space to do it. It’s impossible if you are busy with ephemeral tasks and communication.

This topic needs a deeper dive. For now think about how you can make more room in your life by eliminating useless work tasks. In the process you will also get more done at work.

Think of it as digital pollution at work. If you can eliminate it, there is more fresh mental air.

4. Success is when some people hate you

Success is when some people hate, if no one does, that is a bad fate.
The need to be liked is deep, indeed, but to create good art, we must concede.
Seeking validation is a waste, for those who love our work, we need to haste.

We want to be liked. The need for social validation is a deep unconscious need. Yet if you want to create successful content, you have to overcome this need. Successful writers, film-makers, bloggers, vloggers, artists, musicians, or any other type of content creators, have people who hate them and their work.

If you seek to be liked by everyone, then you will create lukewarm, bland stuff.

You will be a chef cooking tasteless rice cakes instead of an innovative dish of contrasting remarkable flavors. Bland rice cakes don’t offend anyone. But nobody loves them either.

If you create real art, some people will hate it. But others will love it.

Aim for this hate. Prepare for it. Expect it. If you don’t get it, then you are on the wrong track. Use it as an indicator if you are on the road to success or in the swamp of mediocrity.

I admit I struggle with this as well. It’s hard to let go of this need for validation, for being safe. But it’s essential. The lukewarm bland stuff is pollution, not value.

Don’t make digital pollution. Make art.

5. Nose breathing for sleep

Nose breathing is the way to go, it's healthy and natural, you should know.
But if mouth breathing you find in your way, then switch to nose breathing for a better day.

The way we breathe, particularly through the mouth vs the nose, has significant consequences for our health and well-being.

Breathing through the nose is natural and healthy, whereas mouth breathing activates the stress response and impairs natural body processes and oxygen utilization, leading to long-term negative effects on our health and lifespan. Mouth breathing also negatively impacts sleep quality, disrupting deep sleep and causing a hidden problem that many people may not be aware of. Try an experiment of breathing only through the mouth for a week to experience the negative effects for yourself. Block your nose with cotton and see how it feels to only mouth-breathe. It’s awful.

How to train yourself to nose breathe

The way to nose breathe during the night is to tape the mouth shut. However you should not just go out and do this straight away.

If you want to switch from mouth breathing to nose breathing during sleep, you need to make the switch during the day as well. The nose can become clogged from disuse, so nose breathing may be difficult at first. Mouth taping may not work for habitual mouth breathers, and it is essential to first test nose breathing during the day before taping your mouth at night.

If you struggle with nose breathing, there are exercises you can do, such as practicing nose breathing and increasing your carbon dioxide tolerance. Box breathing is a popular breathing technique that can help you train your breath and calm yourself. Longer exhales are a more advanced technique that can also be done while walking or running.