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b'The ironic thing about our digital\\xa0devices, is that they promise constant stimulation\\xa0. . . and yet we find they end up making us feel numb. Numb in terms of struggling to be present. Numb in feeling overloaded with information\\xa0and choices. Numb in feeling like we often view even our own experiences from a third-party\\xa0perspective.\\xa0\\n\\n\\xa0\\n\\nMy guest today, Dr. Charles Chaffin, has written a book called\\xa0Numb: How the Information Age Dulls Our Senses and How We Can Get Them Back, which explores the various ways internet-induced numbness manifests itself, from FOMO to choice overload on dating apps. On the show today we focus in particular\\xa0on how the news media and social\\xa0media can negatively alter the way we experience life and what to do about it. We first discuss how recovering\\xa0our sense of engagement with life begins with thinking about the fact that our attention is a finite resource, and being intentional\\xa0about how we direct that resource. We then discuss how to deal with what Charles calls the "attention panhandlers" who vie\\xa0for our engagement online. Charles talks about the phenomenon\\xa0of compassion fatigue, where there are so many worthy causes you could take up, that you end up doing nothing at all. We then discuss\\xa0how Instagram\\xa0can change the way you experience life in an age where we can all feel like content creators. We end our conversation with how to wrest back control of your attention, and use it towards action rather than distraction.\\n\\n\\xa0\\n\\nAfter the show is over, check out the show notes at\\xa0aom.is/numb'