Top Tech Voices Podcast S2 E4: Biohacking & Human Enhancement

Like veluv01 , I also appreciated Dr. Jones calling out the fitness/wellness industry for churning out "content".  Unfortunately, this is another thing in our lives where the "experts" cannot be trusted.  It reminds me of a YouTube from 2017.   The Time Travelling Dietician.  I liked Dr. Jones' more moderate approach as "moderation" seems to be the only lasting recommendation with any success or longevity.  If it has hype... don't trust it.  I like the "pick one habit" and the truth that it takes months to develop the habit.  We were all told that it takes 21 days to create a habit.  This is clearly wrong - but this myth does get you to the second billing cycles at the gym.

Dr. Jones also mentions "app overload".  Yup.  I am definitely there.  I'm also tired of entering my life story into someone's database to get a slight benefit.  I'm more apt to pass than continue joining.  And I make sure to delete what information I may have entered up to that point.  There are already too many algorithms tracking my life.

Finally, I really don't like the phrase "biohacking".  It just sounds nefarious to me - regardless of how it is marketed.

Like veluv01 , I also appreciated Dr. Jones calling out the fitness/wellness industry for churning out "content".  Unfortunately, this is another thing in our lives where the "experts" cannot be trusted.  It reminds me of a YouTube from 2017.   The Time Travelling Dietician.  I liked Dr. Jones' more moderate approach as "moderation" seems to be the only lasting recommendation with any success or longevity.  If it has hype... don't trust it.  I like the "pick one habit" and the truth that it takes months to develop the habit.  We were all told that it takes 21 days to create a habit.  This is clearly wrong - but this myth does get you to the second billing cycles at the gym.

Dr. Jones also mentions "app overload".  Yup.  I am definitely there.  I'm also tired of entering my life story into someone's database to get a slight benefit.  I'm more apt to pass than continue joining.  And I make sure to delete what information I may have entered up to that point.  There are already too many algorithms tracking my life.

Finally, I really don't like the phrase "biohacking".  It just sounds nefarious to me - regardless of how it is marketed.

kmikemoo said:

I like the "pick one habit" and the truth that it takes months to develop the habit.

Perhaps first need to be clear here about what a habit actually is though.

I'd suggest that with some 'habits' you can start or end them instantly. You can wake up one morning, decide you are going to start or stop doing something and then carry on with that for the rest of your life. It just requires a realisation for change and a motivation to do it.

Subconscious habits are likely to be a different story however. That's where the brain likely has to make or break the  connections to allow the habit to become almost autonomous, and that is likely to take time.

There is also perhaps the question of what duration or number of instances are actually required in order for something to officially qualify as a habit. Also when does a habit transition to an obsessive behaviour or an addiction.