--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd go to conference after conference and…" description: "\"I'd go to conference after conference and it would essentially be the talking points. Either pro or con. It's amazing how polarized the tech conversati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/astra-taylor-9450_brain_i-d-go-to-conference-after-conference-an_598493.jpg" --- # I'd go to conference after conference and it would… ![“I'd go to conference after conference and it would essentially be the talking points. Either pro or con. It's amazing how polarized the tech conversation is. There's also this neurological fixation, the incessant wondering what the Internet's doing to our brain: "Does it make us stupid, does it…” quote by Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/astra-taylor-9450_brain_i-d-go-to-conference-after-conference-an_598493.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/astra-taylor-9450_brain_i-d-go-to-conference-after-conference-an_598493.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/astra-taylor-9450_brain_i-d-go-to-conference-after-conference-an_598493.jpg) > “I'd go to conference after conference and it would essentially be the talking points. Either pro or con. It's amazing how polarized the tech conversation is. There's also this neurological fixation, the incessant wondering what the Internet's doing to our brain: "Does it make us stupid, does it make us distracted?" And then the other guys say, "No, it's making us smarter than ever, and better than ever, and more connected." And it's like, where is the economic and social context? Why is that rarely considered?” [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tech’s impact on cognition is debated; context often ignored, leading to polarized views. **In simple terms:** Tech’s effects are complex and context‑dependent. Key Takeaway Consider broader social and economic factors when evaluating tech. Themes technology cognition polarization Mood analytical inquisitive Type critical reflective When to use this quote - education policy - media literacy - product design - public discourse Key Concepts media influence neuroscience economics Questions to Reflect On - What social contexts shape tech’s influence? - How can we foster balanced tech narratives? A Different Perspective May oversimplify nuanced scientific findings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Fixation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fixation/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [“How about we start making smarter people rather than smarter bombs, and if we cant then at least we'll have a use for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-louise-kelly/how-about-we-start-making-smarter-people-rather-than-smarter-bombs/) [Teri Louise Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-louise-kelly/) > [I have trouble being interested in things that are not a mystery to me. I need to feel like the thing I'm making is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-song/i-have-trouble-being-interested-in-things-that-are-not-a-mystery-to/) [Celine Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-song/) > [“Although the Internet could be making all of us smarter, it makes many of us stupider, because it's not just a magnet for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-bruni/although-the-internet-could-be-making-all-of-us-smarter-it-makes-many/) [Frank Bruni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-bruni/) > [It's one thing to work women into your talking points. It's another to tell them how you are going to educate their kids, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-cutter/it-s-one-thing-to-work-women-into-your-talking-points-it-s-another-to/) [Stephanie Cutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-cutter/) > [In politics, you're safest when you're saying as little as possible. You're safest when you've got your talking points and you stick to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/in-politics-you-re-safest-when-you-re-saying-as-little-as-possible/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [Whats different now is that while political leaders used to give talking points to talk radio, now talk-radio hosts are giving talking points to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/whats-different-now-is-that-while-political-leaders-used-to-give/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Unfortunately, Democrats don't want to wage a war on poverty or improve program integrity; they prefer talking points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/unfortunately-democrats-don-t-want-to-wage-a-war-on-poverty-or/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [Talking points are a core set of messages an executive or politician utilizes in communicating with stakeholders. It's a term of art for having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-edelman/talking-points-are-a-core-set-of-messages-an-executive-or-politician/) [Richard Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-edelman/) > [Talking points aren't going to help the viewers understand something better. They're about as useful as bumper sticker slogans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-brennan/talking-points-aren-t-going-to-help-the-viewers-understand-something/) [Margaret Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-brennan/) > [What's different now is that while political leaders used to give talking points to talk radio, now talk-radio hosts are giving talking points to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/what-s-different-now-is-that-while-political-leaders-used-to-give/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Too often, real policy improvements get drowned out by political talking points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rosendale/too-often-real-policy-improvements-get-drowned-out-by-political/) [Matt Rosendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rosendale/) > [Cable news tends to be talking points - you don't have that much time to substantively unpack an issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/cable-news-tends-to-be-talking-points-you-don-t-have-that-much-time/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > [Speeches are more important in politics than talking points, as a rule, and are better remembered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-noonan/speeches-are-more-important-in-politics-than-talking-points-as-a-rule/) [Peggy Noonan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-noonan/) > [What I don't like is talking points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/what-i-don-t-like-is-talking-points/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [In my head, thought, I would love to do an interview where it's just sort of de-constructed - the talking points of Iraq -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/in-my-head-thought-i-would-love-to-do-an-interview-where-it-s-just/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) ## More by Astra Taylor > [One connection I see between the work I did on philosophy and my work on technology is that both communities tend to mystify and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/one-connection-i-see-between-the-work-i-did-on-philosophy-and-my-work/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [“wealth and power are shifting to those who control the platforms on which all of us create, consume, and connect. The companies that provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/wealth-and-power-are-shifting-to-those-who-control-the-platforms-on/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [It's very complicated. There's been this broader mechanism, an industry, which wants people to use free services, from the old days of advertising-supported papers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/it-s-very-complicated-there-s-been-this-broader-mechanism-an-industry/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [“Though it’s hard to believe now, newspapers were once the envy of the business world. Through the eighties and nineties, 20, 30, even 40…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/though-it-s-hard-to-believe-now-newspapers-were-once-the-envy-of-the/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [Those who applaud social production and networked amateurism, the colorful cacophony that is the Internet, and the creative capacities of everyday people to produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/those-who-applaud-social-production-and-networked-amateurism-the/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [“The rub is that over the intervening years we have somehow deceived ourselves into believing that this state of insecurity and inequity is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/the-rub-is-that-over-the-intervening-years-we-have-somehow-deceived/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [There's something odd about telling people, artists, that they need to work for free to be pure while you're sitting there getting a salary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/there-s-something-odd-about-telling-people-artists-that-they-need-to/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [“Instead of distinct old and new media, what we have is a complex cultural ecosystem that spans the analog and digital, encompassing physical places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/instead-of-distinct-old-and-new-media-what-we-have-is-a-complex/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [Art and culture are nonetheless vital, essential even, to what it means to be human, yet digital abundance has diminished our sense of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/art-and-culture-are-nonetheless-vital-essential-even-to-what-it-means/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [First we need to rethink the terms and recognize that we've imported this language from the technocratic class, from Silicon Valley, that talks about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/first-we-need-to-rethink-the-terms-and-recognize-that-we-ve-imported/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [We've been criticizing these superficial aspects, like whether we are all more distracted. We really need to articulate a defense, a critique, that merges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/we-ve-been-criticizing-these-superficial-aspects-like-whether-we-are/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [I try to look at the evolution of these utopian claims. In the late '60s there was an assumption that the wealth generated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/i-try-to-look-at-the-evolution-of-these-utopian-claims-in-the-late/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [The market won't let us treat all data equally because there's a potential to make huge gobs of money not doing that. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/the-market-won-t-let-us-treat-all-data-equally-because-there-s-a/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [My point, though, is that if lines have indeed shifted, it's not so much that the younger generation just doesn't care, it's that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/my-point-though-is-that-if-lines-have-indeed-shifted-it-s-not-so-much/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [Advertisers are happy to see the stuff they've branded out there for free, they don't care about scarcity, they want any message they're invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/advertisers-are-happy-to-see-the-stuff-they-ve-branded-out-there-for/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) [Explore all 72 Astra Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) ## More Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' I don't know if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-prefer-the-word-musician-i-m-a-musician-and-a-composer-i-have-a/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [Thinking of sex provides enough mental stimulation to reduce risk of diseases that damage the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-of-sex-provides-enough-mental-stimulation-to-reduce-risk-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [Without illusions. I love you because you are fallible and because your poor misguided testosterone-corrupted brain has you doing cartwheels trying not to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/without-illusions-i-love-you-because-you-are-fallible-and-because/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [being asked to decide between your passion for work and your passion for children was like being asked by your doctor whether you preferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-bevington/being-asked-to-decide-between-your-passion-for-work-and-your-passion/) [Helen Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-bevington/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I am the way I am. If you like me because I'm glamorous, so be it. If you like me, because I speak well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malaika-arora-khan/i-am-the-way-i-am-if-you-like-me-because-i-m-glamorous-so-be-it-if/) [Malaika Arora Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malaika-arora-khan/) [Browse all 8,465 Brain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'd go to conference after conference and it would essentially be the talking points. Either pro or con. It's amazing how polarized the tech conversation is. There's also this neurological fixation, the incessant wondering what the Internet's doing to our brain: \"Does it make us stupid, does it make us distracted?\" And then the other guys say, \"No, it's making us smarter than ever, and better than ever, and more connected.\" And it's like, where is the economic and social context? 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