My cure for brain rot

I’ve got a new sanity-preserving tool. I call it my Wisdom Jukebox. (Runner-up names include “Randomized Mindfulness” and “The Timeless Newsfeed”).

My Wisdom Jukebox is not a collection of songs. In fact, it makes no sound at all. Instead, it’s an electronic picture frame onto which I’ve loaded an assortment of my favorite nuggets of wisdom. I keep it on my desk as it shuffles through typewritten sentences on a white background. Up will pop an idea from a Stoic philosophy: “You can’t control events, but you can control how you react to events.” Fifteen seconds later, the screen will change to an epigram from cognitive behavioral psychology: “Get curious, not furious.” Next will come a reminder that even though we’re in the midst of hard times, progress is possible: “Remember that people used to have surgery without anesthesia.”

I’m finding my Wisdom Jukebox enormously helpful in these stressful times. It’s perspective-shifting and sanity-saving. It keeps my brain from its usual bad habits – catastrophizing, obsessing about petty slights, feeling helpless and overwhelmed.

MY FRAME OF MIND’S ORIGIN STORY

I came up with my Wisdom Jukebox a couple of weeks ago. For a few years, I’ve had a digital picture frame loaded with the usual fare -- birthday-party photos, vacation shots, etc. I appreciate that it sparks memories – oh, look, I used to have a crazy beard!

But recently, it occurred to me that this shuffling collection of images might have another use. It could help me outsmart my brain. It could help solve my Post-It note problem. The problem is, I love written reminders, so I have over my desk a Post-It note with a quote that Ben Franklin asked himself every morning: “What good can I do today?” But the static Post-It note doesn’t work for me. I’m an expert at ignoring it. Yes, I noticed it the first few days. But after that, my novelty-seeking brain became habituated to the sign and tuned it out. It disappeared from my consciousness.

I needed to get around my brain’s tendency to habituate. That’s when I bought a second digital frame, made a list of 100-plus sayings, and created my randomized jukebox of wisdom.

Is it distracting? Not really. If I need to, I just turn the frame off. But I leave it on most of the time, because I’m finding it hugely helpful – an excellent companion to my Moodwatching hobby that I wrote about recently. In short, my frame is crucial to my frame of mind.

I also find it empowering. It’s the anti-social media feed. Facebook and Instagram have their uses, but I hate the feeling of being at the mercy of algorithms designed by Silicon Valley billionaires. I resent that Mark Zuckerberg has so much control over what I see and think — and that he often fills my feed with outrage-inducing half-truths and ego-deflating ads for balding cures. (Reminder to self: Get curious, not furious).

This is my own algorithm, one controlled solely by me. What’s on my playlist? Here’s a sampling:

Stoic philosophy

I’ve got quotes from Marcus Aurelius in the rotation, but perhaps my favorite aphorism is from that great Stoic sage, Cookie Monster:

“Me no cry because cookie finished. Me smile because cookie happened.”

Memento mori –

As I’ve written here on Substack, I’m a fan of Memento Mori, the reminders of death. The idea is to keep in mind that life is fleeting, so we should try to savor it while we have it. Renaissance artists included skulls in their paintings as memento mori. I find the regular skull too aggressively creepy. Instead, I have an image of a cute Hello Kitty skull as one of the images on my rotating frame.

Perspective Correctors

I find it helpful to remind myself that I’m not the leading man in this epic extravaganza, The Universe: The Motion Picture. I’m one of the extras in an ensemble of billions. It reminds me to treat my fellow extras with kindness. My frame features several images that I regard as perspective-correctors, including a timeline of the universe that reminds me that humans didn’t even appear until (a metaphorical) two seconds ago.

Self compassion

As I get older, I’m trying to be less of a judgmental asshole toward myself. So I have this quote:

“Treat yourself as you’d treat a friend.”

Other compassion

I’m also trying to be better to other members of my species. One reminder is this phrase: Ponder Sonder

Sonder (as I’ve written about) is the realization that everyone on the street has as complex an emotional life as you do.

I’m continuing to build out my playbook of quotations for my frame (incidentally, I’m partial to the Aura brand). Suggestions welcome and encouraged for my Wisdom Jukebox. Thank you!