193. Curating Your Online Experience | Bryan Dobkin

2025-10-07

Social media feeds are built to keep you scrolling, but at what cost to your focus and wellbeing? Dr. Andrew Fix sits down with Bryan Dobkin, a Principal People Scientist with expertise in organizational psychology, workforce strategy, and the future of work, to unpack how AI and social media shape the way we think, feel, and connect. Bryan is passionate about building systems that help people do their best work, and he brings that same lens to how technology influences our everyday lives. From the way algorithms decide what shows up in our feeds to t...

Social media feeds are built to keep you scrolling, but at what cost to your focus and wellbeing?

Dr. Andrew Fix sits down with Bryan Dobkin, a Principal People Scientist with expertise in organizational psychology, workforce strategy, and the future of work, to unpack how AI and social media shape the way we think, feel, and connect. Bryan is passionate about building systems that help people do their best work, and he brings that same lens to how technology influences our everyday lives.

From the way algorithms decide what shows up in our feeds to the rise of tools like ChatGPT, Bryan explains why our digital “diet” matters more than we realize. He shares practical steps for better digital hygiene, from muting the noise in your feed to setting limits on addictive apps, and examples of using AI intentionally, like creating custom bedtime stories for his three boys. Along the way, he highlights the simple drivers of fulfillment at work: growth, impact, and surrounding yourself with the right people.

With clarity and candor, Bryan shows how AI can either drain us or serve us — and what it takes to choose the difference.

Quotes

"The technology itself is neither good nor bad. Technology is a tool and how we choose to use it, how we choose to let it influence us or the kind of impact that we let it have on us." (10:40 | Bryan Dobkin)
"Feeds are optimized for engagement. They’re not optimized for well-being in any sense of the word." (24:14 | Bryan Dobkin)
"We are up against industrial grade reinforcement loops. These are massive companies that are doing everything in their power to capture our attention and to keep us engaging with whatever content they want us to." (25:00 | Bryan Dobkin)
“Curate your feed like you curate your home. Remove what doesn't serve you. People may remember during the pandemic, there was Marie Kondo. She got really popular…she had that quote, right? If it doesn't bring you joy, let it go. Get rid of it. The same is true of your online experience. Try to curate, and it doesn't have to necessarily be joy, but what is serving you in a productive way and what is not.” (26:26 | Bryan Dobkin)
“Notifications are like sugar, right? They're okay in small doses, but they're corrosive by default.” (37:04 | Bryan Dobkin)

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