Cal Newport: Quit social media 11/20/16

Just this month, I read both of Cal Newport’s career advice books “So Good They Can’t Ignore You”, and “Deep Work”. I’d heartily recommend “So Good They Can’t Ignore You” to anyone driven mad by the societal push to follow their passion, and “Deep Work” to any working person with a Facebook or Twitter account.

Coincidentally, today in the NY Times, Cal Newport had a piece suggesting you quit social media for the good of your career. He makes a few different arguments to that effect, but I found this one especially persuasive:

Social media use is decidedly not rare or valuable. Any 16-year-old with a smartphone can invent a hashtag or repost a viral article. The idea that if you engage in enough of this low-value activity, it will somehow add up to something of high value in your career is the same dubious alchemy that forms the core of most snake oil and flimflam in business.

The entire piece is a good taste of the themes Newport explores in “Deep Work”.