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Your Attachment System Is Being Hacked

Published 20 days ago • 2 min read

We’re in the final stretch: Cohort 2 of The AI Second Brain kicks off in one week!

If you’re still on the fence about joining, I'm hosting a live AMA tomorrow, Friday, Sep. 11 at 11 am ET.

Bring your questions about the curriculum, the teaching approach, what's covered, and what's not.

I'll also give you a first look at something new we're building for the cohort.

Nick Milo Reads My Obsidian Vault (The Full Session)

Three weeks ago, Nick Milo read my Obsidian vault cold. We cut that down to 30 minutes.

Because we got so much positive feedback on the video, we’re releasing the full hour it came from.

Nick takes his time with the vault, we sit through the wait while a model chews on it, and he explains where the whole thing starts breaking down.

Put it on while you're cooking or walking. It holds up fine as a podcast.

Two people who take folders too seriously, thinking out loud.

Your Attachment System Is Being Hacked

Last week in the Second Brain Membership, I hosted our September masterclass on human connection in the AI era.

The data is sobering. Demographer Lyman Stone calls it a "genuine collapse" in human social life, across every country that's adopted digital technology.

Social media hooked our attention. AI is hacking our attachment system, the one that governs how we bond with people.

There's a silver lining: willingness to socialize is becoming a rare skill, and a real advantage.

A few things I'm doing about it:

  • Once a year, I review my "meaning portfolio," asking where my fulfillment really comes from.
  • I put myself in social environments on purpose. It's part of why Lauren and I moved to a small town in Mexico.
  • I host things: retreats, meetups, dinners. The host almost always benefits the most.

None of this happens by accident. You have to choose it, every time.

So ask yourself: Where have you noticed the collapse creeping into your own life? Hit reply and tell me what you're doing about it.

How to Use Your Master Prompt to Nudge You Towards Connection

One of my favorite parts of running this community is watching what members do with the frameworks we teach.

Second Brain member Eric posted a piece of his master prompt that stopped me: "I use AI as a whiteboard, not a companion."

Then he sets a boundary: don't perform warmth or empathy toward him. He wants AI to help him think a hard moment through, then send him back to have the real conversation with a real person. It's one paragraph, and it draws a clearer line than most of what I've read on AI and connection.

If you're working on your own master prompt, his post is worth a read.

Save 25% on Life in Perspective at Barnes & Noble Until Friday

Barnes & Noble is running a pre-order sale, and my upcoming book Life in Perspective is part of it.

If you're a B&N Rewards or Premium member, you'll get 25% off when you pre-order by Sep. 11. This is one of the few times B&N discounts pre-orders, so it's worth taking advantage of.

The book comes out Nov. 3. It's about doing a real annual life review. Not just goal-setting, but looking back at what happened, what it meant, and what you want going forward.

Use the code PREORDER25 at checkout if the discount doesn't apply automatically.

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Tiago Forte

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Forte Labs Newsletter

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