This Is Your Long (No Gathering) Weekend On Scrolling

Aug 2, 2026

Hey folks – just a reminder that we (The Table) are taking this as our long weekend, so there will be no gathering. However, if you want a little something to consider, I’m including the link below to Jen Zorrati’s thoughtful (and short) piece about some recent research describing what scrolling does to our brains. Short version – passive consumption of short-form content triggers something called a “loss spiral” which starts by depleting our personal resources (contributing to burnout) then moves on to elevating our stress and anxiety levels, ultimately causing depressive symptoms. To put it another way, it makes it hard for us to pay attention.

You might think, “What does that have to do with exploring what we believe?” French philosopher Simone Weil said that attention is the foundation of morality, defined not as a tense exertion of the will, but as a rare, generous, and unselfish receptivity to reality. She also argued that attention is the best kind of love, famously stating that “attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity” because it gives another person the gift of being fully seen.

Put that next to Jen’s article and let it perk for a bit as you sit in the shade on Sunday morning, missing our gathering. 🙂

Here’s the link to Jen’s article. I’ll see you next Sunday.
Peace,

Tim Plett
This Is Your Brain On Scrolling
Subscribe to our Podcast