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A digital frame that displays curated wisdom and philosophical insights [1]

['Mark Frauenfelder']

Date: 2025-07-10

Writer A.J. Jacobs has transformed a digital picture frame into a philosophical life coach, creating what he calls a "Wisdom Jukebox" to combat mental fatigue and negative thought patterns. He calls it his "cure for brain rot" — "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," says A.J.

Instead of family photos, A.J. loads his desktop digital frame with rotating snippets of wisdom, from Stoic philosophy to cognitive behavioral therapy insights. "You can't control events, but you can control how you react to events," reads one message. Another reminds: "Get curious, not furious."

The idea came to A.J. after realizing traditional Post-It note reminders quickly become invisible. "I'm an expert at ignoring it," he writes on his Experimental Living Substack. "My novelty-seeking brain became habituated to the sign and tuned it out." The rotating display keeps the messages fresh and engaging.

His curated collection includes unexpected touches, like wisdom from Cookie Monster: "Me no cry because cookie finished. Me smile because cookie happened." Even his memento mori — traditional reminders of mortality — take a lighter touch, using a Hello Kitty skull instead of traditional Renaissance-style skulls. Other entries remind him of human progress: "Remember that people used to have surgery without anesthesia."

Previously:

• Moodwatching is like birdwatching but for your emotions

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