El Podcast

E21: The Future Isn’t Virtual: David Sax on Rediscovering Real Life

Episode Summary

David Sax explains why the pandemic showed us that digital life isn’t enough. He argues that people need real-world experiences, like in-person school, work, and play, to feel human and connected. His book The Future Is Analog makes the case for bringing back more balance in a tech-heavy world.

Episode Notes

Award-winning author David Sax joins El Podcast to discuss why digital life fell short during the pandemic and why the future may actually be analog.

👤 Guest Bio:
David Sax is a journalist, keynote speaker, and author of The Future Is Analog: How to Create a More Human World, as well as The Revenge of Analog. He explores the intersection of culture, business, and technology with a focus on how analog experiences remain essential in a digital world.

📌 Topics Discussed:

• The psychological cost of digital life during COVID lockdowns
• Why younger generations are embracing analog tools like vinyl and film
• The productivity paradox in tech-saturated workplaces
• Analog parenting in a screen-obsessed age
• Social media, loneliness, and the limits of virtual empathy
• The myth of digital utopia and the rise of quiet rebellion

💬 Top 3 Quotes:

• “No one loves an iPad like a boomer.”
• “You can't app your way out of this — you actually need to put the phone down and go outside.”
• “Most people don’t want to live in the metaverse. They just want to walk on a beach.”

📺Watch the full pod on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/Qa6FeXNxQUQ?si=s5o6LthSNT8TQ3SB