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That might be changing soon."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"4e3c359a12c8"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Lasting trend or passing fad?","_key":"b173fe93a6550"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"d4998fe259af","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Silicon Valley has unleashed countless social media platforms over the past couple of decades … but with the exception of a few household names, most of them have been largely forgotten. So why does Ravikant think Airchat will be more than just a flash in the pan?","_key":"8bc74a8ad0fb0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"14ecf44b318b"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"09b85417abcf","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In a word: ","_key":"13f412ff013e0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"audio","_key":"4c95e962f5ca"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":".","_key":"b2fa7db4bc3f"}]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"The app utilizes voice notes in a unique way that its founders and early adopters believe will change the social media landscape for the better. It’s not the first platform to attempt such a gambit, but if the initial buzz is any indication, Airchat could be the first one to find widespread success.","_key":"87485321e64d0","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"dd9070648426"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Here’s an overview of what you can expect:","_key":"eef95d234da90"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"539cba8c5c7a"},{"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"a62f59edbcd8","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Upon creating an account, ","_key":"eedd6718d9940"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"you can follow ","_key":"b11c8006b544"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"some other Airchat users","_key":"94367fdbd228"}]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Then you’ll find blocks of text that are actually","_key":"570367949dbc0"},{"_key":"75f175abd7da","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" transcribed voice notes"}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"fd6e8415eafc","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[]},{"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"3a86769fbe28","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":["strong"],"text":"Play and pause buttons ","_key":"5077ce5d94430","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"allow you to control what you listen to","_key":"c165a50b7a8b"}]},{"_key":"fca7b5dc9556","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"You can also ","_key":"54b34a6e70210"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"record video notes","_key":"055143950c1f"},{"marks":[],"text":", but audio is by far the early favorite","_key":"e9df4efc48fe","_type":"span"}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"_key":"45b32ec61dbc","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"0db269449bee0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"You can think of Airchat like Twitter, "},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"with one major difference","_key":"3d4631e73d20"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": There’s no option for typing any content. 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And while there are some concerns to consider regarding this cultural shift, it’s possible for ","_key":"8390bb1085502"},{"text":"an almost opposite problem","_key":"9053d4479002","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to cause some trouble.","_key":"6050883fd242"}],"_type":"block"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"It’s not that some people have too many friends, per se; it’s more that they feel ","_key":"5c92c624811a0"},{"text":"stuck","_key":"5c92c624811a1","_type":"span","marks":["6b9d323ec42f"]},{"marks":[],"text":" with friends who are no longer enriching their lives.","_key":"5c92c624811a2","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"ceaee9b10a87","markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.businessinsider.com/signs-you-need-a-friend-reshuffle-feeling-stagnant-2024-3","_key":"6b9d323ec42f"}]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"What can you do?","_key":"c21d02781bdc0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"6b7f8cdd8fdd"},{"_key":"8138bcfecc61","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"4a8953f1ab920","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Perhaps you’re thinking of a person right now who has been in your social group for a while but has been sort of grating on your nerves for a while."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"If that individual is truly toxic, it might be best to cut him or her out of your life completely. But if there’s just some relatively mild annoyance involved, there are some","_key":"4f15082605130"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" less severe ways","_key":"fd83739262cb"},{"text":" to handle the issue that will result in fewer hurt feelings and leave open the possibility of rekindling the friendship down the line.","_key":"e99b854f868e","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"11bcf2c1f88b","markDefs":[]},{"style":"normal","_key":"aa5225ec892f","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The strategy has become known as the “","_key":"105a9e3831910"},{"text":"friendship shuffle","_key":"3a67fb1aab9f","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"” and involves a few relatively simple steps, says clinical psychologist Miriam Kirmayer, who stressed the “difference between a full withdrawal and a downgrading of the connection.","_key":"fac4218c9fc2"}],"_type":"block"},{"_key":"ea01926a8ddb","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In the latter scenario, you won’t sever ties with your friend but would reduce your exposure to that individual. Here’s what she suggests:","_key":"fd4d0e7c99fc0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"3eb02d36a049","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Start with honesty","_key":"14d6e86744760"},{"_key":"1ad6506d7836","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": Be realistic about whether there are unresolvable issues at hand or if there’s a reason to maintain some sort of connection."}],"level":1},{"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"6a82c8148ca5","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Balance the scales","_key":"4c9719b9f0350"},{"_key":"bd8d6d85d7bb","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": In many cases, friendships are one-sided. 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‘Friendship Paradox’: You Probably Don’t Have As Many Friends As Your Friends Do","category":"social","summary":"Don't worry, it's not your fault.","_type":"story","_createdAt":"2023-12-13T21:19:02Z","_updatedAt":"2023-12-13T21:19:02Z","body":[{"_key":"6b51b74910b1","markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr_MHKIYBcg","_key":"64b5f67050bb"}],"children":[{"text":"Humans in general maintain fewer close friendships today than in previous generations, but you in particular probably have ","_key":"d321e16fb0390","_type":"span","marks":[]},{"text":"fewer","_key":"d321e16fb0391","_type":"span","marks":["64b5f67050bb"]},{"_key":"d321e16fb0392","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" friends than your own friends do."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"What’s going 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