Podcast Summary: Business School with Sharran Srivatsaa

Episode: How To Stop Getting Dumber
Release Date: February 3, 2026
Host: Sharran Srivatsaa

Episode Overview

In this episode, Sharran Srivatsaa tackles the pressing concern that "humans are getting dumber," not just in theory but as a reality supported by research and observable trends. As a father and business leader, Sharran shares his personal anxieties about this trend, especially for the younger generation, and lays out five specific, actionable strategies to protect yourself—and those you care about—from the cognitive decline he observes all around. His playbook covers digital habits, the use and misuse of AI, influencer culture, content creation, and the need to redefine entertainment and embrace reflective writing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reduce Short-Form Content Consumption ([02:10]-[06:14])

• Problem: Short-form content (social media, quick videos) trains our brains to reset constantly, ruining our ability to concentrate, think deeply, and emotionally regulate.
• Personal Experience: Sharran found that even 15-30 minutes of doom-scrolling a day made his "brain mush" and diminished his capacity for deep work and meaningful conversations.
• Strategies:
  • Limit short-form content to 15 minutes per day.
  • Prioritize long-form content: podcasts, full articles, or videos.
  • Use app blockers like “One Sec” to introduce friction and mindfulness into opening distraction apps—forcing a deep breath and displaying usage count.
  • Apply these limits at home, especially with children, noting visible behavioral changes post-device use.
• Quote:

  “If I would watch short form video and then try to, you know, read something I could barely read because my brain was just mush.” (03:08)

• Parenting Hack: Build a routine pause after device use before engaging with kids because their brains are dysregulated post-screen. ([05:59])

2. Be Mindful About What You Outsource to AI ([06:29]-[10:48])

• Problem: Over-reliance on AI for idea generation and content creation makes personal thinking weaker and lazier.
• Personal Shift:
  • Now always writes his own first drafts—does not let AI shape initial ideas.
  • Uses AI to point out unclear logic, missing steps, or broken assumptions—treating AI as an “editor” or “critique partner” instead of a ghostwriter.
  • Uses voice-to-AI tools (Whisper Flow) to capture and clarify his thoughts while still preserving his authentic voice.
• Emerging Issue: The proliferation of “AI slop” on platforms like LinkedIn, diminishing the value of genuine, well-thought-out content.
• Quote:

  “I was kind of disgusted by my own, I don't know, intellectual laziness, if you will.” (07:27)

  "Let AI start to point out the logical holes...you almost have like a writing coach or a thinking coach right beside you." (10:32)

• Actionable: Before asking AI to rewrite, have it identify issues with your logic or assumptions.

3. Stop Taking Advice from Influencers ([10:48]-[17:18])

• Problem: Too many influencers share advice on topics they know little about; many are skilled at creating content, not practicing it.
• Personal Insight: As an advisor to major influencers, Sharran has seen firsthand how often advice is given without expertise, often simply reading trending scripts prepared by their teams.
• Assessment Criteria:
  • Look at what a person has actually done, not just how they present.
  • Ask: “Would I want to swap lives with this person?”
  • Do independent research on important topics rather than taking influencer advice at face value.
• Disturbing Trend: Influencers follow trends for views, not accuracy—some create content on hot topics like LLCs or tax breaks without any experience or understanding.
• Quote:

  “Influencers are in the business of getting views. There is nothing else that they care about...That is the influencer model, right?” (14:54)

  “Just because you're famous doesn't mean you have the right and competence to give out, you know, money advice or relationship advice or whatever.” (13:22)

• Cautionary Tale: References specific “hot” financial trends being promoted inaccurately due to behind-the-scenes content machinery.

4. Flip the Creation-to-Consumption Ratio ([17:18]-[19:13])

• Problem: We become passive information absorbers, dulling our brains.
• Action:
  • Make content creation (writing, drawing, talking through ideas, brainstorming) a higher priority than consumption.
  • Use AI talk-to-text apps for ideation to lower the friction of getting ideas out.
• Result: Enhanced end-of-day satisfaction, sharper thinking, and a more rewarding personal and professional life.
• Quote:

  “I have noticed that I feel way better at the end of the day where I have created more than I've consumed.” (18:48)

5. Rethink What Entertainment Means ([19:13]-[22:14])

• Problem: Fun is equated with fast, addictive, digital content; screens become the default source of pleasure—leading to restless bodies, mushy minds, and deteriorating human connection.
• Personal/Family Experiment:
  • Replacing short-form scrolling with long-form video or TV in moments of exhaustion—a less harmful but still engaging shift.
  • Using quiz apps or interactive games with kids in the car or at meals, fostering conversation and curiosity.
  • Accepting that eliminating screens entirely isn’t realistic, but scaling back their central role is vital.
• Quote:

  “I'd be lying if I told you that, oh yeah, look at me, I quit cold turkey. I did not.” (20:18)

  “If you ask my children, when they're in the car with me, we turn on Grok and we do a quiz or...play games when we're at dinner...I try really hard to get my kids to interact.” (21:53)

• Takeaway: Replace “bad” habits with “less bad” habits, and gradually redefine how you and your family relate to entertainment.

The Ultimate Antidote: Embrace Daily Reflective Writing ([22:14]-[25:27])

• Practice: Write every single day—an essay, memo, or strategy draft—on anything that piques your curiosity or needs clarification.
  • Example: When his son asked about the Berlin Wall, Sharran researched and wrote a 10–15-sentence essay to clarify and internalize the knowledge.
  • Enrolled his own son in a writing academy, reinforcing the connection between clear thought and strong writing.
• Philosophy:
  • Writing gives structure to scattered thoughts and builds intellectual discipline—a tradition rooted in ancient Greek philosophy.
  • The real reason most people find writing hard is not a writing deficiency but a thinking deficiency.
• Quote:

  “There is something magical about taking scattered thoughts and giving them structure...Because when you read it, you're going to say, that's crap, and you'll be ashamed. You'd be embarrassed. So you will reorganize your thoughts.” (23:14)

  “The reason writing is difficult for people is because they don't know how to think. If you can think clearly, writing is very easy.” (24:29)

• Rule:

  “I gave myself a rule about six months ago. I write something every day...that one thing keeps my thinking sharp. It helps me stay more present with my kids.” (24:07)

Summary of The Five Strategies ([25:14])

1. Reduce short-form content consumption.
2. Change what you outsource to AI; use it as a logical critique partner, not as a creator.
3. Stop taking advice from influencers; do your own research.
4. Flip the ratio: create more than you consume.
5. Rethink entertainment—for yourself and your household.

Bonus: Write daily to organize your mind, reinforce clear thinking, and build intellectual defenses against a world trending toward distraction and superficiality.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “While it is not your fault, it is your problem.” —Sharran Srivatsaa ([00:11])
• “Short form content trains our brain to just reset every 30 to 60 seconds constantly...our minds just go from one cat video to another.” ([02:21])
• “I just put the system in place so that I don’t need willpower to control it.” ([05:30])
• “There’s so much AI slop out there, it’s crazy.” ([09:41])
• “You have to realize who is who...there are way more people that are good at making videos than have actually done the thing.” ([12:32])
• “If I want to bang a nail, I go get the hammer. I bang the nail. I put the hammer back...I don’t scroll for massive entertainment anymore.” ([18:26])
• “Screens are still there, but it’s no longer the center of what we call fun.” ([21:46])
• “When you can write, you just conquer the world.” ([25:08])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:10 – Reducing short-form content consumption
• 06:29 – Changing your relationship with AI
• 10:48 – Being skeptical about influencer advice
• 17:18 – Shifting to content creation
• 19:13 – Redefining entertainment and presence
• 22:14 – The power and practice of daily writing
• 25:14 – Recap of the five strategies

Final Takeaway

Sharran’s episode is a frank, tactical guide to fighting the tide of mental laziness, digital distraction, and the commodification of “dumbed-down” content habits. The central theme: Regulate your information diet, use tech responsibly, demand evidence (not just personality) from those you learn from, and above all—write daily to bring order to your thoughts.

For further resources and playbooks:
Visit Sharran.com and MyNextBillion.com as mentioned at the end of the show.