Hello everyone,
I wanted to send a note to the early members of The Calm Society.
The response so far has been a strong signal. Not just because people have subscribed, but because of the thoughtful replies, personal notes, and clear sense that this conversation is landing with people who have already been feeling some version of the same thing:
that modern life is becoming too fast, too productivity-obsessed, and too overloaded.
I’m building The Calm Society because I think this is one of the most important questions of our time:
if technology keeps making it easier to do more, what should we actually be doing with our lives?
My belief is that the next frontier is not just productivity.
It is quality of life.
That is the bigger idea behind this project.
Part of that is personal. I want The Calm Society to explore practical ways we can protect attention, restore energy, create more space, strengthen relationships, and build lives that feel calmer, clearer, and more grounded.
But part of it is also cultural. I think we need better language, better questions, and better models for what a good life looks like in an age of acceleration. We have a rare opportunity, as AI reshapes work and society, to help push the conversation in a more human direction.
Not anti-tech.
Not wellness fluff.
Not another set of productivity hacks.
Something more thoughtful than that.
A place to explore how we live well, what we should optimise for, and how to design lives that are not just efficient on paper, but actually good to live.
Over time, I think The Calm Society can become a mix of writing, ideas, conversations, and curated resources around that mission. I also hope it can contribute, in its own small way, to a broader shift: away from productivity-first living and towards a more human pace, more presence, and a better quality of life.
For now, I’m keeping it simple and building with intention.
Thank you for being here early. Your attention, encouragement, and replies are helping shape where this goes.
And if this resonates, feel free to share The Calm Society with anyone you think might connect with it. Early word of mouth really helps.
A few things I’m reading and watching right now:
The AI Roadmap: How We Ensure AI Serves Humanity - a practical framework from the Center for Humane Technology for thinking about how AI should actually serve the public, not just accelerate capability.
Escaping an Anti-Human Future - a deep conversation between Sam Harris and Tristan Harris (he leads the org that published the roadmap above) on the risks of the AI race, the deeper stakes, and why this moment needs much more public attention.
An overview of The Burnout Society - a helpful entry point into Byung-Chul Han’s argument that burnout is not just personal fatigue, but a symptom of a larger cultural logic.
In the meantime, thanks for being here.
More soon,
Cameron