Jonathan PayStroke survivor. Dad of two. Australian living in UK for longer than I thought. This is the category for everything that has shaped, and is still shaping me.
From The Matrix to Metal Gear Solid 2, the turn of the millennium’s stories warned us what would happen when creation outgrew control. Two decades later, those prophecies feel less like fiction and more like memory.
Caught between the professional necessity and creative unease of using LLMs, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to think with a machine. This blog explores authorship, interpretation, and faith in an age where meaning is predicted, not felt.
Birds of Prey was the last film I saw before my stroke, a night that changed everything. Six years later, I’m still here, still learning, still grateful. This is the story of the film that stayed with me, and the moment that shaped the years since.
Working in marketing teaches you how people’s brains get nudged. The same psychology that makes email subject lines clickable makes political soundbites stick. When something makes you instantly furious or terrified, that’s your System 1 being hacked. Here’s a framework for spotting when someone’s trying to hijack your gut.
It’s World Stroke Day, and I’ve been living with the aftermath for nearly six years now. Here’s something most people don’t realise about stroke recovery: you can look completely fine whilst your brain and body are doing something entirely different. I have permanent double vision. Every single thing I see, I see twice. I wear […]
About ten years ago, I sketched out an idea to help people see bias in the news more clearly. I never built it, but someone else did, and they did it well. Ground News offers tools for understanding political slant, factuality, and blindspots. It’s thoughtful, and it’s what I needed.
Since 2014, social media platforms have evolved, but the core issue, our data as currency, remains. Even with GDPR and growing awareness, AI now uses user-generated content for training, complicating the privacy debate. We’re more informed, yet our control feels limited.
In 2014, I reflected on Facebook’s true cost: our data. From location to preferences, everything was monetized. Even quitting didn’t erase the digital trail. Over time, the platform’s terms changed, yet we stayed, driven by social connections.
After nearly 15 years, I’m returning to blogging. Less for the likes, more for reflection. Life’s been a whirlwind: career changes, marriage, parenthood, loss, and resilience. I’m thankful for it all. This blog is a space to document, reflect, and reconnect, without the noise of social media
Social media has evolved from a simple, enjoyable way to connect with friends to a complex ecosystem dominated by algorithms and data-driven content. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram prioritize engagement over meaningful connection. Let’s think on the desire to explore more personal and controlled spaces online, like blogs and newsletters.
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