What does it mean to be human in an age of AI, algorithms, and endless optimization?

In this conversation, Dara Simkin—Australia's leading voice on play at work and founder of Culture Hero—shares insights from her upcoming book "Full Stack Human: The Mindset Upgrade You Need to Stay Human in a World Ruled by Technology" (co-authored with data scientist and futurist Tane Hunter).

In this episode, we explore:
✨ Why productivity hacks and wellness apps only treat symptoms, not root causes
🧠 The "backend programming" of our brains—cognitive biases, evolutionary hangovers, and our addiction to achievement
🎮 The five-layer stack: serious play, strategic hope, intelligent optimism, radical curiosity, and embodied adaptability
💭 A fresh take on mental health that prioritizes community over isolation
How play is actually training for adaptability and the unexpected
🌍 How to curate your "information diet" to escape doom-scrolling and find stories of progress
🎨 Why analogue, handmade, human experiences will become priceless as technology advances
🔄 The power of living life with friends, not just debriefing about it

About Dara: Dara Simkin is the founder of Culture Hero, a consultancy driving cultural change and experience design. She has worked with organisations worldwide and came to Australia after winning a video competition to travel Tasmania in a campervan for six weeks... never left!

Order the book: "Full Stack Human: The Mindset Upgrade: You Need to Stay Human in a World Ruled by Technology" (releases February 2025) https://www.culturehero.co/full-stack-human-book

Connect with Dara:
Website: culturehero.co
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/dara-simkin-culture-hero