Podge Thomas is a queer, neurodivergent, multiracial creative entrepreneur who teaches people how to use Notion — not as another productivity hack, but as a tool for reclaiming curiosity that traditional education flattened. In this episode, Podge walks Becky through the concept of "digital gardens": a pre-algorithm way of collecting, synthesizing, and sharing what you're curious about online, without letting platforms like Facebook or Instagram dictate what you consume. They talk about why Podge refuses to use AI automation inside Notion even though it's available, how educational trauma shaped their fiercely anti-productivity-culture stance, the difference between "efficiency" and genuinely meaningful process, and how anyone can build their own "master's program" of self-directed learning using free tools and a little structure. If you've got 800 open tabs and no system, or you've felt disconnected from your own curiosity, this conversation offers a real alternative to algorithm-driven scrolling.

Topics Covered:
• What digital gardens are, where the concept originated in early-2000s blogging and programmer culture, and why it's resurfacing now
• Podge's input → synthesis → output process: collecting content, processing it in Notion, and turning it into newsletter and blog output
• How educational trauma and being punished for asking questions in school shaped Podge's anti-productivity, curiosity-first philosophy
• Why Podge intentionally avoids algorithm-driven platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) but embraces YouTube and Reddit for discovery
• Podge's decision to email Notion and request AI automation features be removed from their own account
• The difference between using tools for genuine efficiency versus getting trapped in a capitalist productivity mindset
• How Notion forces metacognition, thinking about how you think, arrange, and process information
• Teaching Notion specifically to neurodivergent people, marginalized entrepreneurs, and adult learners who were failed by traditional education
• The idea of building your own "master's program" through free online resources and self-directed curiosity
• Podge's practical workshops and free resources for learning Notion, including a DIY YouTube-in-Notion system

Podge Thomas:
• Website: https://www.podgethomas.com/
• Podge's digital garden

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