Engaged Reading Time - Issue #64
Welcome back to my (theoretically) weekly digest of interesting reads from around the internet.
This week I have finally and formally closed down the paid part of this newsletter. From now on, it's just a free digest of weekly reads, and that's all. It's a relief to kill off a failed experiment - and a case of practicing what I preach, too. I've always maintained that journalism businesses cling on to failing experiments for too long.
The confusion between the paid journalism-centric newsletter and the free "general reads" made the whole thing just too complicated a sell. I gained a small but hardcore group of paying customers, but not enough to sustain the effort. And so, I'm trying other things instead.
From now on, if you want journalism-centric stuff from me in you inbox - head over to here and subscribe. (And yes, you can give me money there for extra stuff, if you feel so inclined.) And you might find another wee experiment taking form elsewhere…
And with that out of the way - on with the links!
Consequences
The Story Behind Alexis Pereira’s Viral Essay Twitter Joke
Some people think that going viral is good. Those people don't understand the idea of "context collapse". This is the story of a clever joke going so viral that people lose the joke context…
I Spoke Out Against Sexual Harassment at Uber. The Aftermath Was More Terrifying Than Anything I Faced Before
Susan Fowler's blog post about the sexism at harassment at Uber started a process that toppled its CEO, and contributed to the rise of the #metoo movement. But the consequences for her own life were pretty horrific. This is a tale of a malign corporation.
Climate Crisis
Revealed: quarter of all tweets about climate crisis produced by bots
And guess which side they're tweeting about. Just guess. Go on.
The Heartland Lobby
Talking of climate deniers, here's a fantastic piece of German investigative journalism into the way money is funnelled into attempt to oppose climate legislation - including harnessing emerging influencers.
Does owning a car hurt your health?
China's car lottery has presented a unique chance to investigate the impact of car ownership. And for some people, yes, the health impact is significant.
Mental Wellness
Why Some People Find It Harder To Drag Themselves To Bed At Night
I feel very seen by this article. Very seen indeed.
Christopher Eccleston: ‘I really felt that I was going to die’
A sobering reminder that just because someone is famous, successful and talented that they're not battling demons of their own.
Lost and Found
A woman's class ring that she lost in Maine in 1973 was just found buried in a forest in Finland
This is possibly the most unlikely story of a recovered lost possession. We'll probably never know the story of how it travelled the distance it did, but imagining the possibilities is great fun…
25-year-old game thought lost until creator sees someone stream it
This is both delightful and slightly terrifying. A 12 year old wrote an unofficial sequel to a game a quarter of a century ago, and shares it with some friends. He assumes it's lost forever. He's wrong.
Heart of Dorkness
Inside the mind of Dominic Cummings
A brave journalist dives deep into everything the power behind the Downing Street throne has published online. Both fascinating and suggestive of an advanced form of Dunning-Kruger.
The Sea to Me
Brand marketing isn't something I normally get into here, but I do find these #theseatome videos from outdoor clothing brand Finisterre (which, admittedly, I am a very small shareholder in) to be both relaxing and thought-provoking.
And that's about as good as it gets, frankly.
Midterm Adventures
It was midterm this week, and despite the, uhh, variable weather, I was able to get out for some adventures with my girls. This image is from a day at RSPB Pulborough Brooks. My daughters decided that RSPB stood for "rude society for poos and bums" which is clearly juvenile, offensive and very, very funny.
Have a good week, all.
