The scars that make us human
TL;DR #158 – 7/14/2018

This week I spent a lot of time behind the scenes working on some online classes, and getting an upcoming publication out of the door.

Hannah Gadsby Got Into Comedy Because of a Broken Wrist (7:56)

Hannah Gadsby on Late Night with Seth Meyers in which she talks about the origins of her comedy career.

If you haven’t already…and if you have Netflix, I recommend watching her comedy special Nanette.

Survival of the Richest

Douglas Rushkoff talking about the future of technology, and the desire of individuals to use this as a means of escape and perhaps enslavement.

In the age of despair, find comfort on the “slow web”

Feel like you’re trying to ride a tsunami as you search and sift online texts? Not too long ago, we would dip in and dip out when we wanted. But, now there is a never-ending desire to continually remain connected.

In this post, they recommend watching the visual equivalent of “white noise” as you work during the day. This could be joining a stranger on a stroll through Tokyo just as cherry blossoms begin to bloom, enjoying the train ride from Bergen to Oslo, a seven-and-a-half hour journey along the spine of Norway. Virtual walking tours of cities work as well as episodes of NHK World’s Cycle Around Japan, or the Royal Ballet’s live rehearsal broadcasts.

How can we “free” our Facebook friends

Each week when I write this newsletter, it is always interesting to me to see stories that suggest that social media is downright bad for us. For people that are hooked, it is like a drug. For people that don’t use social media and networks, they don’t understand why people care, or use these tools.

This post describes the challenges that arise if/when we try to leave Facebook, and if we (as a collective) tried to build something else. Put simply:

The one thing you can’t download from Facebook is the one thing you’d most need if you wanted to move to a competing social network—your friends’ contact information, or any other unique information that would help you reconnect with them on another service. Instead, all you get is a list of their names, which isn’t very helpful for re-identifying specific individuals, considering how common many names are. Indeed, as was highlighted during the event, Facebook has long treated its possession of your friends’ contact information as a key competitive advantage, making it difficult for users to collect or export it.

Activism in the social media age

As the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag turns 5 years old, the Pew Research Center takes a look at its evolution on Twitter, and how Americans view social media’s impact on political and civic engagement.

The rise of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag – along with others like #MeToo and #MAGA (Make America Great Again) – has sparked a broader discussion about the effectiveness and viability of using social media for political engagement and social activism. To that end, a new survey by the Center finds that majorities of Americans do believe these sites are very or somewhat important for accomplishing a range of political goals, such as getting politicians to pay attention to issues (69% of Americans feel these platforms are important for this purpose) or creating sustained movements for social change (67%).

The ultimate proof that looking happy on social media often masks real pain

Quick question…what would happen if we used social media tools to help individuals express themselves, get support, and show how vulnerable people really are?

What if everything wasn’t as perfect as we make it seem to be in our feeds?

Take the time to read through this post for some insight.

All your sunscreen questions, answered

This post in the Vitals section of Lifehacker shares answers to pretty much everything you ever needed to know about sunscreen.

We’re in the thick of the summer months here, and sunscreen is a necessary evil in our house. With two kids, it’s a mandatory that we all lube up before hitting the pool or beach. Given that I shave my head, it’s also a daily application (with moisturizer) as I head out the door.

Skin cancer is a real risk. Protect yourself.

Children show scars like medals. Lovers use them as a secrets to reveal. A scar is what happens when the word is made flesh.

Leonard Cohen

TL;DR is a summary of all the great stuff from the Internet this week in technology, education, & literacy. Please subscribe to make sure this comes to your inbox each week. You can review archives of the newsletter here.

Say hey with a note at hello@wiobyrne.com or on the social network of your choice.