reflections on costs - the cost of humanity, energy, and dignity
#5SmartReads - November 19, 2024
#5SmartReads is a Webby-honored weekly news digest that amplifies underreported news and underrepresented perspectives. My goal is to help you stay informed without being overwhelmed, and to embrace nuance and reflection over picking a side.
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How to survive the broligarchy: 20 lessons for the post-truth world (The Guardian)
This piece is, without a doubt, the most useful article I’ve read in the wake of the election.
It’s a mix of specific tactics (spend less time online, ramp up your digital security measures), hard lessons to stomach, and how to stand in your truth (both privately and publicly).
If you’re wondering what makes this article different from the countless others that have populated the Internet over the past two weeks, it’s because
has survived her own personal war with the brioligarchy. She helped expose the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal, malpractice and illicit funding within the pro-Brexit campaign, and Russia’s increasing influence in western democracy. She has also survived a libel case filed by Arron Banks (one of the major donors of Leave.EU campaign), which her lawyers are seeking to appeal at the European Court of Human Rights.Cadwalladr has been sounding the alarm bells of authoritarianism for years now, and I’ll admit that I didn’t take her warnings as seriously as I wish I had (hindsight, man).
I am heeding every word of this piece, especially these:
“Throw up the Kool-Aid. You drank it. That’s OK. We all did. But now is the time to stick your fingers down your throat and get that sick tech bro poison out of your system. Phones were – still are – a magic portal into a psychedelic fun house of possibility. They’re also tracking and surveilling you even as you sleep while a Silicon Valley edgelord plots ways to tear up the federal government.”
How I’m doing it: reading more physical books, doing jigsaw puzzles, writing longhand first before typing things up, and daily walks (the lack of rain for over a month is deeply disturbing, but I’m trying to make the most of it).
The Modern WAG Is Changing the Face of American Sports (Glamour)
When I am online, it’s usually to indulge/analyze one of my nerdy obsessions of the moment.
WAG culture has long been one of these obsessions, from watching Jemima Khan sit pitch side at cricket matches, or Brooke Shields and Bridgette Wilson sitting courtside to watch Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras (and often each other).
Subcultures centered on women rarely get the thoughtful analysis or respect they deserve, and WAGs are no different. But when you consider the breadth of WAGs (from supportive partners-turned-content creators, fellow athletes, and superstar-athlete partnerships) and their own financial impact (both in their relationships and at a macroeconomic level), a package like this one is overdue.
spearheaded WAG Week at Glamour, and I am thoroughly enjoying every interview (Ayan Broomfield, the woman you are) and behind the scenes story (pregaming with the Chiefs WAGs is as fun as you’d imagine).I’m humbly requesting for some of my personal favorite WAGs to be featured in the next WAG Week - Anushka Sharma (actress and wife of Indian cricketer Virat Kohli), Bry Burrows (IBM AI partner and Jalen Hurts’ fiancée), and Nicole Lynn (Jalen Hurts’ agent and wife of CU coach Gabe Lynn).
#5SmartReads is all about helping you feel smarter this week. If you want to feel better but feel overwhelmed on what to do, check out this month’s plan (mindfulness practices, workouts, meals, and more):
the plan - november 2024
I want to open this month’s plan with my theme this month - intentional selfishness.
The energy transition will be much cheaper than you think (The Economist)
…and we need to start taking action while we can.
Here’s a quick summary of this quite technical article:
The current projections to reach a zero-emissions world range from $3-$12 trillion a year, withe the following assumptions in place:
the emission cuts assumptions prioritize speed, thus higher expenses
population and economic assumptions are higher than actual expectations
the low-carbon energy costs are projected higher than data supports
assumes that we are at the highest end of the cost of business/economic growth
When The Economist challenged these assumptions (more modest emission cuts, lower population and economic expectations, rightsizing the cost of low-carbon energy production), they calculated that the cost to reduce emissions is under $1 trillion - an attainable and necessary step to get towards a zero emissions goal.
This article goes into incredible detail on how they came to this calculation, as well as a pragmatic outlook on the political, economic, and private sector challenges in moving forward.
The never-ending argument that’s been posed in the energy debate is the “it costs too much to transition/the cost of NOT transitioning is too high.” With a more realistic and plan in place (based on a macro-level view of the situation), I hope we can transition from debate into action.
Cities Are Getting Hotter, But We Can Redesign Them to Keep Us Cool (Fast Company)
The best climate solutions are often the most simple - and relatively cheap.
Planting more trees. Using white, reflective coatings on buildings and roads to help lower temperatures and require less air conditioning. Installing basic upgrades (automatic windows and shades to cover and open when needed, using concrete) can help reduce or cut the need for air conditioning.
Many of these solutions are decided on at the local and state level, which is why I am a broken record about getting involved at this level. Your local city council and your state legislatures are using your tax dollars to invest (or NOT invest) in solutions like these. Attend your local city council meeting, look up who your state representatives are and save their contact information in your phone. Every state publishes their state infrastructure projects on their own websites - look up yours, and read through to see what your state is currently working on (many states also have a carbon reduction plan as well, which is worth reading).
my year as a hot girl for hire ()
I find it extraordinarily difficult to write commentary or sum up this piece in a meaningful way. It’s one that you’ll read again immediately when you finish it, and you’ll sit with before you forward it to a friend or share the link in one of your group chats.
It’s a story about dignity in the most undignified situations, the increasing divide between work and value, and the current state of capitalism from those who make it possible.
It’s simply one of the best essays I’ve read in a very, very long time. I’ll leave you with the quote that I can’t stop lingering over:
“I know what it is to be an object, a voyeur, a cog, a salesperson, a schemer, and a liar. I know that many of us are trained that way to progress the goal of capital accumulation — the fruits of which most of us will not see. I hope that we have not forgotten each other. I hope that we have not forgotten ourselves in the mess.”
Great collection (as always). Do you have any recommendations for upping digital security?