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Welcome to Somethings, your weekly dose of highlights, recommendations and notes from my notebook. If you would like to receive this in your inbox, subscribe now. If you want to support, do checkout the links in the Friends of Somethings Section.
Things have gotten crazy since the last time. If you are somehow uninformed, there is a war going on in West Asia. It is going to affect a lot people directly and indirectly. We are in for another supply shock if this goes on for long. Some governments are already contemplating lockdown-like work-from-home measure. So I hope you are safe and you have easy access to essential supplies.
On to the main part.
📕Somethings to read
The Quick and The Dead
What matters now is how fast something moves through the network: how quickly it is clicked, shared, quoted, replied to, remixed, and replaced. In a system tuned for speed, authority is ornamental. The network rewards motion first and judgment later, if ever. Perhaps that’s why you feel you can’t discern between truths, half-truths, and lies.
— Om Malilk, Velocity is the New Authority
The way big tech algorithms have transformed how we digest information is staggering. And it happened so fast that nobody realized it. The only way to get ahead is to be first not correct. Lies and Half-Truths reign supreme.
I do not agree with all the claims in the essay. But overall point is sound. The world is about hot takes, not cold calculation.
🛠️ Somethings to Use
Multi-tools
I got something similar this pocket-knife/multi-tool 7 years ago. And I have used it more than any other tool in tool box. It is not universally useful, but it has been handy 99% of the time. Every one should have one.
📺 Somethings to watch
Send Help
Sam Raimi is one of my favorite film-makers. He has had a very prolific career. From high-camp horror of Evil Dead to superheroics of Spider-man. I prefer the former to the latter and Send Help is in that group. An unhinged performance from Rachel McAddams and Dylan O’ Brien chewing scenery to rival frequent Raimi collaborator Bruce Campbell. Almost perfect dark comedy.
Thank you for joining me this week. If you know some who might enjoy this, please forward this email to them. See you next week.
Mudassir Chapra