Welcome to a new issue of the Weekly Filet, the newsletter that aims to serve you a unique set of recommendations, every Friday. If you like this issue, join the community of thousands of readers from more than 70 countries.
1. The Case for Climate Reparations
Industrial countries have disproportionally caused the climate crisis that developing countries disproportionally suffer from. Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò and Beba Cibralic make a strong case for a «historically informed response to climate migration» that would make the West «grapple with their role in creating the climate crisis and rendering parts of the world uninhabitable.» (I absolutely love the illustration created for this article. Such a great metaphor — one I haven’t seen in this context yet. If you’re unsure what it means, google «Kintsugi») Read it now.
2. To Mend a Broken Internet, Create Online Parks
Eli Pariser, who had coined the term «Filter bubble» back in 2011, has some ideas on how to create better public spaces online. Spaces that nurture public discourse and allow people to gather in meaningful ways. He doesn’t offer a concrete solution, but rather aims to spark your imagination. All based on the premise that we should not waste our time trying to fix Facebook and co., but look beyond. Read it now.
3. The Crisis of Conservatism
At a time when we observe two formerly great liberal democracies with increasing horror (USA) and bewilderment (UK), this is a worthwhile commentary on what conservatism has to do with it. While I do think that it is based on a much too favourable view of conservatism’s past mertis, it is spot on when it comes to how conservatism currently abandons its own ideals. Read it now.
4. There’s little reason to be optimistic about a coronavirus vaccine
With Covid cases rising sharply in Europe, and going up after never really going down in the US, we’re once again left wondering when all this might end («end» as in: We can behave and move around freely without fear of infecting someone or being infected). This article — don’t be scared away be its attention seeking title — gives a good overview of where we are with vaccines and what still needs to happen. Read it now.
5. A Decade of Music Is Lost on Your iPod. These Are The Deleted Years. Now Let Us Praise Them.
A beautiful homage to the music of the technological interregnum between CDs and streaming. Read it now. (I, for one, have fond and vivid musical memories of that decade. It largely overlaps with the time when I was co-publisher of a wonderful music blog. *Puts on some Kaizer Chiefs*)
What else?
Stunning pictures: the glory of birds in flight.
«I have strong opinions about things I know a lot about — but like everyone else, I know little or nothing about most things. ‹I don't know — ask someone else› is generally a perfectly good answer.» — Ben Evans (posted, of all places, on Twitter)
Lifehack I only learned this week: You can create a QR-Code of your WiFi credentials, so guests can log on by simply scanning it (no need to select from dozens of networks and enter a long password)
Where do astronauts hang out? Liked that pun way more than I should.
«Your current company culture is essentially a 50-day moving average of your actions.» — rediscovered this quote that completely changed how I think about company culture.