Swearing, Self-Optimisation And Subtle Merch
Cultural, social and tech stuff you might find interesting...
Edition Uno of A Few Interesting Things takes in the best in recent media, plus two brilliant podcasts I’ve been raving about.
HOW ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST BECAME THE NEW VOGUE
We’ve come a LONG way from MTV’s Cribs, huh? Since it went live, four million people have watched the video of Lily Allen and David Harbour showing Architectural Digest around their Brooklyn home. Why are we so obsessed with celebrity house tours RN? The Guardian
HOW THE LANGUAGE OF THERAPY TOOK OVER DATING
Quite frankly, who doesn’t like travel/exercise/restaurants? Swipes left. What if understanding your attachment style, working through childhood trauma and becoming fluent in a love language could give the smarter dater a competitive advantage? Can using the language of therapy help us connect better? New York Times
SHOULD FASHION PAY FOR ITS ‘WASTE COLONIALISM’?
Clearing out your wardrobe just feels sooooo satisfying. But have you any clue what happens to your castoffs? They’re probably heading to Chile’s Atacama desert or the Kantamanto market in Accra. And it’s time for fast fashion to take responsibility. Business of Fashion
HOW GEN Z AND THE GREAT RESIGNATION CREATED A WAVE OF OVERINFLATED JOB TITLES
Inflation seems to be affecting everything at the moment - even our job titles. Yes, title inflation is a thing - and it’s something you should definitely get ahead of. More money or a better title? Time to decide. Business Insider
THE HIDDEN TOLL OF MICROSTRESS
A look at the pernicious effects of microstresses - how they are affecting us, plus practical, actionable advice on how to deal with them. Absolutely everyone should read this. Harvard Business Review.
ARE WE LIVING IN A POST-ROMANTIC ERA?
We’re living in an era of self-optimisation, so if you’re braving ice baths and getting up at 5am, shouldn’t you be focusing on being just as productive and goal-orientated when it comes to dating? Dazed
AN ODE TO SWEARING
We’re giving zero fucks. The big, sweary words we used to disguise with asterisks? We’re employing them with impunity. Amidst the culture wars, have we become desensitised to swearing? The Atlantic
LISTENING TO…
Land Of The Giants: Dating Games - A deep, deep dive into how big tech has transformed our romantic relationships, via the dating apps that dominate our phones. From the inception of Tinder to how dating algorithms really work, plus the ethics of how business goals can align with romantic aspirations. The latest ep looks at AI and the future of dating.
The Slow Newscast - After the Netflix doc and the controversial memoir, the next episode in the Prince Harry show may just be the most headline-grabbing. Investigative journalist extraordinaire Paul Caruana Galizia unveils the next step in Mr Windsor’s crusade before his legal claims against the media go to court this summer.
ALSO…
Martha Stewart’s eight essential skincare tips. What on earth is subtle merch? Trying the British (yes, really) meal that’s going to be served to guests at The Oscars. Why the UK’s coming housing crash will change things forever.
You know about Clowncore and Enyacore, right? Totally bizarre yes, Tumblr is obsessed with vanilla extract. The new cost of living class system - where do you rank? And what do OnlyFans creators think of AI-generated porn?