The Silicon Valley Canon: On the Paıdeía of the American Tech Elite

https://scholars-stage.org/the-silicon-valley-canon-on-the-paideia-of-the-american-tech-elite/

The upshot of all this is that books have an inordinate impact on the Silicon Valley mindspace. Often these books are stilted academic titles, works which at first glance have no obvious connection to software. “It’s interesting how Seeing Like A State has made it into the vague tech canon,” Jasmine Sun comments, “despite being from a random anarchist anthropologist who specialized in Southeast Asian agrarian societies.”

“Vague tech canon” is a clever phrase. Siloed off on so many little mountains, I could not speak of a common DC canon, vague or otherwise. But for Silicon Valley the term is just—there are no formal canonizers in Silicon Valley, and thus no formal canon. But a “vague” canon, the sort that ties together any historical community of requisite intelligence and literacy, certainly exists. I challenged my followers on Twitter to try and define it.

Book Review: The Revolt Of The Public

https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/book-review-the-revolt-of-the-public

Our story begins (says Gurri) in the early 20th century, when governments, drunk on the power of industrialization, sought to remake Society in their own image. This was the age of High Modernism, with all of its planned cities and collective farms and so on. Philosopher-bureaucrat-scientist-dictator-manager-kings would lead the way to a new era of gleaming steel towers, where society was managed with the same ease as a gardener pruning a hedgerow.

Some principles of this system: government management of the economy, under the wise infallible leadership of Alan-Greenspan-style boffins who could prevent recessions and resist "animal spirits". Government sponsorship of science, under the wise infallible leadership of Einstein-style geniuses who could journey to the Platonic Realm and bring back new insights for the rest of us to gawk at. Government management of society, in the form of Wars on Poverty and Wars on Drugs and exciting new centralized forms of public education that would make every child an above-average student. Homelessness getting cleared away by a wave of the city planner's pen, replaced by scientifically-designed heavily optimized efficient public housing like Cabrini-Green.

Realistically this was all a sham. Alan Greenspan had no idea how to prevent recessions, scientific progress was slowing down, poverty remained as troubling as ever, and 50% of public school students stubbornly stayed below average. But the media trusted the government, the people trusted the media, and failures got swept under the rug by genteel agreement among friendly elites, while the occasional successes were trumpeted from the rooftops.

Robert Carter III

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Carter_III

Robert Carter III (February 28, 1728 – March 10, 1804) was an American planter and politician from the Northern Neck of Virginia. During the colonial period, he sat on the Virginia Governor's Council for roughly two decades. After the American Revolutionary War saw the Thirteen Colonies gain independence from the British Empire as the United States, Carter, influenced by his belief in Baptism, began the largest manumission in the history of the United States prior to the American Civil War.

Despite strong opposition from family members and neighbors, Carter began emancipating the hundreds of slaves he owned via a deed of gift filed with the Northumberland County, Virginia authorities on September 5, 1791, seventy years before the Civil War. Over the following years, Carter gradually emancipated over 500 of his slaves by filing documents with the Northumberland County, Virginia authorities, and settled many freedmen on land he gave them. Carter died in Baltimore, Maryland in 1804.^[1]

How rich musicians billed American taxpayers for luxury hotels, shopping sprees, and million-dollar bonuses

https://www.businessinsider.com/lil-wayne-chris-brown-covid-relief-funds-svog-grant-2024-12

The money came from a program called the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant. Signed into law by Trump in 2020 and championed by lawmakers including Sen. Chuck Schumer, it was established as a lifeline for struggling independent venues and arts groups during the pandemic.

But pop stars used the program as a piggy bank to keep the party going, reporting by Business Insider shows. [...]

In a statement, the SBA said it followed the law. But the law directed the SBA to examine revenue, not assets. Musicians with huge bank accounts and multiple mansions were still eligible for the awards as long as their loan-out company's revenue had declined.

Kristen Faulkner on mental health

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjhjF1luwo2/

World Mental Health Day 🌍 👏 is important to me because I have struggled with depression & bipolar since I was a kid. I used to blame people for misjudging me, even though I was scared to let anyone know what was going on. The only thing worse than suffering is suffering alone. I finally accepted help 4 years ago, and I am sharing my story because I don’t want anyone to suffer alone. To seek help is to treat ourselves the way we want others to treat us: with love, support, and compassion.

While I would not wish depression upon anyone, I want to celebrate what it has taught me:

1. Compassion towards myself and others. I learned to never judge, because there is so much behind-the-scenes in people’s lives we don’t know about. In being judged, I learned to never judge. Just because we cannot see someone’s suffering does not mean it is not there.

2. Vulnerability. I can be a “strong independent woman” and ask for help. Authenticity is more fulfilling than perfection. The more comfortable I became with my depression, the more comfortable I became with my quirks and my goofiness. It’s different sides of the same coin of self-acceptance.

3. Standing up for myself. It is my responsibility to communicate if I want others understand me. But, I cannot blame myself if they cannot or do not want to understand me.

4. Self-awareness and self-care. I learned to listen to my body and give myself what I need for mental stability. I learned to be curious about myself, rather than convincing myself that I am or should be a certain way.

5. Gratitude. When we’ve suffered through difficult times, we appreciate the good times that much more. I am grateful for the support network I’ve built, the health resources I have access to, and all the times I get to smile.

6. Unconditional Love from those who hold & carry us through our difficult times and are there when we need them. In receiving unconditional love from others, I learned how to give it. We can all do that for someone else.

7. Bravery. Mental illness forced me to develop courage and resilience, and those skills have helped me go after the things I want in life. Dealing with mental illness is incredibly scary. Way scarier that leaving my job and moving to Europe to be a professional cyclist. Mental illness forced me to develop courage, and that courage has helped me go after the things I want in life.

By taking care of our mental health, we can turn our struggles into growth. There is strength in seeking help. There is also so much joy on the other side. Happy World 🌏 Mental Health Day Everyone ❤️

🍫 TABLEAU FINAL DES PRESQUE-MÉDAILLES 🏅

https://x.com/FFLose/status/1822698497755304270

(translation) 🍫 FINAL TABLE OF ALMOST MEDALS 🏅 

I’m a Polio Survivor. I Don’t Want You to Get It.

https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/as-a-polio-survivor-i-dont-want-you-to-get-it/

What is the most effective way to get a family to vaccinate their child? Explain to them in person the nuances and oddities of polio. Many families do not realize polio affects every body system, not just lungs or a paralyzed leg. Families do not realize the day to day reality of disability or the logistics and planning involved to keep functioning in a world not made for disabilities.

Misinformation is why a 20 year old was diagnosed with polio in 2022. Misinformation is why hundreds of thousands unnecessarily died of covid instead of being vaccinated. Misinformation will continue to disable and kill people as long as it remains unchecked. 

When celebrities advocate against vaccines, physicians retweet for attention, and pastors hold church during the height of a pandemic, a human life may pay the price. Polio, along with other vaccine-preventable diseases, will remain prevalent and history may repeat itself.

Asleep at the Wheel in the Headlight Brightness Wars

https://www.theringer.com/2024/12/03/tech/headlight-brightness-cars-accidents

The crusade against bright headlights has picked up speed in recent years, in large part due to a couple of Reddit nerds. Could they know what’s best for the auto industry better than the auto industry itself?

 

u/CdrCosmonaut on challenges finding community

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/1glkm5y/what_is_going_on_with_masculinity/

It's basically impossible to form meaningful relationships these days.

Everyone lost their "third space." There is work or school, and home. Not too many people go to clubs, or social events anymore. Why would you go out and be uncomfortable when you can be at home, on your couch, and use your phone?

It's cheaper, it's safer, it's easier to stop any interaction that you don't enjoy.

If anyone reading this hasn't tried online dating, go make a profile. Try to approach anyone. Especially as a male. Try to make a friend. Try to get a date.

Interactions are nearly worthless. People barely respond. Bare minimum in effort and time. One sided conversation is the most common conversation.

This all culminates in making each person more and more insular. Everyone is more isolated than ever before. Those ever important relationships are dwindling to nothing at an alarming rate.