Breaking through in 2024
5 recommendations, 6 instant-gratification links, and a portal to the universe (#472)
Welcome to the second issue this year, issue 472 overall. Guess what? I've read the entire internet so you don't have to.
Quick reminder: In January, everyone gets the extended version of the Weekly Filet that is usally for members only. If you'd like to join the ranks of the people who make all of this possible, I appreciate your support.
1. 10 Breakthrough Technologies 2024
Every year, the reporters and editors at MIT Technology Review assess the tech landscape and highlight 10 technologies that they think have the greatest potential to change our lives in the years ahead. Maybe even more interesting: Explore their lists from 22 previous years.
The Editors
2. Why We Can’t Ignore What’s Happening to Women in Virtual Reality Today
Remember that brief moment when everyone talked about the metaverse and how it will change everything? Well, the attention certainly moved elsewhere. And maybe that's a problem. Virtual reality spaces do exist. And there seem to be things happening inside that we shouldn't ignore while making fun of Zuckerberg's failed vision.
Katie Jgln
3. Tired? Distracted? Burned Out? Listen to This.
I usually shy away from people giving advice on how to be more focused – the advice often turns out to be a very simplistic case for less screen time. However, as you'd expect from a conversation on the Ezra Klein Show, this is — allow me the pun — worth your attention. One thing that stuck with me in particular: Studies have shown that when people get interrupted less...they seek ways to interrupt themselves 🙃
Produced by
4. Western society is shifting away from a culture of progress
A thought-provoking analysis of millions of books over centuries, showing that a) historically, an increase in words related to progress preceded the economic acceleration of the industrialisation and b) that in recent decades, there's a significant shift away from a culture of progress, and towards one of caution, worry and risk-aversion.
5. Yes, climate activism can win
Four encouraging stories of people who booked wins against powerful adversaries. I also like the format: What they were up against / How they won / Why this matters.
Arielle Samuelson
What else?
Instant-gratification links that make you go wow! or aha! the moment you click.
- A map for all New Zealanders. I'm sorry I laughed.
- A tool to translate text to emojis and the other ways round.
- PacMan, simplified
- I knew it's true for Greenland and Iceland, but I didn't know this: Japan is farther north, south, east and west than Korea.
- Staggering chart: China has more rooftop solar capacity than any other country in the world has total solar capacity.
- Doing Dry January? The Best Nonalcoholic Drinks, tested by Wirecutter.
Books for curious minds: I Am a Book. I Am a Portal to the Universe.
A wonderful book for children – and for curious adults – made of nothing but typography and colours. Funny, clever, and interactive, too.
In every issue, I recommend one book. Some new ones as I read them, some older ones that continue to inform how I look at the world and myself.
A gem from the archive
Become a Uber driver for a week and make all the right decisions so that you are – unlike me – able to pay your mortgage. A great news game.
This is a randomly picked gem from the archive of the Weekly Filet, going back to 2011.
Thanks for reading. I wish you a nice weekend and hope to see you again next Friday! (or, if you'd like, this Saturday and Sunday)
— David 👋