How to write a joke

This is David, your decidedly human web crawler, and you're reading the Weekly Filet, the newsletter for curious minds who love when something makes them go «Huh, I never thought of it this way!». As every Friday, I'm here to help you make sense of what’s happening, and imagine what could be. It's great to have you.

1. How to Write a Joke

This made me laugh, and taught me something. Elliot Kalan, former head writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, on «joke farming», his method of creating jokes without the need for a stroke of genius.

How to Write a Joke - 99% Invisible

Have you agreed to give a speech at your best friend’s wedding? Are people expecting this speech to be funny? Are you realizing that engaging in extemporaneous humor and delivering jokes are not the same thing? Have you spent the months leading up to the big day waiting for comic inspiration to strike, but still

99% Invisible99PI

2. The end of progress against extreme poverty?

It's one of the biggest success stories of history, and few people are aware of it: Over the past 35 years, on average 115,000 people left extreme poverty behind – per day. Then again, among those who knew about this progress, few might be aware that the trend is about to reverse. What's going on?

The end of progress against extreme poverty?

In the last three decades, the world has made progress against extreme poverty faster than ever before. But unless the poorest economies start growing, this period of progress against the worst form of poverty is over.

Our World in DataBy: Max Roser

3. How Big Should Your Tent Be?

As more and more people grow disillusioned by Trump and are ready to cut ties, keep Rebecca Solnit in mind: «You can disagree about almost everything, and a lot of it is moral issues, but if there's no room for people to change their minds, learn, shift, improve, then there's no room for your coalition to grow.»

How Big Should Your Tent Be?

It’s striking to me that a lot of people want politics to be about their personal feelings, in which case they’re not engaged in politics, though they may be engaged in the sabotage of politics. This is why I declared that “voting is a chess move, not a valentine,” all

Meditations in an EmergencyRebecca Solnit

4. In what specific way are you annoying?

«What makes you annoying to other people is not the thing you’re worried makes you unloveable, but whatever traits or behaviors or knee-jerk ways of operating you’ve developed to correct for said worry.» Thanks for the food for thought. Unfortunately, I now have annoya-paranoia.

#222: In what specific way are you annoying?

A quiz, of sorts

Maybe BabyHaley Nahman

5. The 2025 Future Perfect 25

Vox's annual Future Perfect list if always a great place to discover inspiring people that make you feel a little bit more hopeful about the future. This year's theme is: meet the heroes keeping global progress alive.

The 2025 Future Perfect 25

Meet the heroes keeping global progress alive.

VoxBryan Walsh

What else?

Instant-gratification links that make you go wow! or aha! the moment you click.

• A brilliant answer to the classic «What historical figure would you like to have dinner with?»
• AI World Clocks
• 2025 National Book Award Finalists
• Photos: The Northern Lights Put on a Show
• Picasso learned about the mobile phone, and other historical facts that might mess with your sense of time.
• «I always used to wonder why parents were so calm in the office. Now I get it. That’s their easy job.» (source)

Books for curious minds

Some new ones as I read them, some older ones that continue to inform how I look at the world and myself.

If you thought his «My Struggle» series was too self-centred and too long-winded, give this one a try. All the good parts of Knausgård‘s writing, minus what makes «My Struggle» a struggle for some. Buy it here.

A gem from the archive

What My Sled Dogs Taught Me About Planning for the Unknown

I don’t usually advocate for learning from dogs. But since we humans are not always very good with «negotiating countless shifting variables», we might as well take some canine advice. I mean, this is good advice: «We should ask for support before we need it. We should support others before they ask. Because if you…

Weekly FiletDavid Bauer

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading. I wish you a nice weekend and hope to see you again next Friday!

— David

More ways to learn and take inspiration from

Check my 📚 digital bookshelf, with sections of 🌡️ books that help you make sense of the climate crisis, ⛵ books that make you a better product manager, 🪄 books that help you make sense of AI, and 🧒 books that help you as a parent. And from collecting the best links on the web for close to 15 years, my thematic collections: The Art of Thinking (Differently), The Stuff Our Modern World Runs On, Bingeworthy Podcasts, and more.

Little useful apps from me, for you

📊 Dataguessr, a playful way to update your knowledge of the world. 🌍 You Don't Know Africa, a simple game that has already humbled millions of people. 💯 Choose Impact, an online tool to compare job opportunities. 🧭 Priority Compass, a tool for individuals, teams and organisations to focus your energy on what really matters. 🪄 How I Use AI, a collection of use cases, ready to use and adapt. 💬 Climate Questions, a playful conversation starter. And ⏱️ One Minute Challenge, a little meaningful distraction to refocus.