The Fascist Playbook
Plus: 30 minutes with a stranger and how artificial intelligence will make us better humans (#533)
This is David, your tour guide to the web, 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. This is fascism
«What first seems a chaotic mix of scandal, megalomaniac ideas, and US policy failures, now emerges as a clear and persistent pattern in which you can see the ten tools of fascism coalesce.» In this translated piece from Dutch magazine De Correspondent, Rosan Smits unpacks how modern fascism quietly builds its power by exploiting democracy’s own rules. And urges us to see what’s really happening before it’s too late.
Rosan Smits
2. 30 minutes with a stranger
A compelling visual interpretation of a simple study: What happens when two complete strangers meet and have to talk for 30 minutes?
The Pudding
3. The Israel-Iran war
Why has Israel decided to attack Iran now? What does it mean for other countries in the region? And what's next? A good in-depth conversation with Iranian historian and writer Arash Azizi.
Prospect Team
4. Why the world cannot quit coal
When the Paris climate agreement was signed nearly ten years ago, it looked like worldwide coal use might finally be falling. And fall it must, along with the other dirty sources of energy. However, the past few years show a different trend: demand for the dirtiest of dirty energy sources is still rising. This FT analysis explains why.
Leslie Hook
5. AI Optimism
What happens if we get AI right? An intriguing conversation with Kevin Kelly, who has been thinking about technology longer than most. One bit that stood out to me is when Kelly argues how artificial intelligence will make us better humans – not by enhancing our cognitive capabilities, but because training AI to be ethical will require us to re-examine and improve our own ethics.
Pocket Casts
(This is the fourth time I'm recommending something by Kevin Kelly – interestingly, none of the first three were related to technology.)
What else?
Instant-gratification links that make you go wow! or aha! the moment you click.
- Mother and son, one portrait image each year. It's the inception that makes it special.
- Photos from the ‘No Kings’ protests across America.
- Pro cyclist casually passing other riders while doing a wheelie.
- The delightful carnage that is Dutch reverse racing.
- Honey bees in ultra slow motion.
- I have three invites for Dia, a new browser that promises to fully integrate AI right where you work, shop, browse. Still in beta and not quite there yet, but interesting to explore.
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. More on my digital bookshelf.
If you have little kids in your life, you will take away so many ideas and actionable advice from this. Don't be put off by the title – the book isn't about making kids obey, it's all about getting good outcomes by respecting kids' feelings and abilities. I happen to have two young humans around with ample situations to put the book's strategies to the test. So far, I can say: When I use them, I like the results. The only thing I'm missing: a pause button for life – that would give me enough time to remember the right bit of advice before it's too late. Buy it here.
A gem from the archive
Oliver Wainwright
The Weekly Filet archive offers more than 2500 hand-picked links since 2011, like this one. You can search by interests, explore collections, shuffle for a gem or check out my all-time favs.
That's it for this week. Thanks for reading. I wish you a nice weekend and hope to see you again next Friday!
— David