The last dream
+ Fragile masculinity in one chart, The Pac Man Rule, How shifts in public opinion happen (#439)
This week, I have for you: 2 articles, 1 charticle, 1 cartoonicle, 1 podcast, 6 mind-tickling instant-gratification links, and half the Earth in all its beauty. Let's have a look!
1. End-of-Life Dreams
«Lisa is much better», the doctor said. «Her vital signs are strong, and she is not experiencing any nausea. This is the good news. The bad news,» he continued, «is that your wife called the nurses in the middle of the night to say that she saw her parents on a boat outside the window beckoning her to come. I know this may not make sense,» he went on, «but when patients report a vision like this, they almost always die within a day or two. I’m so sorry.» My wife died a little more than twenty-four hours later.
2. An Illustrated Guide to Self-Censorship
How shifts in public opinion happen, how diverse views converge, and what all of this has to do with free speech. A step-by-step explanation in 32 cartoons. Key quote: «Throughout human history, clever opportunists have discovered that if you could control what people say, you could write the story people believed.»
3. What I Was Thinking As We Were Sinking
A group of friends suddenly find themselves on a sinking boat. A story on group dynamics, with a plot twist that changes everything. (I realised I hadn't listened to This American Life in quite a while — it's still such a great podcast)