You will not feel pain. We will be okay.

This is David, your personal guide to what's worth your attention on the web. You're reading the Weekly Filet, the newsletter for nerds and change-makers who love when something makes them go «Huh, I never thought of it this way!». As every Friday, I have some recommendations to help you make sense of what’s happening, and imagine what could be. It's great to have you.

1. Three Magical Phrases to Comfort a Dying Person

«You will not be alone. You will not feel pain. We will be okay.»

Three Magical Phrases to Comfort a Dying Person

We will all face painful moments sitting next to dying people. What can we say?

Human PartsJenny Harrington

2. Germany's elections: should we freak out or not?

This set of conversations is both a good primer in case you didn't pay much attention to the elections in Germany, and a nuanced analysis for those who did follow the elections closely. Not an easy balance to strike, The Europeans does it effortlessly.

Germany’s elections: should we freak out or not? — The Europeans

Germany just staged one of Europe’s most crucial elections this year. The results are simultaneously shocking and not-shocking: shocking because the far-right made huge gains; not shocking because they are likely to deliver a coalition between the country’s two legacy mainstream parties. So, to what

The EuropeansThe Europeans

3. How Covid Remade America

«Covid may feel as if it’s behind us. But we’re living in the branch of history it created.» A close examination of lasting changes created by the pandemic – in the United States, but a lot holds true for other countries, as well.

Opinion | How Covid Remade America

It feels as if the pandemic is behind us. But we’re living in the world it made.

The New York TimesChris

4. «So this is how liberty dies…»

«The actions are more than a flood of shit - they tell a story. Look up.» A systematic approach to tracking Trump's actions and to show how they align with the authoritarian playbook. 76 individual actions, each scary and outrageous in its own right, and that was from 3 weeks ago...

“So this is how liberty dies… ” Making sense of Trump’s first three weeks

Where I categorise 76 Trump administration actions from the last 3 weeks and show how they align with the authoritarian playbook

Diving into Data & Decision makingChristina Pagel

5. The hardest working font in Manhattan

I am once again in awe of Marcin Wichary's attention to detail, and his ability to make his fascination for typography contagious. This is a wonderful essay – masterfully designed, too – about a font that feels it’s «been made by machines for machines», yet full of mistakes and imperfections. A font «that isn’t meant to be admired, celebrated, treasured. It’s meant to do some hard work and never take credit for it.»

The hardest working font in Manhattan

A story of a 150-year-old font you have never heard of – and one you probably saw earlier today.

Marcin Wichary

Also by Marcin Wichary, previously featured in Weekly Filet #497: In defense of an old pixel.