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- n.b.6 | new year, new things worth noting
Well, it's 2023. And that means new projects (as well as new motivation to do them).
Not the least of which, I hope to get more into blogging. So maybe a bit less focused writing here, and more on other platforms. Still--and always--experimenting.
Regardless, below are some reads and watches I enjoyed from the past two weeks or so.
Hope you all have had a great start to your new year!
— n.b.
R E A D :
A long time ago--so long I can't find it--I read a piece that posited the effect that "schluppy" sitcom dad depictions had on the role of "dad" in society. Homer Simpson, for example, was a respectably rounded character before dulling into the caricature we know him as today. Ray Romano and Stu Pickles are a few other examples.
Anyway, this piece from The Atlantic is a good look into how the depictions of dads have changed, namely the "soft daddy" archetype. Really interesting.
Sure, soft daddies make mistakes and have moments of frustration and buffoonery—they aren’t bastions of unimpeachable good, just as their predecessors aren’t uniformly deficient. But they can generally be relied on to make their world feel safer and more united.
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For a scientific twist, this piece by Futurism explores the increasing pleas from scientists to pursue "geoengineering", including efforts to "dim the sun".
While fascinating, there are many reason (including some fun, new disastrous consequences) as to why an idea like this may never be more than science fiction.
While there's consensus among experts that there's a good chance these particles could actually shade and cool the surface below, we're only starting to understand the possible side effects, particularly on a global scale.For instance, temperature fluctuations could kick off extreme weather, such as flooding, in unexpected locations around the world. An increase in local reservoirs could even allow for disease like malaria to spread, as The New Yorker reports.
Then there's the fact that one country's geoengineering efforts could have vast and potentially disastrous political ramifications as well.
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Have you noticed a trend in TV shows and movies--like White Lotus, Squid Game, Parasite, and more--satirizing rich people? Ana Andjelic did, and wrote about it on her Substack.
For the longest time, aspiration meant having what the rich have and behaving like the rich behave. With the increasing wealth inequality, the number of people can no longer emulate the rich. Instead, they reject them as a way of regaining identity and control. If the wealthy are so out-of-touch, morally corrupt and repulsive as the social satire represents them, who wants to be like them?
W A T C H :
Was doing some reseach on how AI is impacting branding and found this campaign by Heinz Ketchup. Basically, the association between Heinz's bottle design and the idea of ketchup itself is so synonymous that AI datasets have inextricably linked the two.
An interesting example of the potential (and limits) of AI used for official design purposes.
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Too short of a video (although I'm sure there are some other good examples I'm missing), but it really showcases the true value of Minecraft, at least in my eyes. It's an incredible outlet for art, design, and creativity.
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Over 20 years old but, man, I wish that tech nowadays was more like this. I have such strong physical associations with action figures, toys, models from when I was young, sometimes I long for tech that has more tangible and tactile qualities, even if gimmick-y.
Thank you again for reading.
— n.b.