pickCan't say that I completely understood everything Lanier said, but I did get the main message: social media is ruining the world and we are its slaves. Not Litsy.
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pickCan't say that I completely understood everything Lanier said, but I did get the main message: social media is ruining the world and we are its slaves. Not Litsy.
pickI'm not sure if this short book was compelling on its own or just along with my other reading/experiences, but it definitely struck a chord for me. A Silicon Valley insider, Lanier makes a distinction between social media that uses what he terms BUMMER algorithms to target and manipulate users and other, less insidious types of online interaction. I don't like his Solitary/Pack terminology, but aside from that, it's a very convincing read.
"What if listening to an inner voice or heeding a passion for ethics or beauty were to lead to more important work in the long term, even if it measured as less successful in the moment? What if deeply reaching a small number of people matters more than reaching everybody with nothing?"
As one whose passion for blogging diminished with the push to focus on SEO and who's feeling odd about using IG to promote voiceover work, this quote resonates.
Even as a #longtimefed I didn‘t know or realize everything that other feds do. I was often frustrated by indifference to admin/support staff and the observation that it‘s the type of work that‘s only really noticed when it‘s done poorly or not at all. Yet here I am taking the work of other feds for granted. While
I write about my own experiences/observations as they pertain to the current situation, I recognize it‘s a much bigger picture.
pickEstablished before the #metoo movement, Bates‘s Everyday Sexism project gave women a place to voice their issues with predatory behavior. This book is more like a compilation of what she has learned through research, activism, & her own experiences, as well as the experience of other women around the globe through their tweets, quotes, emails, and interviews. It‘s upsetting to hear all the horrible things men do.
Stay safe, Littens
This is a perfect example of why we need to keep DEIA here in America. It‘s never been about race or sex as much as it has been about points of view. How can a group of all white men possibly know what a Black female soldier needs? How can a group of physically fit people make decisions for disabled people without knowing that experience?
By removing DEIA we‘re not eliminating “wokeness”we‘re eliminating multiple views of the world.
Stay safe
Read in December 2024...
17 Books
Five 5-Star reads this month:
• The Life Impossible
• James
• Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen
• One
• The Echo Chamber
pickAmazing. I highly recommend for fans of true crime & mental health. Dr Adshead is a forensic psychiatrist &works w/criminals. She introduces the idea of compassion & humanity, delving into the psychology & humanizing these patients that we often label as unredeemable.
It‘s a difficult read at times. I can‘t say I felt empathy or even sympathy for all of them; however, I learned a lot & gained a better understanding of those who commit crimes.
pick5 Stars • The Echo Chamber by John Boyne satirically follows the Cleverley family. It delves into miscommunication via social media, public image vs. reality, cancel culture, and identity. George, a has-been novelist; Beverley, a TV star; Elizabeth, an influencer; and Nelson, transgender, navigate fame and personal life, often clashing due to their echo chambers. ⬇️
OTOH, I see us doing lots of what your picture shows when I'm there. I hope Lily will tolerate me! 💜