10 articles i devoured recently (& an interview i can't stop thinking about)

it has been a tough but inspiring month

Reading articles reduces my brain rot & I hope it works a similar magic on you as well…

enjoy! x

1. How to Want Less

An Atlantic piece (with a removed paywall!) about chasing prestige, running the hedonic treadmill, and the elusive nature of happiness. The author proposes three habits for overcoming the dissatisfaction curse: 1) transitioning from seeking status to sharing wisdom, 2) creating a reverse bucket list to focus on intrinsic rather than extrinsic rewards, and 3) embracing minimalism to appreciate the beauty in the mundane and the small.

2. Have We Reached the End of TikTok’s Infinite Scroll?

This NYTimes article (also with a removed paywall) reflects on the evolving user experience on TikTok, contrasting the initial charm and novelty of discovering unique content with the current state of overwhelming commercialization and algorithm-driven monotony.

Has this shift — from serendipitous cultural encounters to one dominated by targeted ads and homogeneous content — made you feel a waning of creative diversity and authentic discovery?

3. Losing My Ambition

The article (removed paywall) reflects on the author's journey through intense periods of pandemic parenting and full-time work, leading to a reevaluation of ambition in favor of embracing mediocrity and living in the moment. This shift is contextualized within broader societal trends, including the Great Resignation and a collective rethinking of work-life balance, spurred by the pandemic's exacerbation of the challenges faced by working parents. The author shares their own experiences of striving for success in a system rigged against them, ultimately finding liberation in letting go of ambition and focusing on what truly matters: existence, relationships, and community.

In a world where the pursuit of success often demands a steep personal price, how do we redefine ambition in a way that aligns with personal fulfillment and societal well-being, rather than perpetuating cycles of burnout and inequality?

4. Big Tech at the End of History

This post discusses the concept of "The End of History" by Francis Fukuyama, suggesting that capitalist democracies represent the peak of political evolution, but also introduces the problem of "The Last Man," indicating a lack of spiritedness or thymos (the human desire for recognition) in societies where major problems have been solved. The newsletter argues that big tech companies, like mature economies, face a decline in thymos among their workers, leading to dissatisfaction despite material success.

What happens after all the low-hanging technological fruit has been picked?

5. Art is for Seeing Evil
Callard proposes a simple yet broad theory that art is essentially about allowing us to see evil, a perspective often censored in everyday life by our focus on practical and positive outcomes. Art suspends our practical engagements and exposes us to the uncensored realities of human experience, including those aspects we tend to ignore or avoid in real life. She challenges the conventional view that art serves as a vehicle for moral edification or social progress, arguing instead that its true value lies in its ability to confront and reveal the darker aspects of human existence. By examining works like Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" and Shakespeare's "Hamlet," Callard illustrates how literature delves into the complexities of human emotions and moral conflicts in ways that philosophy and real-life observations often cannot. She contends that while we might strive for moral improvement or entertainment from art, its deepest impact is in its capacity to unflinchingly confront and present evil, offering a form of insight that is both unique to artistic expression and indispensable for a comprehensive understanding of human life. Dense, but such a uniquely beautiful read.

6. Who’ll blink first: The world’s largest music company or TikTok?

Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok found themselves at a standoff when UMG pulled its entire music catalog from TikTok after failing to negotiate a new licensing deal. This decision left thousands of videos featuring music by artists like Drake, Taylor Swift, and Bad Bunny silent. UMG accused TikTok of offering to pay below the standard rate provided by other platforms, while TikTok criticized UMG for prioritizing profit over artists and songwriters. This move has sparked frustration among both musicians and TikTok content creators, with some expressing disappointment over the sudden lack of access to UMG's music.

The dispute has broader implications for TikTok's platform, which heavily relies on music for content creation. Music is integral to TikTok, serving as the backbone for trends, dances, and the discovery of both new and old songs. The removal of UMG's catalog not only disrupts content creators but threatens TikTok's role as a key player in music discovery and promotion. Nilay Patel, editor-in-chief of the Verge, discussed the significance of music to TikTok and the potential impact of UMG's decision. He suggested that TikTok might be the one to concede, given the importance of music for its platform and creators. However, he also noted that UMG is pushing for fair compensation, reflecting the value that TikTok derives from featuring its artists.

I wonder what this means for the future of music consumption and creation in the digital age…