(Brain Ticklers, Ed. 52) White lines on the roads, Body odor and Excel sheets in Japan, and LooksMaxxing Zynternet.
Inspiresting links for July 2024 that [carnivas thinks] will tickle the brains [of his (purportedly) intelligent friends].
No time for social niceties or housekeeping, or public service announcements. Let’s jump straight in. Thank you. :) And yeah, I do hope you are well, dearest reader.
History (or its first draft)
Neanderthals lacked metaphor and abstract words; that could help explain our superior art and tech.
Seen as necessary by the state but hated by some drivers, here’s an (extra)ordinary story of one human experience - White lines on roads.
Tracing the adventurous run of India’s currency from Akbar’s rupiya to the Rupay app that’s going international. Amazing! I had no clue rupee had so much "power" until the 1960s.
Society
Why do the Japanese use Excel for documents that should be done in Word?
Ikea is hiring 10 people to run a virtual store in Roblox, as part of a campaign to show young people the career paths available at the store.
What happens when a tiny, closed civilization suddenly opens to the world - through Internet, of course. (Not many good things happen, but we cannot say they should permanently be isolated, I guess).
While science illuminates the gut-brain relationship, doctors remain ignorant and dismissive of patients with gut problems (like IBS). This is personal.
In more prosperous societies, are men and women more similar? (No).
"Looksmaxxing" - This is the evidence that young male users are just as affected by body dysmorphia as women. (So, are they similar?)
AI is quickly becoming a regular part of children’s lives -- Are they becoming a generation of guinea pigs? (Again, No).
An anonymous-messaging app meant for school chatter quickly turned toxic. (Okay, what did they expect? Even a cursory glance at some school children's chats - and even non-anonymous - would reveal what would happen.)
Hawk Tuah and the Zynternet. (Scary, I hope this person is wrong about internet turning out this way).
Interesting-Perspectives
The emerging golden age of home-cooked software, barefoot developers, and why the local-first community should help build it
People may sometimes recover more quickly from truly distressing experiences than from slightly distressing ones. Fully agree. (See: DABDAs of Slow Grief, by yours truly)
Science & Technology
A recent video from Bhopal-based startup Swaayatt Robots shows a sensor-laden SUV. It weaves through narrow unmarked streets, dodging pedestrians, dogs, cows, slow-moving tractors, and a constant stream of scooters overtaking, cutting across, and even driving on the wrong side of the road. (Wow! I know this won’t be all true, but then, nice!)
Do plants have minds? (Hell yes!)
McDonald's is ending its drive-thru AI test, ending its partnership with IBM on automated order-taking without an expansion. (Ha, I say).
Perso Dev
Reject the core loop, the checklists, and all the email. Embrace serendipity! (The case against morning yoga, daily routines, and endless meetings).
On decision-making: There appears to be a swarm of advisors, but they are peripheral to the actual decision taken. In the end, decisions are made alone.
Random
Body odor could be considered workplace harassment in Japan. (Hey, I want to migrate to Japan!)
Podcasts
Morgan Housel to Shane Parish: The skills it takes to get rich are drastically different from the skills it takes to stay rich. (Don't expect any path breaking thing - much like Morgan's books, this is also obvious wisdom, wrote nicely. But a lot of common sense to hear once a while).
Abigail Shrier: A wonderful episode on parenting, focused on the need for therapy in children (or the lack of a need). Talks about the US, but I could see a lot of relevance to me in India too (at least the cocoon I live in).