GoodLinks No. 12

Special vs. Happy

Aug 22, 2020

Good reader,

It’s that time again when I send readers links to good words around the web (and a few spoken words as well).

I’ll also take the opportunity to prime you for the next full issue coming in two weeks’ time, where I’ll be thinking through experiences of virtual church a bit more. We’ve already discussed the opportunities lockdown afforded churches for local expressions of community and solidarity, but since then I’ve felt a loss of inertia. There was no clear lockdown finish line and anxiety and uncertainty are taking their place as permanent guests — just like the virus.

The race, as it turns out, is one of endurance.

So while you shouldn’t expect any tidy answers I do hope to work through some of the questions concerning the longtail of the pandemic and how the church can live with the powers that bedevil us.

How to Fight Against Big Tech’s Power – NYT

Practical resistance.

So what can we do if we want to break out of the stranglehold of Big Tech? […] We would do ourselves and smaller businesses a favor by staying informed on alternatives, for one. We could change our consumption patterns so that we were not just buying new products from the tech giants. And we could show our support for indie developers who make the apps we love.

‘Success Addicts’ Choose Being Special Over Being Happy – Arthur Brooks, The Atlantic

I’ve published enough writing to believe better-known writers when they say no magical switch is flipped when you reach a bigger audience. I’m also not that special, so you’ll forgive me if I just want to chill and talk about my backyard pumpkin plant.

“Anyone can do the things it takes to be happy—going on vacation with family, relaxing with friends … but not everyone can accomplish great things.” […] They (and sometimes I) would put off ordinary delights of relaxation and time with loved ones until after this project, or that promotion, when finally it would be time to rest.

Don’t Become The Thing You Hate – Arc Digital

It’s too late for many of us, but it’s never too late to repent.

It’s all so predictable. It’s all so revolting.

It’s Time to Defund Social Media – WIRED

Unfortunately, we can’t really defund social media because we don’t fund it, we willingly participate in it. Small checks and balances in our individual use are good but more important is reimagining the entire ecosystem. And that’s going to take some work.

Until we fundamentally reimagine our information ecosystem and our respective roles within it, we’ll keep repeating the same patterns over and over—not as a bug of the system, not as a feature of the system, but as the system itself.