Idiots, Dishonesty, Threats to Democracy, and Twitter. It’s a heavy week.
The Links:
- It’s easy to forget the lasting impact structural and systemic choices have. Nothing changes overnight, and the lasting impact of communism in Eastern Germany is chilling.
Why Smart People do Dumb Things
- An interesting piece about the challenge of cognitive dissonance as intelligence grows.
- A shockingly great video series about the perils of Silicon Valley.
- A chilling read about how the brain comes to accept dishonesty over time.
Facebook is Harming our Democracy
- I disagree with a lot of what this article posits, but it’s undeniable that Facebook massively skews what content is consumed by a huge number of people, the effects of which will inevitably be negative at times.
- I feel like I end up defending Twitter on a daily basis. This article does a terrific job of explaining why it’s an essential tool in the public discourse.