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What to expect

Hi, I'm David. A journalist, and a curious generalist.
I've been curating the best of the web for my newsletter since 2011. I'd love to be your diligent curator, too.

Recommendations in the Weekly Filet are things I want my friends to see.

Things that tickle and delight a curious mind.

Articles, books, podcasts, graphics, videos, photographs,...The form is never the limit.

I let these questions guide me:
1. Does it help understand a complex, important issue?
2. Does it foster empathy by making you see the world through others' eyes?
3. Does it inspire self-reflection?

If it's timely, that's good. If it's timeless, that's better.

If in doubt, I prefer nerdy, witty, ambiguous. Solutions-oriented and actionable. Candid.

Don't expect news. Expect new insights.
Expect to be surprised.

Surprise me now!

Treasure trove

2417 recommended links since 2011

Period versus cohort measures: what’s the difference?

Not the kind of title that makes you click, barely able to contain your excitement, I agree. However, this is an interesting piece and I’m pretty sure you won’t regret reading it. How about this? Life expectancy doesn’t predict what you think it does.

From Weekly Filet #468, in December 2023.

    How to Build a Better Social Network

    Social media feels broken, and not just because of Elon Musk and ads everywhere. One hypothesis that I find convincing is that everyone has become so obsessed with sending that hardly anyone is listening. Another, laid out in this post – and I think they are tightly interlinked – is that the incentive structures make platforms go stale or extreme. The solution presented in the post doesn’t quite add up, but it’s interesting food for thought.

    From Weekly Filet #468, in December 2023.

      The 2023 Future Perfect 50

      TIME’s person of the year is Taylor Swift. I’m not going to get into whether it’s a worthy choice or not, all I’m saying is that if there was one person on this planet of 8 billion who didn’t need any extra attention, it’s Swift. So I’d like to direct your attention to those 50 people leading the way with solutions to today’s (and tomorrow’s) biggest problems.

      From Weekly Filet #468, in December 2023.

        I give 10 percent of my income to charity. You should, too.

        The case for giving away ten percent of your income, and for making sure it has the biggest possible effect. I like how this Q&A is informative, lighthearted and non-judgemental, yet still firm in its attempt to convince you. If you’d like to go deeper on the philosophy behind this: The Life You Can Save, by Peter Singer is a) an excellent book and b) for free.

        From Weekly Filet #468, in December 2023.

          Fodor’s No List 2024

          As the lists of «places to visit in 2024» are rolling in, consider this one instead. Fodor’s No List prompts you to reconsider some usual favourites. Not because they are overrated. «We love these destinations. And we know you love them, too. But our frenzied admiration and incessant need to experience them are not sustainable.»

          From Weekly Filet #467, in December 2023.

            Invisible Landscapes

            Have you heard of the interstitium? Until this week, I hadn’t. Apparently, some five years ago, scientists discovered a new organ in the human body. Makes for an interesting story of how some things can be right in front of us (or, well, inside of us) and yet remain invisible.

            From Weekly Filet #467, in December 2023.

              The Road to Dubai

              Tens of thousands of climate experts and policymakers (and lots of journalists and not few shady people) are meeting for the world’s biggest climate conference in Dubai. As usual, Elizabeth Kolbert is a safe bet some some context and perspective.

              From Weekly Filet #467, in December 2023.

                Revealed: how top PR firm uses ‘trust barometer’ to promote world’s autocrats

                People living in autocracies tend to trust their governments more than people living in democracies do. Says the «Trust Barometer» that is widely quoted as a reputable source. The «Trust Barometer» by Edelman, that is, the world’s biggest public relations firm. Which happens to be paid millions by some autocracies to help them build…you guessed it.

                From Weekly Filet #467, in December 2023.

                  Writing with AI

                  «A writing app that thinks for you is a robot that does your jogging.» Writing is thinking. So what happens when we outsource some of our writing to AI tools? Well, it depends. I really liked these deliberations from the makers of iA Writer, as they face the inevitable question: How should a writing app deal with AI? This is part two of a series of three articles. Part three has the reveal with the path they chose.

                  From Weekly Filet #467, in December 2023.