How will we know when America has crossed the line into authoritarianism? The experts on the matter recently proposed one thing to watch closely: the cost of opposing the government. What has happened in Los Angeles these last few days shows clearly how the Trump administration is intent on making opposition more costly. And it is, as David Frum argues, «a warning of what to expect when Trump’s hold on power is threatened.»

1. What decision today will still make sense a year from now? 2. If a year from now this decision was used as an example of our leadership, what would it teach? 3. What if this isn’t the storm—what if it’s the climate? 4. What’s the cost of waiting?

And if all else fails, turn to Kathryn Schulz. I’ve praised her memoir «Lost & Found» many times – this is Schulz speaking to Ezra Klein for a good hour. No matter how you feel before you press play, you will feel better (and more at ease) afterwards, you have my promise on that.

Beautiful episode of «We Built This City», a series of photo essays on African cities. In each essay, a photographer shares their unique view of the city they call home, and what it means to them.

As I read this essay, I couldn’t help but think of the very relatable vending machine. As if the state of the world wasn’t troubling enough. There is something disconcerting happening in parallel: life goes on. «Witnessing large-scale systems slowly unravel in real time can be profoundly surreal and frightening. […] the routines of life continue, albeit threaded with mind-altering horrors.» This essay addresses this strange feeling and offers the framework of hypernormalization to understand what we’re feeling and why.

Very short, on point video on the tragedy of prevention. «There’s no party. There’s no parade. There’s just people who aren’t dead. […] We need to get way better at accepting the miracle of things that didn’t happen because that’s where some of humanity’s greatest victories are hiding.»

A moving piece revolving around a complex question: How can we be sure that a human in «vegetative state» is no longer conscious? What if we just didn’t have the means – or the awareness – to detect it?

We’ve seen this week what Ukrainian resistance looks like, with spectacular drone attacks on Russian airfields. This article tells the story of a different kind of resistance, of resilience and the unwavering effort to keep going. The Kharkiv opera house was almost destroyed and an undetonated Russian rocket is still on its roof, and yet, the ensemble is playing again, and shows are sold out. What this story and the latest military success have in common, they send a clear message, to Ukrainians, to Russia, and the world: we will not be defeated.

A short essay, adapted from a longer talk that lingered in my memory ever since I saw it a few weeks ago. Karri Saarinen is the CEO of Linear, one of the hottest companies in Silicon Valley, famous for one thing: they made an extremely boring product extremely beloved. He speaks about how «technology makes it faster to build, but harder to care.» And how real quality can only be achieved by truly valuing craft, for its own sake. «This is what craft is about — the deliberate attention put into making something excellent, not because someone is checking, but because it matters to the maker.»

You read this interview with Jacinda Ardern, former prime minister of New Zealand, and you can’t help but wonder. What would the world be like if a couple of world leaders were more like her, instead of, you know, soulless, power-hungry men?