Tough-Minded Optimism
Things I've Been Enjoying - February 27, 2025
Howdy!
I think the subconscious reason that I enjoy history, archeology, and restoration so much is the idea that all of these things preserve the work and lives of the people who came before us. Even if they’re dead forever, appreciating the things, cultures, and stories they created keeps them alive in another way - as long as we take the time to remember them.
No shit, Matt. No shit.
Here are some Things I’ve Been Enjoying:
“The future is not shaped by people who don't really believe in the future. Men and women of vitality have always been prepared to bet their futures, even their lives, on ventures of unknown outcome. If they had all looked before they leaped, we would still be crouched in caves sketching animal pictures on the wall.” In 1990, John W. Gardner, the former Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, gave a talk about “personal renewal” to McKinsey employees in Arizona. In it, he talks about complacency, motivation, and finding meaning in life. It’s long, but it’s probably the best motivational piece I’ve read in years.
As many of you know, I’m a proudly nostalgic millennial. So it’s only right that I enjoyed this very personal story from Kit Fox - If You Ever Stacked Cups In Gym Class, Blame My Dad
Archeologists finally finished cleaning centuries of soot and grime from an Egyptian sanctuary, and what they discovered underneath was breathtaking.
On the topic of stunning colors, scientists recently uncovered a new reason why Birds of Paradise (the beautiful dancing birds popularized in 2019 by Our Planet) have such vibrant colors.
Kevin Kelly - the same guy who penned 1,000 True Fans and many of the “lists of advice” that I’ve previously included in this newsletter - just published 50 years’ worth of travel tips and they’re great. I would share my favorites but they’re not numbered. The first one has been my biggest mindset in the past few years and all of my trips have been incredible.
Patreon surveyed 1,000 creators and 2,000 fans to compile their newest State of Create report. This is a little “inside baseball”, but it really hit the nail on the head when it comes to describing the biggest issues faced by creators and fans alike. tl;dr - platforms prioritize attention, not connection, and they’ve killed the importance of the “follow”. It’s harder than ever to consistently connect with your followers in a meaningful way.
Comedy troupe Foil Arms and Hog crushed it with their newest video Getting Past Argentinian Immigration. If you’ve never been to Argentina or know nothing about the country, here’s a magician doing magic in North Korea.
We’ve all heard of The Pope, but have you heard of The Antipope?
HUGE AND RARE PHOENICIAN HEAD SHAPED GLASS BEAD. HUGE AND RARE PHOENICIAN HEAD SHAPED GLASS BEAD.
ByteDance just demoed a new AI tool that created this insanely realistic of video of Einstein using a single photograph. I’m not really enjoying this, but I’m enjoying the idea that the future could get very crazy very fast.
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