Subject
24 entries
Culture
Bookmarks
NEW MODELS
New Models is a media project by Laboria Cuboniks collective members exploring the cultural and aesthetic dimensions of AI — intersecting tech criticism, art, and speculative theory. Sits at the AI-culture overlap rather than pure technical coverage.
Words We Don't Have
A site exploring words from other languages that don't have English equivalents — concepts like saudade, schadenfreude, or hygge that reveal how different cultures carve up emotional and social experience. Language as a lens into cultural cognition.
On Leaving Facebook
Alex Kotliarskyi's reflection on leaving Meta after 8.5 years — the golden handcuffs, the slow loss of craft satisfaction, and what the transition to Replit taught him about what he actually valued. Honest accounting of how big-tech compensation structures create inertia.
The Worrisome Rise of NFTs
Nautilus magazine's critique of NFTs at the height of the 2021 boom — covering environmental harm from proof-of-work blockchains, manufactured scarcity, and the disconnect between NFT hype and actual value creation. Science journalism applying a skeptical lens to speculative tech.
The Ultimate Guide to GMI — Bankless
Bankless's guide to 'GMI' (Gonna Make It) — the crypto-native meme-term for successfully navigating the crypto space into wealth and freedom. A document of the 2021-2022 speculative peak's cultural vocabulary and belief system.
Other Internet — Research Collective
Other Internet is a research collective and studio exploring the social, organizational, and cultural implications of internet-native institutions — particularly DAOs, crypto protocols, and new forms of online coordination. Produces longform research that goes deeper than most crypto commentary.
Welcome to AirSpace
Kyle Chayka's famous 2016 Verge essay coins 'AirSpace' — the homogenized global aesthetic of Airbnb listings, coffee shops, and startup offices that blurs the distinctive character of places. A sharp cultural critique that became the canonical framing for globalization-as-aesthetic-flattening.
Movies Every Physics Student Should Watch
A curated list of films recommended for physics students — mixing sci-fi with documentaries and biopics of physicists. Light reference material rather than a serious pedagogical resource.
Solitude and Leadership
William Deresiewicz's 2010 West Point address arguing that solitude — time alone with your own thoughts — is the prerequisite for genuine leadership. A sharp critique of multitasking culture and the kind of 'excellent sheep' produced by elite institutions.
Countere Magazine
Countere Magazine is an independent publication — saved as a reading/media reference. Low-context save; bookmarked as a publication worth following.
The Art of Code — Dylan Beattie
Dylan Beattie's 'The Art of Code' is a conference talk covering the weird, playful, and surprisingly profound corners of software — esoteric languages, code golf, musical programming, and the question of what 'beautiful code' even means. A reminder that software is a creative medium.
How to Do Nothing
Jenny Odell's EYEO Festival essay on resisting the attention economy — arguing that doing nothing is an act of political resistance, not laziness. Later expanded into a book that became a touchstone for tech workers questioning the value of constant productivity.
Is It Pokemon or Big Data?
A quiz that asks whether a name belongs to a Pokemon or a Big Data tool — hilariously difficult because the Hadoop ecosystem's naming conventions are indistinguishable from fictional creature names. A sharp cultural critique disguised as a game.
Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby
_why the lucky stiff's infamous illustrated guide to Ruby — part tutorial, part surrealist comic, part programming philosophy. Became a cult object after _why's mysterious disappearance from the internet in 2009.
Happy Holidays: Five Gifts for the Data Scientist on Your List
AnalyticBridge holiday post listing gifts for data scientists — saved for the quote that circulated on Twitter: 'A data scientist is a machine for turning coffee into insights.' A cultural artifact of the 2013 data science hype moment.
Animated GIF to Be Beamed Into Space
The Verge covered Lone Signal, a project that let anyone beam messages (including animated GIFs) to a star system using a radio telescope in New Jersey. The first animated GIF transmitted into space was a novelty stunt, but Lone Signal was an earnest attempt at crowdsourced SETI.
GIF Creator Steve Wilhite Receives Lifetime Achievement Webby
NYT Bits blog on Steve Wilhite receiving a Webby Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 for inventing the GIF format in 1987. The occasion for Wilhite to definitively pronounce it 'JIF' — a declaration that settled nothing.
Benefits Matter — Why I Won't Work for Your YCombinator Start-up
Infrastructure architect Michael Halligan's essay on why experienced engineers won't join YCombinator startups that don't offer real benefits — health insurance, 401k, PTO. A grounded critique of startup compensation culture from an infrastructure practitioner's perspective.
Not All Programmers Are Alike: A Language Rant
Scott Locklin's blunt 2012 rant arguing that different programmers have fundamentally different aptitudes and that functional/Lisp languages self-select for a specific type. The HN discussion was equally spirited. An honest engagement with the uncomfortable reality that not all programming taste is equal.
With $2,000 Bikes, Tech Firms Flee Suburbs for City Homes
Bloomberg piece on tech companies relocating from suburban campuses to urban offices in 2012, attracting talent that preferred city living over suburban tech campuses. A snapshot of how San Francisco's tech scene was reshaping the city's geography and economy.
Open Culture: Free Educational Content from the World's Best Universities
Open Culture aggregates free educational content from across the web — university courses, e-books, films, language lessons — curated by subject. A lasting resource built on the premise that the internet makes a liberal education genuinely accessible.
Artisanal Pencil Sharpening
David Rees's artisanal pencil sharpening service — genuinely real, not a joke — charged $15 to $35 to sharpen a single pencil by hand using specialized tools, with a certificate of authenticity. A perfect cultural artifact of the 2012 artisanal/craft backlash against mass production.
Life's Too Short to Write Shitty Software
Adzerk's engineering blog post on software craftsmanship — arguing that quality standards aren't a luxury but a prerequisite for sustainable development speed. A statement of engineering values from a small company establishing its culture.
"Fail Fast" Is Not an Excuse for Being a Moron, a Flake, or a Scumbag
Michael O. Church's rebuttal of 'fail fast' as a cultural cover for irresponsible behavior in startups — it means iterate quickly on product, not burn bridges, mistreat employees, or make reckless promises. A pushback against the valley's weaponization of failure mythology.