Each week, we share the top five articles that caught our attention. Here are your must-reads, published here and abroad, for the week of December 4th 2017.
Trivia in the age of alternative facts
With filter bubbles, twisted truths and a President-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named constantly tweeting alternative facts, our current relationship with information seems strenuous, at best. Interesting, in this era of “fake news”, people are turning to trivia games―including Jeopardy-style TV shows, pub quizzes and mobile apps―more than ever before. Is this how we are finding balance?
→ Read it on The Ringer Pocket
The Simpsons’ complicated legacy
Everyone loves The Simpsons! Even Hari Kondabolu, the filmmaker behind the documentary “The Problem with Apu”. But even so, Kondabolu argues that while other more “endearing” characters in the show evolve over the years, Apu’s personality remains rooted in stereotypes. The doc explores how the depiction of the Indian storekeeper affected a whole generation of immigrants.
→ Read it on Vanity Fair Pocket
Connecting our brains to the Internet
After connected homes, cars and speakers, enter connected brains! Dr. Eric Leuthardt’s vision of the future consists of brains communicating directly with computers and each other. The brain surgeon believes that it’s only a matter of time before the technology is available and widely used. Journalist Adam Piore dives deep into this soon-to-be reality.
→ Read it on MIT Technology Review Pocket
Does your car reveal your political leanings?
What does your car say about how much you make? How you feel about the environment? Or your political views? A new algorithm developed by Fei-Fei Li (Director of the Stanford Intelligence Lab and Vision Lab) and her team can calculate if your neighbourhood leans left or right, based on Google Street View images and the cars present in the area.
→ Read it on The Memo Pocket
Predicting the visual trends of 2018
Adobe is already looking forward to 2018. Using data collected about popular images in TV shows, advertising campaigns and their own stock photos, the creative software company has determined what visual trends we can expect next year.
→ Read it on The Adobe Blog Pocket
In your earbuds: NPR Education
Crisis Text Line is a non-profit startup that offers support to at-risk people via text messages. NPR reporter Anya Kamenetz talks to Elisheva Adler, a volunteer counselor at the organization, about recognizing signs of distress and how texting can help.
→ Listen to it on NPR
This week’s favourite thing
“During its 13 years of existence, there has never been a female jury president for the Créa Awards. And as for the juries themselves, there has only been 22 women for 78 men”. Freelance copywriter Patricia Doiron and the collective “Les femmes en créa” are calling on the ad industry to address the lack of recognition for women in the creative field. Time to break up the boys’ club!
Image from Variety
