Buying Myself Back
thecut.com
5 Followers | 5 Following
FollowAs I get older, I'm becoming more aware of how much politics affects the undercurrent of our daily lives. I'm appreciated this article for shining light onto the very republican Vietnamese population of Fountain Valley in Orange County. I grew up visiting this area every weekend, but never really thought about its politics until now.
Some good reminders in here. I especially appreciated, "Eliminate distractions," "Focus on fewer things," and "Control your ego"—it'll be what I focus on this week.
on food culture through the eyes of a child of immigrants
grieving is doubly heart breaking when there is also regret. thinking about all the Asian American relationships that are so complex across generational, linguistic, cultural divides.
But contemporary systems of continual visual self-broadcasting—reality TV, social media—have created new disciplines of continual visual self-improvement
“When I want a holiday,” he said at last, “I go over the road as far as the meadow. I go in there, take off my jacket, and lay down on it. I watch the world turning for a bit, with me still in it.”
One of the reasons why I enjoy Tolentino’s work so much is that she effectively captures cultural trends, while noting the undercurrent of politics, gender, and ethics.
On building company culture
a true growth culture also focuses on deeper issues connected to how people feel, and how they behave as a result. In a growth culture, people build their capacity to see through blind spots; acknowledge insecurities and shortcomings rather than unconsciously acting them out; and spend less energy defending their personal value so they have more energy available to create external value. How people feel — and make other people feel — becomes as important as how much they know.
this is the kind of thing I’ve been thinking about lately— interpersonal relationships + how they play out in the macroeconomic sense
An efficient culture, then, is first and foremost a meritocracy. Status will be awarded for skills and contributions that advance shared goals — making a big sale, meeting an important deadline, etc. And status will not be awarded for things that are orthogonal to (or detract from) the goals of the community. These include: nepotism, flattery and ass-kissing, race/gender/age, and humor/beauty/external status (unless they're important for getting the job done). And seniority should correlate with 'substantive contributions'; no one should be rewarded just for warming a chair.
sharing as a reflection of our cultural times
I am narrowing down on my personal values, which demand I create and work for my own beliefs and initiatives— not just an employer’s.
Though, it can be a really fulfilling experience to work with an employer whose values align and you learn a lot from. But in such instances, I believe the best way you can show up at the office is by being your rested, contented, truest self.
On limiting screen time, especially for those who have not yet developed self-control and awareness
ilt the technology.
“I try to tell him somebody wrote code to make you feel this way — I’m trying to help him understand how things are made, the values that are going into things and what people are doing to create that feeling,” Mr. Lilly said. “And he’s like, ‘I just want to spend my 20 bucks to get my Fortnite skins.’”
On doing something for the sake of enjoyment (the title is misleading)
A very good friend shared this w me so now I am being a Very Good Friend to all of you and paying it forward.
Really appreciated how the author explains how language and toxic masculinity really affects everyone. After watching RGB earlier this week, I’ve been in the mood for acknowledgement, change, growth, and progress.
What an accurate and timely article to capture my thoughts and feelings towards astrology. I strongly recommend this read, at least to get a glimpse of the paradoxical thinking that many millennials are able to hold gracefully.
It might be that Millennials are more comfortable living in the borderlands between skepticism and belief because they’ve spent so much of their lives online, in another space that is real and unreal at the same time. That so many people find astrology meaningful is a reminder that something doesn’t have to be real to feel true. Don’t we find truth in fiction?
recommended list at the end is very good
It’s the eternal plea of the minority, to ask to be judged not by one’s appearance or the rituals of one’s forbears but for the quality of one’s mind and powers of invention.
working women are the backbone of us all
Considering the implications of silence when it comes to wealth inequality, and what that continues to perpetuate.
When we evaluate people’s moral worth on the basis of where and how they live and work, we reinforce the idea that what matters is what people do, not what they have. With every such judgment, we reproduce a system in which being astronomically wealthy is acceptable as long as wealthy people are morally good.
This article is not so much only a look at Welteroth, but also the new vision of Teen Vogue as driven by her.
Learning to pay attention to the signs with Oprah
A beautiful piece on barbeque, by Danny Chau. Good food writing takes a look at the meal and the world that it's served in. Highly recommended.
When we talk about the future of barbecue, we’re talking about the thrill of bringing old conventions to new and unfamiliar places, the anxiety of displacing traditions from an ancestral home, and what’s gained and lost in translation. We’re talking about the natural progression of American culture.
mind your manners
A painful article to read, but an important one nonetheless. This article captures so many things that resonate with me: the disconnect with my own heritage, the solace I found in a college fraternity, the connectedness and differences I feel with other Asians. There isn't quite an answer to this... Only shared realities, each one of us struggling to reach and maybe save one another.
Hm. I've been freaked out about a recession for a while, so this article reinforces my fears.
“copyright laws are written and enforced to help certain groups of people, largely male, assert and retain control over the resources generated by creative productivity.”
Fascinating look at the culture of Little Thirds in China today.
A favorite quote: “If you spend all of your time watching and analyzing people, you come to some conclusions about broader patterns in society.”
If a relationship is all about communication, an explicit contract must be real commitment. Wonderful Modern Love essay.
If we've talked for a while, you'll probably be familiar with Ideal Tina-- she's who I refer to when I think about myself in an alternate or future universe.
Sometimes, I'll think about how parts of Ideal Tina have already actualized. Sometimes, I'll realize that I'm HER. These moments are rare and contemplative; they serve as small check-ins to myself. Am I acting in a way that's aligned with what I actually feel, or want to feel? Am I brave enough to do what's right, rather than act impulsively? Am I doing what is Ideal?
An ode to my first girl crush, who I saw so much of myself in. She teaches us to be determined, resilient, unwavering– even when the world around us feels broken.
Lisa is always searching for something she doesn't see in the world
A rumination on the structures of power that exist-- who are they really for? Also a call for other identities to realize their own power, and not to buy what has been sold to them/us.
A haunting and frank look into the state of our environment. One of the best things I've read in 2017, for its perspective of both the past, present, and future scenarios we find ourselves living with. Also includes great psychological explanations for how we cope, how we got here in the first place.
I haven't been very environmentally-conscious before, but this piece really put things into perspective for me. The time for change is long overdue.
An interview with an incredible thinker. I am new to Solnit, but feel moved and inspired already. Especially as I think more about female life, I am grateful for the brave women before me who have already said and done so much important work.