#012 Friday's Findings
Discover more from The Meandering Mind
#012 Friday's Findings
The internet is about to get a lot safer, clear cache, chill synthwave and more.
Hello everyone!
I am entering an exam period where I will be quite busy. I missed an Edition issue last time, and from now on, during this period, I will only be sending Friday’s Findings. This happened last year as well when I burned out, but fear not, I will continue to publish every Friday, so as to make sure that I do not lose the habit.
I fully intend to continue publishing Edition issues in the summer, that is, the highlight of the olive woods…
Enjoy the weekend!
Suggested readings
If you use Google, Instagram, Wikipedia, or YouTube, you're going to start noticing changes to content moderation, transparency, and safety features on those sites over the next six months. Why? It’s down to some major tech legislation that was passed in the EU last year but hasn’t received enough attention (IMO), especially in the US. I’m referring to a pair of bills called the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and this is your sign, as they say, to get familiar… (The internet is about to get a lot safer)
Theologians sometimes argue that, without the existence of God, life would be meaningless. Some secular people agree. For instance, in his book An Atheist’s Guide to Reality (2011), the philosopher Alex Rosenberg claims that, because the observable physical universe is all that exists, human life is meaningless. Whether you accept this philosophical claim or not, the fact that many people seem to believe that God or other supernatural entities are necessary for life to be meaningful suggests that, psychologically, there is some important connection between religious faith and the sense of meaning in life… (Religion gives life meaning. Can anything else take its place?)
It’s one thing to know what makes people happy, but quite another to live a happy life oneself. I didn’t get a true taste of happiness until I quit my decade-long career as a happiness academic, packed all I’d need for many months onto a bicycle, and began meandering my way around the world to Bhutan. Below are some of the important things I learned on a journey for happiness… (I’ve spent years studying happiness. Here’s what actually makes for a happier life)
Particularly when it comes to the future. And perhaps about the past. More often than not, we find ourselves in situations where we don’t know. Where we can’t know... (“I don’t know”)
An international survey from Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism last year found that in almost every country surveyed, trust in media is falling, and more people are saying they’re avoiding news. Why? Because, respondents say, it “has a negative effect on their mood.” So … why are we like this? Are we journalists just a miserable lot who insist on spreading our neuroses to the rest of the world? Are readers, despite their protestations to the contrary, likelier to click on news that’s negative or dire? It’s, of course, both, and the supply- and demand-side reasons might come from the same source. Humans, it turns out, have what social psychologists call a “negativity bias”: We tend to pay more attention to bad-seeming information than good-seeming information. That could be a root factor for why the news is so goddamned depressing. That’s what we’re looking for. (Why the news is so negative — and what we can do about it)
A quote I’m contemplating: “Do not act as if you were going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over you. While you live, while it is in your power, be good.” -— Marcus Aurelius
Tools and Proposals
Today I bring more extremely helpful developer tools for those using Chromium. I also use all of these on a daily basis.
Clear Cache (Chrome) — I suggest you try this bank service! I just started using this service, and if you join via this link, we can both get perks.
LocalStorage Manager (Chrome) — I recommend you check out this tool for web hosting. It is what I use to host all my sites now - I do not recommend using Namecheap for hosting, but Hostinger will give you everything you need. I have been extremely satisfied with their services.
Check my cookies (Chrome) — I encourage you to try this website I created. It allows you to easily copy Unicode characters and symbols, just by clicking.
Sounds
Until next time,
Magnus