I've recently read The Gutenberg Galaxy by McLuhan and I can recommend it for everyone interested in the topic. He analyses how the invention of printing press influenced society, culture, and human consciousness. I liked his idea that the shift from oral to written communication has fundamentally changed the human consciousness.
Behind-the-sofa consoles might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about furniture, but it's definitely the thing I will do in my house. I'll use them to store books, hide away cables, and add some USB chargers. Sometimes the most practical solutions are the ones you don't even realize you need until you see them somewhere.
I think what a lot of us also might miss is the sense of ownership and creativity that came with personal websites and blogs. People used to have their little corner of the internet where they could express themselves however they wanted, whether it was through HTML coding or just sharing their thoughts. Now it seems like almost every blog is trying to sell you something.
Personal blogs without SEO do still kind of exist - but the way searching algorithms work, the "organic" content just wont show up. You can have one, but basically no one will ever find it and you will give up.
It’s one thing to market to adults, but targeting teens is just plain wrong. Some people might argue that if teens are searching for these hashtags themselves, it's not technically marketing. But we all know how influential social media is, especially on teens. As someone who's seen my friend's kid fall into the vaping trap during high school, I wish this content was more regulated.
Speaking from personal experience, I found that my ability to adapt and pick up new technologies quickly has been just as important as my technical knowledge. When I started my career, I focused mostly on mastering specific languages and frameworks. Although that was important, I soon realized that the tech industry moves at lightning speed and what's hot today might be outdated tomorrow. So, if you want to keep up with this market, the best thing is to stay up-to-date with the latest industry news and adapt your skills accordingly.
I never really thought about it until now, since I don't use them (in most cases I travel with my own pair of slippers), but it totally makes sense. These slippers are very much like plastic straws. I wish more hotels start considering more sustainable options, like biodegradable slippers, which I believe would be more eco-friendly.
I remember when I first learned about it while planning a hiking trip to Sweden. The idea that you can wander through forests, across fields, and along rivers without worrying about trespassing was quite liberating. I ended up exploring some stunning landscapes that I wouldn't have discovered otherwise. I wish more places adopted this approach, it would make outdoor activities more accessible for everyone.
I'm from Norway. In Sweden it's so important it's part of their constitution. In Norway it's so important it was one of (the?) last parts of Norwegian law to be codified - it was considered so self evident courts took it into account despite Norway not using a common law system.
Very different approaches, but both coming from the feeling you quickly get that you can not be truly free if you're surrounded by fenced off land once you're used to it.
The other effect is that there is - ironically in a country with extremely high government ownership of other things - less pressure in the government to own land.
We don't need national parks (we still have some) to make land accessible to the public, because it all is.
When kids grow up with parents hovering over them all the time, they miss out on those classic childhood adventures — like riding bikes with friends or exploring the neighborhood till the streetlights come on. When I was a kid, if my bike chain fell off or I needed help with homework, I had to figure it out on my own or ask a friend for help. Now, most kids I know speed-dial Mom or Dad for instant rescue, so no wonder they will be not ready for real life as adults.
On the other hand, mom and dad on speed dial means camping trip, kayak hike, and a lot more freedom to explore if you are enclined to. I did stuff around 2008-2012 my father couldn't do without an experienced adult in his group at the same age.
Granted, it was mostly kayaking/roaming in Eastern Europe (and he was the same age between 87-91, so yeah, geopolitical stuff did not help)
As a parent we are constantly worried about road safety, I feel like the roads are more dangerous than when I was playing street hockey in the streets back in the 80s. Honestly, I've noticed EV drivers are typically driving over the speed limit.
Fundamentally, why wouldn't cell phones ENABLE more wandering? You can call help a lot more easily with them. That's the crazy thing. They have built-in tracking as well.
Of course we now know that pervasive access vector has been enshittified by Google/Apple and the associated social media mafias to assault children's minds with the unrestrained/unregulated full arsenal of the advertising psychological manipulation playbook.
Parents are simply regressing/withdrawing from the sheer assault of unyeilding economic stress/disruption, negative news floods, information intrusion, dual incomes, etc. That passes on to the kids.
I believe that's an on-going dilemma. New grads often have unrealistic expectations, that's why today job hopping is the new norm. When you invest your time and energy into training or mentoring someone, you want to see some long-term payoff.
Interesting idea, having someone check in regularly to review your progress is definitely great for people who have issues with self-motivation or time management. But the effectiveness would depend on the compatibility of the manager with the individual, if two people don't like each other, thing will not work out.
