What I’m Reading - 3/16/25
I stayed in DC this weekend with a group I’ve participated in since 2017: Cultivate the Karass. The organization aims to bring people from across the political spectrum together to build trust and understanding. I spent Friday night and Saturday exploring where the world and ourselves are and what we’re being called to build.
It was a lovely time catching up with some old friends, and I came up with even more ideas about where to put my time and energy. Today, I plan on adopting another idea I got from
’s Substack about a ritual to do while Mercury is in retrograde until April 7. It’s called an idea garden. It’s similar to brainstorming, but over the next three weeks, the idea is to have a spot where you can collect all of the ideas and inspiration that come to you over the next three weeks. The goal is to identify any patterns and themes pointing to what your intuition is telling you to do.I will also write my review of Sarah Wynn William’s book Careless People. In the meantime, read Steven Levy’s review in Wired. He comes to many of the same conclusions I did and is one of the more fair book reviews I’ve read.
Take care of yourself today! I’m going to get a massage and make lasagna for dinner.
What I’m Reading
Must-Reads
This week’s must-read is more of a heads-up about a book that looks fascinating. Called There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift by Kevin Evers, it promises to look at how Swift has built her business, keeps reinventing herself, and has stayed cutting edge over decades. I’m obsessed with all things Taylor and can’t wait to read this as I work on what my next chapter looks like
AI Developments
Financial Times: Meta accelerates voice-powered AI push
The Verge: House GOP subpoenas Big Tech for evidence that Biden made AI woke
Stories About Specific Countries
The Guardian: Internet shutdowns at record high in Africa as access ‘weaponised’
BBC News: Philippines ex-leader Duterte on plane to The Hague after arrest
Political & Social Commentary
CNN: This psychological ‘booster’ could help people resist misinformation, a new study finds
Morning Consult: Social Media Is Just Mainstream Media Now
The Intersection by Patrick Ruffini: The politics of maximum confrontation
The Atlantic: The Elon Musk Way: Move Fast and Destroy Democracy
Semafor: Young conservative women build an alternative to the manosphere
Edison Research: The Evolving Demographics of Podcast Listeners
TechPolicy.Press: Call for Contributions: The Coming Age of Tech Trillionaires and the Challenge to Democracy
POLITICO: Who’s in Elon’s ear — and DMs
The Rebooting: What’s Working in Audience Development?
SXSW LIVE on YouTube: Bluesky's CEO on the Future of Social Media
POLITICO: Does John Thune Have a Red Line When It Comes to Trump?
ICYMI by Lia Haberman: The 2 TikTok Alternatives Dominating SXSW
The Washington Post: Inside the White House’s new media strategy to promote Trump as ‘KING’
Legal & Regulatory
Company Announcements