Good morning, friends!
To start of your Monday morning, here’s a quick list of ten things that made me pause. What stands out to you?
- An archive of words from other languages without obvious English translations— it’s immensely satisfying to read some of these definitions and just get it, and just as fascinating to not understand. In other words, they’re all cool.
- One example that resonated with me is the South African term ubuntu, which, in the words of Nelson Mandela, is “the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world, it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievements of others.”
- Nicholas Kristof has some thought-provoking words and eye-opening metaphors on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and how it doesn’t have to be the way it is.
- Racial bias and ableism are built into many medical devices. Some of these, like pulse oximeters, used to be designed for equity. What happened?
- Watch for smiles: animals (safely) crossing highways.
- Browse through Paula Zuccotti’s fascinating archive of what 15 items people said were most important to them during the pandemic.
- An interesting critique of user-centered design, calling for a planet-driven, ethics-driven rethinking. The primary flaw? “What’s good for the user, may be awful for others.”
- 40 Below Joe makes what are essentially Dip’ n Dots, but… coffee. I can’t decide whether I’m sad this exists, really want to try them, or both. Thoughts?
- A beautiful profile of a family in Colombia seeking growth and restoration by planting thousands of native orchids on the mountainside. Like a fairytale, but real.
- Helen Ahpornsiri gathers and presses wildflowers and ferns to create lovely, intricate depictions of plants and animals. Having worked with collage a bit recently, I’m in awe of how detailed and delicate these compositions are— and inspired to collect some flowers of my own!
- Finally, a quote to ponder— I found this particularly relevant to my life at the moment.
The worst labyrinth is not that intricate form that can entrap us forever, but a single and precise straight line. (Jorge Luis Borges)
That’s all for today! As always, I love to hear any thoughts, likes/dislikes, tangentially-related commentary, the coolest thing you’ve read of late, pictures of pets, etc.
Cheers!
Maya