Walking through town is quite scary, it's not very sensible either
Shorter Ruffian this week because I'm away this weekend and you probably are too. Some real gems here though, don't miss out...
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Too soon for me to add anything useful to the instant analyses of Thursday's elections but I am pleased Labour didn't do well, which is an odd feeling. In the meantime, read Benedict Pringle's explanation for why you see fewer party posters up in people's windows these days. Not sure whether to find it depressing or encouraging.
AMERICAN HOOKUP
Hidden Brain is an NPR podcast that explore psychology-related ideas. I listened to this episode last year and it's stayed with me ever since. It's about a book by a sociologist called Lisa Wade who spent time investigating the culture of casual sex, or 'hook-ups', on US college campuses. It's a story that has often been reported on by the US press in moral panic style, although the truth is that today's students are not more promiscuous than previous generations. But something has changed; hookup is a distinctive culture with its own rules of engagement. Wade's brilliant analysis of it resonates on several different levels. Do check it out.
HOW THE F**K DO WE WRITE NOW
Patricia Lockwood (author of Priestdaddy) on how to write, as idiosyncratic and funny as you would expect.
PREDICTOMETERS
A lucid summary of what sounds like a good new book on the economics of AI, called Prediction Machines. AI is going to make anything involving prediction cheaper, and this will increase the value of human judgement.
HOW TO BE BUBBLES
This snapshot of a new book about The Wire will be interesting for fans of the show like me but also to anyone interested in creativity and craft.
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