Weekend Briefing No. 568

Octopus Versus Maze

This captivating video showcases the remarkable journey of Sushimi, an octopus, as it endeavors to master a complex underwater maze consisting of nine intricate steps, all in pursuit of a sumptuous feast of succulent shrimp. Each successive stage within the maze presents progressively intricate challenges, demanding higher levels of problem-solving prowess from our curious cephalopod friend. It’s really engaging and endearing. Check it out. Mark Rober (17 minutes)

The Success Paradox

Counterintuitively, becoming excellent at making money can trap you in a cycle that prevents building real wealth, as demonstrated by high-earning professionals who find themselves too "expensive" to invest time in wealth-building systems. This modern paradox manifests in three stages: skill acceleration where income grows consistently, golden handcuffs where lifestyle inflation matches higher earnings and finally system paralysis where the opportunity cost of building automated income becomes prohibitively high. The solution lies in developing wealth-generating systems early in your career before expertise makes your time too valuable, essentially building the elevator while still on the ground floor rather than climbing an increasingly expensive ladder. Scott D. Clary (7 minutes)

Costco in Cancun

Would you book a vacation to Cancun at Costco? In this witty exploration of a warehouse-booked tropical getaway, the author delves into the bizarre fusion of bulk shopping mentality and beachside luxury. Through the lens of his family's experience at the Paradisus La Perla, he examines how the Costco ethos of value and abundance translates to an all-inclusive resort, creating a unique blend of cost-consciousness and indulgence. The narrative humorously highlights the contradictions and surprises that arise when the familiar Costco shopping experience extends to international travel, from room upgrades to timeshare pitches. Ultimately, the author finds an unexpected appreciation for the middlebrow vacation, reconciling his initial skepticism with genuine moments of family connection and relaxation. Paris Review (8 minutes)

Compounding Habits

Life-changing habits compound in our favor — they accelerate growth and help us become happy, healthy and wealthy. This article has 40 such habits. Here are a few of my favorites: 1) For every demand on your time, pause or delay your response and think about the first- and second-order consequences before saying “yes.” 2) Make walking a daily or weekly habit — it’s the easiest and healthiest form of exercise to improve mental clarity and self-awareness. 3) Finish your day on purpose by writing down priorities for tomorrow. It’s a better way to start the day without wasting cognitive energy planning. Postantly (6 minutes)

Warren G and Kenny G

I can’t believe this exists. You have to check out this banging live performance of Warren G’s “Regulate” featuring Kenny G on the sax. Jimmy Kimmel (3 minutes)

How the Future Looked in 1974

A half-century ago, in 1974 "Saturday Review" asked some of the era's visionaries for their predictions of what 2024 would look like. 20 thinkers set down their own visions for space travel, the environment, and this new-fangled thing called the computer. Neil Armstrong, just five years after his historic lunar walk, boldly predicted a future where humans would not only establish bustling colonies on the moon but also venture to Mars and selected asteroids within 50 years, driven by an insatiable curiosity to explore and experience the cosmos firsthand. Wernher von Braun, the chief architect of NASA's Saturn V rocket, accurately predicted in 1974 the rise of personal computing, online commerce, remote work, and video calls by 2024, while also envisioning some technological advancements that have yet to materialize. The New Stack (11 minutes)

Gen Z Broke the Marketing Funnel

Over the last few decades, marketers have focused their marketing efforts around the consumer funnel. The potential customer moves through the funnel in the following stages: awareness, interest, desire, action. The funnel was built for the old world, and Gen Z doesn’t live there anymore. Instead, they live in an infinite loop of inspiration, exploration, community and loyalty. Of course, the main driver is that Gen Z is spending a ton of time on YouTube and TikTok, and that’s influenced how they make purchasing decisions. As a result, retailers are behaving more like media companies. Surprisingly, despite their reputation as digital natives, Gen Z shoppers still value in-person experiences. Seventy-four percent of Gen Zs think in real life (IRL) experiences are more important than digital ones (compared to 66% of millennials). Though they conduct in-depth research online, 73% of Gen Zs prefer making a purchase in a store while shopping. This article is chocked full of insights and is essential reading for anybody running a consumer-facing brand. Vogue (17 minutes)

Papyrus 2

Ryan Gosling crushed Saturday Night Live last week. Every performance was on point from the monologue to Beavis and Butthead. The whole show is worth watching. But I was giddy when I saw that they made a sequel to my favorite SNL digital Short, Papyrus. In Papyrus, Ryan Gosling plays a man haunted by the widespread use of the Papyrus font, particularly in the movie Avatar. He becomes increasingly distressed and obsessed over the font's prevalence, leading to a breaking point. Last week, they made a sequel and it’s hilarious. I’ve watched it multiple times. If you haven't seen the first one, watch that first and then the sequel. Thank me later. Saturday Night Live (7 minutes)

AI and the Middle Class

David Autor seems an unlikely artificial intelligence (AI) optimist. The labor economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is best known for his in-depth studies showing how much technology and trade have eroded the incomes of millions of American workers over the years. But Autor is now making the case that the new wave of technology — generative AI, which can produce hyper-realistic images and video and convincingly imitate humans’ voices and writing — could reverse that trend. AI, if used well, can assist with restoring the middle-skill, middle-class heart of the U.S. labor market that has been hollowed out by automation and globalization. New York Times (6 minutes)

Digital Minimalist Parents

Digital minimalist parents aim to significantly reduce their children's screen time, believing that excessive device use interferes with the precious and fleeting stage of childhood. They prioritize creative play, physical activities, face-to-face interactions and the development of practical life skills over digital engagement. This approach is driven by concerns about the negative impacts of social media and excessive screen time on children's well-being, imagination and ability to cope with boredom. Despite potential social challenges, these parents implement strict rules around device ownership and social media use. After Babel (11 minutes)

Eclipse

Some of my family made the trip to see the eclipse in the path of totality. They raved about the experience. I stood on a rooftop in Brooklyn and saw a mildly interesting 80% eclipse. Apparently, the two experiences are as different as … well … night and day. My favorite first-hand account was from Tim Urban. He traveled to a rural field in Arkansas. A group of people and some cows gathered under a perfectly clear sky to witness a total solar eclipse. As the time of totality approached, the sun gradually became a thinner crescent, the lighting grew dimmer and sharper, and waves of light and dark rippled across the ground. Just before totality, a stunning diamond ring appeared, and then the Earth's dimmer switch suddenly went down, plunging the dim daylight into night. During totality, Tim experienced a surreal and eye-opening moment, seeing the solar system with his own eyes and realizing their place on a tiny rock in vast outer space. The scene was accompanied by a 360-degree sunset, chirping crickets and flying birds, while the cows remained confused. Wait But Why (7 minutes)

The New Ivies

The Ivy League universities have long been regarded as the pinnacle of American higher education, producing many of the nation's top leaders and thinkers. However, in recent years, there has been a growing sense that the quality and value of an Ivy League education has declined. As a result, employers are losing faith in the Ivy League brand, with a recent Forbes survey indicating that 33% of hiring managers are now less likely to hire Ivy League graduates compared to five years ago, while 42% are more likely to hire public university graduates. These trends suggest that the once-unassailable prestige of an Ivy League degree may be diminishing in the eyes of some employers. In their place, Forbes is suggesting a list of “New Ivies.” Forbes (7 minutes)

Should We Work Together?

Hi! I’m Kyle. This newsletter is my passion project. When I’m not writing, I run a law firm that helps startups move fast without breaking things. Most founders want a trusted legal partner, but they hate surprise legal bills. At Westaway, we take care of your startup’s legal needs for a flat, monthly fee so you can control your costs and focus on scaling your business. If you’re interested, let’s jump on a call to see if you’re a good fit for the firm. Click here to schedule a one-on-one call with me.

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Weekend Wisdom

By three methods we may learn wisdom: by reflection, which is noblest; by imitation, which is easiest; and by experience, which is the bitterest. - Confucius

Weekend Briefing