GROUNDED
18FEB2018, #4 of 2018
Note, Apr. 25:
So sorry for the hiatus — heading to China definitely blew up my flow in getting these newsletters out, and I never got back into it until now.
But I’m not going to stand for making excuses any longer. I’ll do my best to make up the difference.
Continued, Feb. 18:
I’ve been hardcore struggling with these newsletters recently. Not making time and space to write them and curate the articles I’m reading is unlike me, but I’ve been feeling some serious pressure with work the last few weeks. I’m headed to China at the beginning of March, so here’s to hoping it’s a crazy adventure and a bit of a wild ride (not the flight hopefully). I’ll write hilarious stories about what I find and where I end up.
But this last week has been a bit of a blur. If there’s a cohesive theme here, it’s one of getting over yourself and your preconceived conceptions. I’ve been thinking a lot about Andrew Carnegie, public libraries, and the place of socially empowered public institutions in our daily life. What if there was a library for fresh food? Or for physical activity? Perhaps a food bank and a rec center would answer those questions, but somehow they still contain a stigma around them.
Why do some people frequent the library, while others avoid it? What privileges do being able to purchase something off Amazon provide that isn’t reflective across society?
And more importantly, why am I still buying books on Amazon?
Here’s to focusing on using my local library a little more directly, and savouring in the privileges it extends to me.
With humility,
Brendan
Things I’ve Been Reading, by length:
Up and Down by Terry Fallis [432 pages] (3/5)
This is the first book by a Canadian I’ve read this year, I’m ashamed to admit, but was it ever fun. I decided to take a break from the heavier topics of predicting the future before it happens, embracing the human condition, and theoretical physics, to interject some hilarity. I encourage everyone to follow my lead and do the same. Terry Fallis is a brilliant humourist, and many moments in this book made me laugh aloud. My biggest take-away was simple: dream big, and never give up. The ridiculous story of taking citizens to space as part of a PR push from NASA results in a winner of the Canadian part of the lottery being an aging bush pilot and doctor well past her prime. When she befriends and convinces a member of the PR agency responsible for the whole thing, dreams come true, disasters strike, and things go up and down. A heart-warming tale, and a quick read, I would encourage anyone with a love of space, Canada, and second chances to give this one a go.
I Accidentally Built a Brogrammer Culture. Now we’re undoing it. [5 min read] (5/5)
Michael Litt is a leader in the Canadian tech space I respect and look up to a great deal. He’s full of hustle, grit, and has a history of beating the odds. But undoubtedly the reason I look up him the most is because of his authenticity. He doesn’t cut any corners with this one. He admits he screwed up, he created the very beast he was trying to avoid, and he had to admit his mistakes in order to backtrack and fix the problem. That’s a brave move. It takes humility, and forced him to confront a reality of shame. But we need more white men in positions of power admitting where they went wrong, and willing to step aside to bring about solutions. His one line hit me like a ton of bricks: “It pushed me to think continuously about whether my efforts (and Vidyard’s as a whole) were having a real impact on our work culture and my team’s work experiences.” He’s right. Trying is no longer good enough. And sometimes trying has consequences before it has results. Mr. Litt, we need more leaders like you. Thanks for forging a path and leading the way, yet again.
Get Over Yourself and Start Using the Public Library [5 min read] (5/5)
But seriously.
If you’re not using the public library, what the actual f*** are you doing?
I don’t mean to be stern, or to curse, but I feel really strongly about this one.
Public libraries are a national treasure, and should be treated as such. They offer space when space isn’t available, they nurture and help people to grow when there is nowhere else to turn, and they do a lot more than house books no one is going to read. They are safe spaces for the homeless, the unemployed, and the new-to-this-community. When I traveled to Germany, and didn’t know a single soul in the entire country, they were a place for me to find my bearings and become familiar with the surroundings. Now, they offer me endless access to knowledge, for free. Let me say that again: they are free.
If we fail to support our libraries, we fail to uphold our part of the bargain history has granted us, and many of our forefathers died for: that everyone should have access to education, skills training, and the freedom to improve their lives on the back of their own hard work.
A library never promises handouts, or an easy job, or a fast-track to the good life. It promises the potential to improve one’s self. It offers the access to more, something so needed in today’s society it makes me physically ill to think of not having it.
Andrew Carnegie, a hero of mine, wasn’t a perfect person, but he did a lot of good in the world through his philanthropy. He built hundreds of libraries around the world because he believed that people should have to work hard for their advantages in life, and saw that a library gave access, not handouts, to those who desperately needed it. He famously wrote: “‘A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert.” He wrote about it more here.
Project I’ve Been Working On:
Trip to China!
Not a project so much as a work trip (for the project I’ve been working on for 2 years) but a big leap nonetheless. Really excited at the possibility of being immersed in the “Silicon Valley of Hardware” in Shenzhen. Any recommendations would be appreciated!
Note: this trip has already happened, but I’m going back! Would still appreciate recommendations!
Something I’ve been listening to:
Set Yourself on Fire — Stars (4/5)
A pretty chill laid-back album by a classic indie rock band, this album has been the backdrop to some seriously productive days this last week. I’ve been hard-core rocking out to their entire discography, but this album resonates pretty deeply. It’s tough to believe it’s almost 15 years old, as it feels as relevant now as it’s ever been.
