Emergent: February 2019
This month: IDEO’s “The Octopus” blog, why workplace culture matters, are smartphones as bad as cigarettes, and ski gloves can be cheap.
Emergent is a monthly newsletter that features Noah’s ideas, writing, podcasts, and other things that are capturing his attention. Subscribe here.
I found some good reading this month that I hope you’ll enjoy, plus (another) glove recommendation.
I hope you like this month’s reading and new finds; if so, or if you have some suggestions, drop me a line at noah@paloalto.com.
Thanks for reading!
Noah
1. This month’s favorite new blog
It’s always delightful to find a blog that just keeps you clicking and reading. Thanks to a great tip from @lysspowell, I’ve been finding myself entangled in design firm IDEO’s The Octopus.
As IDEO says, the blog is “a designer’s view of the universe,” but it’s not just a design blog. It’s about creativity, office culture, productivity, and so much more. Two of my favorite posts so far are Why Workplace Culture Matters (And How to Build a Good One) and 15 Podcasts Playing in IDEO Ears Right Now.
2. This month’s most interesting idea
Are smartphones as bad as cigarettes?
There’s no doubt that smartphones are addictive. They’re often the first thing we grab in the morning and the last thing we put down before we go to bed. The general sense is that this kind of addiction can’t be healthy.
In this interview with Georgetown computer science professor Cal Newport, there’s a great discussion about digital minimalism, addiction, and the potential coming backlash to addictive digital technologies. If you think things like email will never go away, read this article for an interesting counterpoint.
3. This month’s best purchase
Yes, I talked about gloves last month. But, with the polar vortex that descended on the midwest, I figured another glove recommendation couldn’t hurt. If you ski, or spend any significant time in cold weather, you know that gloves and mittens can be pretty expensive.
But, if you take a closer look at lift ops and ski patrollers, you’ll see that they are often wearing a $30 glove from Kinco. These gloves are warm, durable, and a steal. And if you prefer mittens, they have those, too. Check them out on Amazon.
Thoughtfully curated and created in Eugene, OR.
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