Nov 23, 2018

The Algebra of Need - Issue #1

By Shameel Arafin • Issue #1 • View online

Hello, and Happy Friday. Welcome to the inaugural issue of “The Algebra of Need”, a weekly newsletter on journalism, media, literature and technology, with the occasional post on capitalism, poker and running – all obsessions near and dear to my heart.

A note on the name. It comes from the introduction to William Burroughs’ Naked Lunch:

Junk yields a basic formula of “evil” virus: The Algebra of Need. The face of “evil” is always the face of total need… Beyond a certain frequency need knows absolutely no limit or control.

Happy reading.

Automatic control can become no control at all.

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The ancient Greeks would have loved Alexa | Spectator USA

Classical mythology is full of robots, automata and technology. Think not only Pandora, but self-opening gates and libation-pouring statues

spectator.us • Share

“Impatience with obscure language might be symptomatic of the subtle but persistent gnawing of anxiety.”

Calling Bullshit | The Point Magazine

Calling bullshit puts an abrupt stop to the conversation: like bullshitting itself, it can encourage us to stop thinking rather than to think further.

thepointmag.com • Share

“I don’t believe my competition is BuzzFeed or Vox or Vice,” he said. “We compete on a day-to-day basis for business, but the ultimate competition here is us against traditional TV and also protecting ourselves against the big platforms.”

Founder’s Big Idea to Revive BuzzFeed’s Fortunes? A Merger With Rivals - The New York Times

Jonah Peretti, the chief executive, says his company could eventually merge with other online publishers in order to negotiate better terms with tech platforms like Facebook.

www.nytimes.com • Share

“Encouraging startups is another promising avenue, as these firms are able to organize around software capabilities to take on incumbents. Doing so through public policy isn’t always easy, but government funding can help when done well, and at the state and city level policymakers can encourage the formation of technology clusters.”

How Software Is Helping Big Companies Dominate

They’re not just renting it from vendors — they’re building it themselves.

hbr.org • Share

“It is emblematic of disarray in the Housing Authority’s lead policy that stretches back decades, an examination by The Times found.”

Tests Showed Children Were Exposed to Lead. The Official Response: Challenge the Tests - The New York Times

For at least two decades, the New York City Housing Authority routinely disputed tests that revealed lead in its apartments. Private landlords almost never do this.

www.nytimes.com • Share

Did you enjoy this issue?

By Shameel Arafin

"The Algebra of Need" is a weekly newsletter on journalism, media, technology and literature, with the occasional post on capitalism, poker and running.

A note on the name. It comes from the introduction to William Burroughs' Naked Lunch: "Junk yields a basic formula of 'evil' virus: The Algebra of Need. The face of 'evil' is always the face of total need... Beyond a certain frequency need knows absolutely no limit or control."

When did our world become one of total need?

www.shameelarafin.com

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