Links are shy on Instagram. They are peaking from our bios or hide in a story "swipe up" button - if you are lucky enough to be part of Instagram's 1%. Either way clicks to different corners of the web are not welcome on Instagram. When a platform's purpose is a closed circuit, each link becomes a threat.
Instagram is making us believe that what we consume outside their feed is worthless. By limiting link sharing, the app is limiting our exposure to the vastness of the web. What was supposed to be a world, becomes just a garden.
I believe that being online in 2020 can be more than watching the hours go by in a dead-end street. With a little imagination and the help of these hacks, it’s possible to challenge the algorithm and make Instagram more challenging again. Why not share your account password with friends and letting them follow people of their choice?
If Instagram is too small for you, maybe it’s time to get off the main roads and start exploring the internet most unknown trails. This guide by the Naive Weekly newsletter is a great way to start.
💾 Memory Lane
“Everyone knows what headphones sound like today. But at the time, you couldn’t even imagine it, and then suddenly Beethoven’s Fifth is hammering between your ears.” - Yasuo Kuroki
In 1979, in a quiet Japan, a new way of experiencing reality was emerging. The invention appealed to individuality and was an antidote to dead times. William Gibson, the cyberpunk pioneer, wrote that this new gadget had done more to change human perception than any virtual reality device. Musicologist Shuhei Hosokawa called it "the Walkman effect."
To celebrate Walkman's 40th anniversary, journalist Matt Alt revisited Sony's iconic invention for The New York Times. Between the nostalgia of cassette tapes and the ideal of social distance, this was one of the articles I most enjoyed reading this week.
“The Walkman débuted in Japan to near silence. But word quickly spread among the youth of Tokyo about a strange new device that let you carry a soundtrack out of your bedroom, onto commuter trains, and into city streets.“
💻 Present Tense
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein
I have read a lot about the concept of Design Thinking and the importance of creating connections between different thoughts. Along the way, I came across Kinopio, a creation by Pirijan for anyone looking to organize and understand ideas, feelings, and even dreams. There is also a scheme about how most corporate structures resemble the Roman Empire's military strategy - a thing of the past that's still here, in the present tense.
🔍 Time will tell
“We think of our future as anticipated memories.” - Daniel Kahneman
The book Range by David Epstein is an ode to generalists and the way they triumph in an increasingly specialized world. For the author, the transversality of knowledge helps us adapt more quickly to new realities. Instead of being stuck with a thought, profession, or technique, David Epstein challenges us to follow random and unusual paths. In uncertain futures, we need curious minds.
And today's question is:
🤔 Where do you keep your notes and thoughts?
Let’s share ideas, recommendations, and thoughts!
Até já!
Inês 🌿