Greg's Newsletter Does (not do) Sunday Service [No. 057]
We’re really doing this.
Your Dirty AirPods Are Grosser Than You Think
I thoroughly love that illustration, btw.
I’ve been having a delightful week watching the NBA playoffs, which is one of the best tournaments in all of sport. The intensity. Superstars elevating to new heights. The drama. It’s hard to top. LOL at the Celtics getting worked, too.
But also, shoutout to the Champions League, fr fr. It’s a good league.
This week of basketball watching coincides with Rachel being out of town for work so I’d be remiss if I didn’t say I LOVE YOU SWEETIE I REALLY MISS YOU. But, you know, hoops.
How is your relationship with tech?
Have you taken a purposeful break from social media? Or certain other apps? Have you completely deleted or removed certain social platforms or tech devices from your life? I want to know! And feature you in the next newsletter (if you’re cool with it).
There are no shortage of think pieces and takes on developing healthier relationships with technology. This one, from Angela Lashbrook, is good at laying out some of the nuances that come with these kinds of decisions.
The thing that’s most beneficial to a lot of people isn’t “breaking an addiction” or overcoming the need to feel those dopamine blasts after posting, but rather just breaking the habit of always picking up a device and scrolling. It’s about gaining control.
Social media breaks are probably good for a lot of people, but not everyone. Lashbrook’s article calls out a study that found that, for young LGBTQ men in rural or conservative areas, taking a break from social media means taking a break from their communities and closest friends.
Same goes for those users who rely on social media for professional reasons (which makes up a pretty sizeable chunk of this newsletter’s subscribers. And, like, what I do for work).
This is a topic that I’m trying to explore intimately in my own life this year and, like I said, if you have thoughts or experiences in this realm, I’d love to hear about it.
I won’t really talk about ‘Ye much, but…
I’ve shied away from discussing (and wanting to discuss) Kanye these past few years because, uhhhh, he’s intolerable.
Vice did a really smart piece on his 2019 “Sunday Service” shenanigans that crescendoed on Easter morning at Coachella. Read the whole thing, but it gets to what Kanye is really doing with his quasi-religious music experiences: Marketing. Self-indulgence. Bullshit.
And now, some stuff, just because
^ click on that
@lowballoffer is an Instagram account that documents one person’s attempt to lowball eBay users using the “Make an Offer” feature. This is my kind of content. Kinda pissed I didn’t come up with this idea.
Robocalls are the worst and are evolving.
OK, that’s it for this week. IF YOU’VE READ THIS FAR AND YOU HAVE FEEDBACK/SUGGESTIONS, I DESPERATELY WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
#GoSports