I’ve read a lot of articles, but I’ve also wasted a fair amount of time trying to find ones I actually want to read. I imagine it’s a pretty universal experience for curious people who want to read as widely and as deeply as possible: you decide you want to read something interesting and unique, then you get overwhelmed by options, and eventually realise you’ve spent more time searching than reading. At best, you finally land on something that interests you. At worst, you give up and don’t read anything at all.
Fortunately, all that time spent has paid off. Over the years, I’ve built up a hefty list of pieces that I love (and I think you will too). By sharing a handful of them here and more in future posts, my hope is that you can skip the searching and go straight to the good stuff. I guess that kind of works out as net time saved for humanity?
So, without further ado, here are 4 articles that are absolutely worth your time this week:
No one is self-made - Aeon
I loved this article. It’s an incredibly well-written piece that challenges the idea that people “get what they deserve,” using Confucianism and Daoism to show why meritocracy is far less fair than some people make out. It essentially looks at how moral rankings become tools of power, encourage self‑exploitation, and ignore how much luck shapes success.
The general premise — as the name suggests — is that no one is truly ‘self‑made,’ and once you see how much your life depends on circumstance rather than will, any moral justifications for inequality start to fall apart. As someone who is guilty of beating themselves up for ‘not doing enough’ and viewing failures as a result of personal shortcomings, I found this article incredibly comforting. A great read for when you want some respite from hustle-culture content.
Why do people, like, say ‘like’ so much? - The Guardian
As an avid ‘like’ user, I found this article super validating. In sum, it criticises the idea that “like” is just a lazy filler word, arguing that much of the disapproval directed at people who use it is nothing but linguistic snobbery.
The article traces the word’s history (Shakespeare used it), explains the useful purposes it serves in everyday conversation, and shows how the backlash against it is actually rooted in classism and sexism rather than faulty grammar. A pretty watertight defence to deploy the next time you encounter a self-appointed member of the grammar police.
How much is your kidney worth? - Neoma
A hugely thought-provoking article that explores whether paying living kidney donors could help tackle the chronic shortage of organs, and whether it would be morally right. It follows the story of a woman whose son’s decision to donate a kidney to a stranger inspired her to campaign for financial compensation for donors.
I was pretty torn at the end, which highlights how well the article explains both sides of the argument. If you're interested in moral dilemmas and nuanced journalism that doesn't offer easy answers, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a read.
This article is wild. It tells the true story of an emperor who essentially manifested his own death, and explains how common self-fulfilling prophecies are. From Oedipus Rex to political events and social experiments, it explores how our beliefs can shape our actions and, ultimately, the reality we create around us. A fascinating reminder that sometimes the things we expect to happen influence what actually happens.
Happy reading, and let me know your thoughts on these recommendations! I have plenty more to share and would love to know if you’d be interested in seeing them.
The Feed Filter
This was a really great read!