Welcome to this week’s 5BF: my weekly article where I share
the contents of my learning from the past week in my life.
1 – what I read
Pakistan a new history by Ian Talbot - a disheartening read of
the tragic history of Pakistan over the six decades since her independence from
India. Talbot’s honest and critical study of Pakistan’s continually failed
governance, both from military and civil governments helps explain the stagnant
backwardness and pile of interconnected issues that Pakistan is under and has
been for much of her history. The only hopes that Talbot helps paint in future
and in the youth of Pakistan is also very conditional, making this book,
although important, a very frustrating and saddening read.
2 – this week’s articles
Longtermism as world’s most dangerous credo @aeon – explaining
the philosophy of the 21st century, which is pretty populated by the
tech billionaires, this article brings forth the dangers of ‘longtermism’ which
is an apathetic and threatening ambitious view focused on the survival of our
species ‘homo sapiens’, usually at the expense of neglecting the personal or
even national crisis that human beings might go through. An in-depth look into
what really makes this philosophy so dangerous in the context of our current situations
like global warming, AI, and so on.
The true cost of upgrading your phone @nytimes – a financial
and environmental investigation of the cost of upgrading our phones whenever a
model comes out. A great example of how money changes its value over time and
why we should be more rational, rather than emotional, when making our purchase
decisions.
3 – this week’s podcasts
Opioids in America @throughline – a history of Opioids in America
through its three popular drugs: the early ‘morphine’, the proposed antidote ‘heroine’
that really takes off, and the much advertised and normalized ‘oxycodone’ by
the Sackler family. Thrilling!
War of the worlds @throughline – a history of the Shia-Sunni
schism and conflict in four chapter; from the event of Karbala to the modern-day
Middle East and the conflicting states of these two sects of Islam. Both emotional
and political; a rounding viewpoint.
4 – what I watched
Crime of the Century @BBC – a three hour long, two parts
documentary about the Opioid crisis in America and the role of the family
behind most of the crisis: the Sackler family.
Enough @vlogbrothers – my new favorite anecdote told by John
Greene in his weekly vlog on YouTube. A must listen!
5 – this week’s quote
‘Love is a possible strength and an actual weakness.’
Thomas Hardy (Far from the madding crowd)