The Navigator, Saturday, December 28, 2024

Your human capital, climate breaking point, Mr. Sunshine, indigenous metal, Jeremy Strong, embracing silence—and more

We’re smack dab in the middle of “Dead Week,” or what some people call “Twixmas,” that period between Christmas and New Year’s when things go eerily quiet and force us to slow down.

We’ve chosen two bits of media that we think get this week right — first, All Hail Dead Week, The Best Week of the Year by Helena Fitzgerald in The Atlantic. And for those who might find the brevity of TikTok more endearing, here’s creator Jared Fried’s (@wizardofha) take.

In case you missed it Wednesday, we compiled a short list of media for you to enjoy during this time off and to share with your friends and family. This coming Wednesday, New Year’s Day, we’ll be sharing the trends that impacted us in 2024 and will likely continue into 2025.

We’ll return to our regular publishing schedule the week of January 5th.

As always, thank you for including us in your regular readings. Please keep the conversation going by leaving a comment below, and let us know what you’d like to watch, hear or read about next, in the New Year.

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Trump Asks Supreme Court to Pause Law that Could Ban TikTok (Reuters)

In case you missed it, President-elect Donald Trump has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to pause a federal TikTok law that would ban the popular social media app or force its sale, saying he should have time after taking office to pursue a "political resolution" to the issue.

How to Embrace Silence (TIME)

Silence is an essential nutrient in an increasingly noisy world, writes Richard Cytowic.

For Gen Alpha, learning to read is becoming a privilege (Business Insider)

Joshua McGoun, a K-12 public school teacher in Frederick, Maryland, first noticed a change in his students about 10 years ago. They began to struggle with focus.

'Deny, deflect, delay': Jeremy Strong channels Trump's mentor in 'The Apprentice' (NPR’s Fresh Air podcast)

Fresh Air Host Terry Gross interviews actor Jeremy Strong, best-known for his role as Kendall Roy in HBO's Succession. Strong is now up for a Golden Globe Award for playing lawyer and political hitman Roy Cohn—Donald Trump’s early mentor— in the 2024 movie, The Apprentice.

Mr. Sunshine

A sweet, 3-minute, award-winning, short-form doc filmed in New Zealand and packed with inspiration—and something to see during this week of making New Year’s Resolutions. Directed by Eldon Booth and produced by Alex Lovell, Mister Sunshine, a.k.a. Larry Woods, is a millionaire turned shoeshine man who lives his life by a very strict code: “If there’s any good that I can do, or any kindness that I could show, let me do this now, for I shall not pass this way again.”

What the Record Wave of New 65-Year-Olds Means for Wall Street (The Wall Street Journal)

Financial institutions will profit from the shifting of retirement assets, but also face repayment risk from some seniors

Continuing to invest in your human capital will boost your finances later in life (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

More people in the second halves of their lives are embracing late-life jobs and careers, which can bring both income and meaning.

The ‘Anthropological Change’ Happening in Venezuela (The Atlantic)

Maduro is still in place, but a pro-democracy movement is transforming the beleaguered country.

Climate change is pushing some governments to the breaking point (Vox)

One country offers a glimpse into the future of warming and unrest.

Loud, angry, and Indigenous: Heavy metal takes on colonialism and climate change (Grist)

Indigenous bands have always been part of metal, creating a place for musicians and fans to channel anger and find community.

Is There Any Escape from the Spotify Syndrome? (The New Yorker)

The history of recorded music is now at our fingertips. But the streamer’s algorithmic skill at giving us what we like may keep us from what we’ll love.

9 actually good things that happened in 2024 (Vox)

It wasn’t the easiest year, but 2024 was not without its bright spots.