This week on The Deep Dive: How we forged our own path straight to a pit of isolation (in a fun way!), tech companies are ✨ introducing ✨ their newest AI features, maybe the town of Moore, Oklahoma was born with it or maybe it’s the white bison, finding the key to an uncrackable code at the CIA headquarters, and did Caroline Calloway scam you too?

This week on The Rabbit Hole, some more thoughts on individualism. Last week, I wrote about The Try Guys’s confusing new venture. And if you’re signed up for The Rabbit Hole, don’t forget that you have access to the searchable, filterable, and sortable playlist with every recommendation from The Deep Dive ever!

CULTURE

The Myth of Individualism by Sisyphus 55 (20:43)

What happens when an entire economic system is built off of the idea of completely rejecting conformity? If you’ve ever wondered why capitalism is obsessed with the idea of individualism, consider the way authenticity has been commodified for profit. In this video, Sisyphus 55 breaks down the pressure many of us face to “be unique,” “find ourselves,” and “be our own person,” despite the fact that it’s nearly impossible for any single one of us to live without relying on others. Unless, of course, we have access to the isolating power that is money. How did hyper-individualism kill our communities and the rituals that once defined our connection to one another? And in a system where our futures become impossible to imagine, is looking to the past for inspiration our only option?

TECHNOLOGY

How AI Stole the ✨ Sparkles ✨ Emoji by David Imel (28:56)

What emotion or feeling do you associate with the sparkles emoji? Magic? Shininess? Ironic emphasis à la Gen Z humor? In this video, David Imel explores the various contexts in which technology and internet users adopted the ✨ emoji and how it came to symbolize the introduction of new AI features. As it turns out, the sparkles emoji has a slightly different meaning that predates its entry into American consciousness with the first set of smartphone emojis. How old is the sparkles emoji? What does its existence have to do with Manga and Japanese visual language? How did Americans come to understand it separate from its original Japanese context? And why did the AI industry “steal” it?

This issue of The Deep Dive is sponsored by Strong Towns

Last chance to sign up for the Strong Towns National Gathering!

Strong Towns is a YouTube channel dedicated to a better future for America's towns and neighborhoods. This year, Strong Towns is holding its National Gathering on May 14-15 in Cincinnati. The event will feature sessions about building safer streets, how to talk to your community about the need for public investment, and more.

Register for the event here and use code HAYAK2024 to get 10% off General Admission tickets. If you do buy tickets, hit reply and let me know so I can connect you with other rabbits who will be attending!