Hi 👋 

What a looong and hectic week it’s been for me.

I’m not gonna lie—I found it really difficult to find some reading time this week, just because there was so much going on. I had to squeeze some paragraphs in between sets at the gym, during my commute, and even during bathroom breaks.

I also had to put in a few extra hours after bedtime. 😮‍💨

But! No excuses. I’m here again with what I think is a killer reading list. Plus: I tried to do something new this week. I steered away from my usual fare of dark and depressing stories of abuse (though I don’t think I was completely successful). So this week’s recos are a bit on the lighter side… I think.

In any case, as with last week, please let me know what you think of the list this week by voting in the poll below. 🙏

And if you like the newsletter, please consider helping me grow by sharing it to your friends, colleagues and family! 🫶

Happy reading and see you again next Monday!

One long read…

Okay… I know I said I tried to veer away from the dark and depressing theme, but this story went live toward the end of last week and there was no way that I wasn’t going to make it my spotlight.

Tesla is one of the biggest car companies in the world, and arguably the most influential, at least on the internet. Elon Musk has built a cult following of online bros that look up to him, sort of as a demigod, and who seem to think that he can do no wrong—even despite his very controversial and botched buyout of Twitter.

So it’s really unfortunate—that’s putting it lightly—that the company apparently won’t wield its influence for good. Instead, as this story has uncovered, Tesla has bred a toxic, harmful, and misogynist culture that very brazenly disrespects women and other racial and sexual minorities.

I can’t say I’m shocked, though. As Bryce Covert writes in his article, “such a corporate culture, with its pervasive dehumanization and permissive attitude toward abusive behavior, usually rots from the top.“

Musk, after all, didn’t build his online following by being a nice guy.

A bit unrelated, but I feel like I should still say this here: A big part of Tesla’s appeal is that it’s supposedly more kind to the environment than other cars.

I don’t know enough about Teslas to knock them as automobiles, but I do know enough about environmental science to see through their marketing as greenwashed nonsense.

Charging these cars still guzzle a lot of energy, and extracting minerals for their manufacturing destroys forests, mountains and communities in poor countries, not to mention it makes modern slaves out of desperate people.

Just something to consider before buying your own Tesla unit.

🕓 This is a long story that can also get difficult at certain points. It might take you a bit over an hour.

… and then some

1 - Total Eclipse Of The Mind | NOÉMA Magazine, Free

The eclipse happened last week, so you know I’m putting a related essay here. And this one is really good. It’s less about the eclipse (though it is still very much about that) and more about how fallible our memories are—and how our brain falls short at fully capturing the beauty and profoundness of certain experiences.

🕓 Not a particularly long piece, and very easy to read. Maybe 50 minutes at most, distractions included.

2 - The Eider Keepers | bioGraphic, Free

This is a really beautiful story that is, at its core, about extinction. (I think.) The impending extinction of a centuries-old tradition, which helps fight the extinction of a graceful species. The idea itself already offers a very elegant and interesting tensions, but it really shines when it comes into contact with really driven characters. Really great writing from author Pål Hermansen.

🕓 A long story. Might take you and hour.

3 - The New Science of Death: ‘There’s Something Happening in the Brain That Makes no Sense’ | The Guardian, Free

Okay… I know death, strictly speaking, falls squarely in the category of “dark and depressing,” but give this a chance. This story is more a curious look into what lies beyond death, and raises some big questions about what death even is in the first place. It can get a bit scholarly at some points, but honestly it’s not too difficult. The writer does a great job of holding your hand through it.

🕓 Hmm. Not a particularly hard read, but also not too gripping. Maybe an hour tops?

4 - All by Itself, the Humble Sweet Potato Colonized the World | The New York Times, Free

This one is a light and easy story about sweet potatoes, and how they’ve establised themselves in many different countries, seemingly without human help. It’s really humbling to see how life can thrive even without us. It might also sound like a lot of needless blabber about such a minor thing, but being knowledgeable about the evolution of a crop can help us create more hardy variants.

🕓 Mostly an easy and short story. Might take 35 minutes.

5 - Too Much Stuff: Can We Solve Our Addiction to Consumerism? | The Guardian, Free

Hmm. This is an interesting essay that takes a comfortable middle road between individual action to curb the climate catastrophe versus holding the big corporations and governments accountable. And I understand. It makes sense: Do whatever we can while still calling for greater corporate action on the environment. But I don’t know… I wish we could all stand together and do something radical for the planet, since the crisis is our fault, anyway.

🕓 Also not too long. Maybe 45 minutes? Or 1 hour if you’re distracted.

6 - The Family Who Vanished Into the Bush | Slate, Free

What can I say—I’m such a sucker for true crime-type stories. And this one is quite the thriller. It has twist after twist after twist and characters that are so full of intrigue. And the story isn’t even done yet. As far as I know, it’s still an open case.

🕓 This is a pretty long story, but it’s really gripping. I’d say 45 minutes if you stay focused.

7 - Ant Geopolitics | Aeon, Free

This is one of those incredible pieces of science writing that (in my opinion) perfectly infuses a human interest focus with a highly technical, borderline-jargon flavor. It draws you in with some very seemingly-obvious parallels between human and ant society, then easily breaks it down toward the end, while still pointing out that there are lessons to be learned, even if they’re not patterns and behaviors to be emulated.

🕓 Also pretty long, and honestly can be a bit tough at some points. Easily over an hour if you like to take breaks in between.

8 - The Internet Archive Just Backed Up an Entire Caribbean Island | WIRED, $

This is a really cool story. I’m a very big proponent of what the Internet Archive stands for, but I understand that Aruba is putting itself at risk by handing over its entire historical catalog to a foreign private entity. And I guess we’ll see in the future if it turns out to be a mistake and if it screws them over. But at the very least, the Internet Archive is doing what governments all over the world won’t.

🕓 Not a long story. Maybe 30 minutes at most, distractions included.

9 - How Technology Led a Hospital To Give a Patient 38 Times His Dosage | WIRED, $

Full disclosure up top: This is just an excerpt from a book, and so the article is incomplete, I think. Which is good, because while it does a great job at diving deep into the intricacies of medical record keeping, it kind of just stops there. It doesn’t follow the patient that was given a severe overdose. It missed out on what makes a science story… well… a story. That said, I’m tempted to buy the book just to see what happens.

🕓 Also not a long story. Probably 45 minutes.

Bonus reco!

The Weekly Tea Newsletter

We are a Hoboken, NJ-based weekly newsletter that spills the latest “tea” in 5 categories.

Here's what you can look forward to in your Weekly cup of The Tea 🍵:
• Positive news
• Lifestyle tips and tricks
• Health and wellness
• Social media trends
• Travel and leisure

Subscribe here!

Around the world

Here are some of the most important/interesting/infuriating news bits from around the world this week:

1 - Eid Al-Fitr happened last week. Eid Mubarak (belated, I know) to those who celebrate!
+ But for our brothers and sisters in Gaza, this is the saddest Eid yet.
+ Also last week, U.K.’s foreign minister David Cameron said that the country will not stop the flow of weapons to Israel.

2 - The solar eclipse also happened last week. A total eclipse was visible from several locations in the U.S.

3 - Cicada-geddon? Two massive broods of cicadas have collided, which means that hordes of the insect will wash over several states in the U.S.

4 - Elections took place in South Korea last week, ending in a stunning victory for the opposition.
+ Ashamed by the defeat, top officials of the ruling party have offered to resign.

5 - In the Philippines, a public school has solved the seven-decade mystery of its name.
+ The Nellie E. Brown Elementary School, with the help of dedicated alumni, has finally found out who Nellie was: The kindergarten teacher of a U.S. Navy officer who oversaw the construction of the elementary school.

Thanks for reading! Please, please reach out if you have feedback, suggestions, or questions. I know some of the stories I recommend might be behind paywalls, and maybe I can help you with access to those, too!

Also, I’d appreciate it so much if you help me grow by sharing The Lazy Reader with friends or family who you think might also enjoy a good longform story 🫶

Until next Monday! 👋