Making Connections #7: What more can we do?
While understanding the incredibly fortunate position I’m in to still have paid work, like many others I’ve been struggling a bit in the last couple of weeks. In a time of crisis, you want to help. You want to do the unsexy work that helps the community. But what do you do when the government is telling you that your major contribution should be staying indoors?
This weekend I’ve been trying to brainstorm ideas for how we can help from home:
Donating to worthwhile causes: I’m giving to the Wayside Chapel, they’re trying to help more and more people who need emergency clothing, meals, showers, emergency care and help to find housing during this crisis. Donate here. I’d love to hear of other causes I should support, please reply with suggestions.
Pre-paying for services: Develop a way for people to pre-pay their regular service providers like hairdressers and dry cleaners to help them bridge their finances until we’re through this.
Delivering groceries to the elderly: Find a way of contacting the elderly at home, take their orders and do supermarket runs for them.
Sell swag and donate the proceeds: Spin up a Shopify store, get some designers and illustrators to donate their work and print on t-shirts, caps etc, giving all profits to worthwhile causes.
Some way of getting more PPE to health workers - I can’t charter a 747 à la Musk but would love ideas for how to do this.
On Deck fellows in the US are trying to do their part already:
If you’re keen to brainstorm ideas and work on a project, please sign up here and I’ll put together groups of 4-6 people with complementary skills to work together.
Hopefully, together we can play a small part in making even a single life easier for someone who is struggling financially or putting their life at risk to save others.
Comedy
Some light relief for after you involuntarily check the John Hopkins dashboard for the 13th time.
Online Writing
On Hope (in a time of hopelessness)
Hope is not thinking positive thoughts. Hope is not self-delusion. Hope is clinging to the life raft and kicking, even when there is no sight of land. Hope is a muscle. Like most muscles, it hurts like hell at first, but it gets easier as you get stronger, and you get stronger the more routine, seemingly pointless work you put into it. It is possible. It’s not easy. It takes the sort of work, every day, of doing what needs to be done to care for yourself, your community, your society, even when you resent having to do so and would rather lie down for five minutes or five months or the rest of your life. That’s hope. It’s not a mood. It’s an action. It’s behaving as if there might be a future even when that seems patently ridiculous.
The Most Important Media Businesses of the (Past and) Future
Matthew Ball on the evolution from physical theme parks to digital worlds:
Disneyland is about tightly controlled experiences that are expertly designed to tell specific stories in specific ways...What makes Roblox and Minecraft so potent is their focus on tools above all else (there’s literally no story). The messiness and unpredictability of creation is not only most of the fun, but entirely user-led.
The Creation and the Myth of Kanye West
A well-written piece taking you into the mind of one of the most controversial public figures today. Surprising myself, I came out with admiration for his creativity and dedication to pushing the boundaries of what society thinks is possible.
Books
Well-written fiction is exactly the escapism I need right now, I’m currently enjoying Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton.
Podcasts
Hilaree Nelson on Finding Mastery
One of the world’s most respected mountaineers, on believing in yourself and overcoming adversity. I first encountered Hilaree when I watched her first descent of Lhotse - I highly recommend.