A list of good reads
- Joshua Benton writes a thought-provoking piece for Neiman Labs about misinformation. The good news: bad facts don’t have a significant impact on what people believe. The bad news: Neither do good facts.
- Speaking of separating fact from fiction, New York Times looks at totally made up stories that are passed off as truth in TV series “inspired” by IRL stories and people.
- Rest of World reports on the revenge of the YouTube “scambaiters”—who prank, hack and harass call centre workers suspected of making scam calls—usually in India.
- Everyone knows that oil companies knew all about global warming—but continued to lie about it. New York Times reports on a new study that reveals the eerily accurate predictions of ExxonMobil made back in the 70s.
- New Yorker has a fascinating essay on how people think—we are a lot more different than you’d expect.
- The Guardian looks at why the recommended drinking guidelines vary between countries—from 21 drinks a week in Belgium to no more than 10 in Australia.
- Keep dozing off while trying to binge-watch? Wired has an excellent guide to help you stay awake.
- Washington Post has a must-read illustrated piece on the “Spoon Theory” that helps you understand the everyday life and choices of people with chronic illnesses.
- This exclusive excerpt from former special director of the Indian Intelligence Bureau AS Dulat’s memoir in The Telegraph offers a rare glimpse into the mindset of Indian spycraft—especially in Kashmir.
- Ritwik Mitra reports for Missing Perspectives on the woes of Chikankari artisans in Lucknow.
- LongReads has an entertaining tribute to the strange world of Google reviews.
