A weekly outpour of 5 of the things I consume every week. A coalescence of art, podcasts, articles, essays, newsletters, movies, web series and any other form of media you can imagine.
Hola curious fellas! In this information era what we digest is what we reflect. Here's a flux of information you might find interesting.
1. Michael Pollan – This Is Your Mind On Plants on The Tim Ferriss Show (Podcast)
It’s weird but the subject of psychedelics and their application in treating people suffering from anxiety and depression has always intrigued me. Michael Pollan is a pioneer in this arena and I never miss anything from him- his podcasts, his guest appearances, his books and even his book recommendations.
This podcast, an antecedent to the release of his book – ‘This Is Your Mind On Plants’, he deliberates on his early years as a gardener, things we don’t know about opium, mescaline and caffeine, improvements in psychedelic medical research and much more.
2. What if you're already on top of things? by Oliver Burkeman (Essay)
I am in awe of Burkeman after reading his book ‘The Antidote’, his knack for explaining human psychology through anecdotes will blow you away. He recently released a new book which took me to his blog. This essay talks about how we wake up with a ‘Productivity Debt’ every day, with a mindset to utilize every iota of time and yet end up feeling dissatisfied. Take this article as a sign to pat yourselves on the back for ticking off even one task on your to-do list, breathe and let it be.
3. Why Are So Many Knowledge Workers Quitting? by New Yorker (Article)
Written by Cal Newport who is probably the most practical author I have encountered after reading his book ‘Deep Work’ recommended by my friend @Nitin Lalwani. In this article Newport deliberates over how the pandemic has made us question how we are spending our lives by making a reference to David Thoreau’s book ‘Walden’ which ponders on walking as a practice to slow down. This article pushed me to order the book finally after reading about Thoreau here and there for quite some time now.
4. Modern Love Season 2 on Amazon Prime (Web Series)
I started watching Modern Love Season 2 with my partner. The series explores love in a horde of forms – including sexual, romantic, platonic, and also self-love. The people portrayed are imperfect in just the perfect ways, bent at the corners, dog eared and perhaps damaged just enough to be quirky and loveable, never dangerous or toxic. The show is, while rooted in realism, a utopian vision of what a diverse world, full of love and acceptance would look like.
5. Sattva- Issue 13 by Saffron Tail (Newsletter)
Through this fortnightly newsletter, Nandita Iyer focuses on topics such as mindfulness, productivity, slow living and sustainability, accompanied by genuinely useful recommendations of products, books, music, links to read, and of course food and recipes. I have been reading her column in Mint every Saturday, her recipes are a delight for vegetarians. I have learnt so much about Superfoods and how to grow salad leaves from her blog. Definitely one person you should follow on Instagram.
BONUS
Aliens I Wish I Could Date - Illustrated Humour
I subscribed to The New Yorker's- Daily Humour Newsletter a few months ago, it is filled with regular dose of humor, satire, and funny observations. The illustrations will make you crackle every day - it’s quirky, creative and is brimming with laughter. I would recommend you to check out some articles rather than giving you any more spoilers.
If you are wondering where the issue picture is from, check this out: https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/achievable-ways-to-feel-accomplished?itm_content=footer-recirc