#15: The Systems We Swim In

☀️ Greetings from Porto

For the next two weeks, I’m working remotely from Porto.

Mixing travel with work has become second nature for me since the pandemic (and luckily, for my partner as well). It might seem like a hassle to some, but for us, it fits like a glove.

Still, this is my first time trying something a bit different: staying at The Social Hub, a hotel, coworking space, and event hub all in one, for an extended period.

I first learned about it back in 2022, during my favourite summer school, Building Brands and Influencing Behaviour at the University of Amsterdam. One of the sessions covered their rebranding from The Student Hotel to The Social Hub, and I’ve got to admit: I was in awe the whole time. The mix of hospitality, brand thinking, and genuine care for community really struck a chord with me (especially since it’s the kind of mix that’s usually missing in hotels).

Being here now feels a bit like closing a loop. I’m not sure if it’s the design, the people, or just the change of scenery, but there’s something about this setup that makes work feel a little lighter.

And as you’ve probably heard before, our best ideas often don’t come from working harder, but from giving ourselves the time, space, and environment for creative thinking to flow.

Mixing travel with work has been my way of letting my creative self roam freely.
What’s yours? Share and hit reply - I’m curious 👀 .

📖 3 Articles to Spark Your Curiosity

1. What Happens When We Stop Thinking for Ourselves
   A recent study shows that over-reliance on ChatGPT doesn’t just affect the quality of our writing, but weakens our cognitive abilities altogether. Essays written with AI were faster but flatter, and users showed a 47% drop in brain connectivity.
   → Read on Substack ›

2. Aristotle’s Golden Mean, Revisited
   What if the key to a good life is simply balance? This breakdown of Aristotle’s famous principle explores how virtue lies between extremes and how we can apply this to modern life without sounding like a philosophy textbook.
   → Explore the golden mean ›

3. Marketing Lessons Hiding in News & Pop Culture Headlines
   From attention-grabbing formats to clarity in storytelling, Amanda Natividad put out smart insights hidden in everyday headlines. Whether you're a marketer or just someone who writes on the internet, this one’s packed with gems.
   → Read on Substack ›

🗞️ 3 Headlines Worth Exploring

1. A 10,500-Year-Old Face, Reconstructed
   Scientists and artists brought to life the face of a woman who lived over 10,000 years ago in what is now Belgium. It’s a hauntingly detailed glimpse into the past and a reminder of how much modern science can recover from ancient traces.
   → See the reconstruction

2. Just 4 Products, 1/3 of All Deaths
   Tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed food, and fossil fuels. These four industries are responsible for at least a third of global deaths, says public health researcher Anna Gilmore. They profit most from systemic inaction.
   → Read the full article

3. Reddit’s New Ad Feature Leans on “Positive Vibes”
   Reddit is testing a feature that pairs ads with user-generated positive posts about the brand, AI-curated and summarized for quick reads. It’s called Conversation Summary Add-ons, and it blurs the line between ads and community conversation.
   → More on the update

☀️ 3 Actions to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

1. Swap routines with a friend for one day
   Ask a friend (preferably someone in a different field or city) to share their usual daily rhythm. Then try following it - from how they start their morning to how they wind down. It’s a small experiment in stepping into someone else’s shoes, and you might uncover some surprising habits that work for you.

2. Pick one thing you strongly disagree with and write a defense for it
   You don’t have to believe it, but arguing for a position you typically reject (whether it’s about tech, food, or art) is a great way to stretch your thinking and challenge your default lens.

3. Go somewhere that’s not “your vibe”
   Visit a place in your city you’ve dismissed as “not for me”: a jazz bar if you’re into techno, a gallery if you’re more into games, a flea market if you’re a minimalist. Go with an open mind. Let curiosity lead instead of preference.

⚡ 6 Quick Resources

🗓️ To consult with: isitfridayyet.net
A one-click answer to life’s most urgent question: is it Friday yet? (Spoiler: it depends.)

🎬 To watch: Film Historian Answers Old Hollywood Questions
Tony Maietta dives into Hollywood’s golden age, from Chaplin’s legacy to Monroe’s fame, and the odd truth behind silent film scripts.

💼 To learn: How to Negotiate Your Salary Package
An episode packed with insights on understanding leverage, handling offers, and negotiating with confidence, beyond just numbers.

💻 To read: Why Generative AI Tools Don’t Work for Me
A thoughtful take on the limits of AI in coding, from debugging struggles to losing intentionality in the dev process.

🎥 To add to your watchlist: Best Movies of the 21st Century (So Far)
A stunning, interactive visual list from The New York Times featuring the 100 best films of this century, full of hidden gems and iconic picks.

🧠 To check: The Need for Closure Scale - Personality Test
Discover how much uncertainty you tolerate and how strongly you crave definitive answers. It’s backed by decades of research in cognitive psychology.

🎲 This week’s wonderfully random corner of the internet 

🌎 earth.nullschool.net

A hypnotic, real-time visualization of global wind patterns, ocean currents, and weather systems. Zoom in, spin the globe, and watch our planet breathe, one data-powered gust at a time.

Perfect for your next rabbit hole.

📝 Word of the Week

Aporia (noun) - A state of puzzlement or doubt; an impasse in thought where certainty breaks down.

Used in philosophy and rhetoric, aporia describes that moment where logic loops in on itself or questions multiply instead of resolve, not unlike the times when our plans shift unexpectedly, or when our tools (like AI) both reveal and obscure.

🧘‍♀️ Question of the Week for Introspection

When was the last time you sat with uncertainty instead of rushing to solve it?

Whether it was in a decision, a conversation, or even while learning something new, what did sitting with the discomfort teach you?

See you next Sunday! Until then, keep your eyes open, your questions big, and your sense of wonder alive.

Your curious internet friend,

Ruxandra