AI summary
Doug is recovering from an illness that has left him weak and in pain, but is on the mend and has been keeping active with long walks. He has been preparing for the installation of solar panels and a Tesla Powerwall 3 at his home, which is expected to save him around 75% on his energy bills. Doug also discusses his upcoming work and personal plans, including attending the MozFest in Barcelona and working on various projects.
…
AI summary
Doug is resuming his weekly updates, inspired by Ahmet Sabanci's Weird and Deadly Interesting blog, and will be publishing "weekstarters" that look both back and ahead. This week, Doug is preparing for a Mozilla Alumni gathering in Toronto and working on client projects, including helping INASP replace their organisational site. He is also looking forward to introducing a new tool called "Soundings" and has been enjoying various books, audiobooks, and music in his personal time.
…
AI summary
Doug reflects on the value of re-reading books, particularly Michel de Montaigne's essays, as one ages. He highlights Montaigne's suggestion that we should frequently contemplate and discuss death, not fear it. Doug appreciates Montaigne's emotional honesty and practical advice, such as being prepared for death at any moment, metaphorically having one's "boots on." He also notes Montaigne's optimism about life's quality over quantity and the universal need to confront one's mortality.
…
AI summary
Doug critiques Rose Horowitch's The Atlantic article, arguing that it oversimplifies the 'end of reading' narrative. He contends that the piece ignores broader societal factors, such as Big Tech and capitalism, and instead blames individuals for changing reading habits. Doug also highlights the author's moralistic stance and lack of substantial evidence, quoting David Hume's is-ought problem to illustrate the logical fallacy.
…
AI summary
Doug highlights a quote from Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, emphasising that tranquillity can be found anywhere, much like Plato's notion of inner peace within city walls. The accompanying image depicts two people reading books comfortably, reinforcing the idea of finding serenity in simple activities.
…It's a bit of a coincidence that the main protagonist in both the last book I read and the current book I'm reading are both the same age as me. Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene was absolutely fantastic, and I'm enjoying the modern James Bond novel Solo by William Boyd so far.
…Reading things that are relevant to the facts of your life is of limited value. The facts are, after all, only the facts, and the yearning passionate part of you will not be met there. That is why reading ourselves as a fiction as well as fact is so liberating. The wider we read the freer we become.
…