Miscellaneous 2020 Influences

Memes that made my year enriching, if still a hot mess.

The Energy Gang

Of all of the energy and climate podcasts I started following this year, The Energy Gang is the one I am most consistently excited to listen to. It’s both information-rich and conversational. In particular, the episode above covered three equally fascinating topics: causes of the (then-) recent California rolling black-outs, the magnitude of China’s development plans for coal, and the impact of fossil fuels on human health, climate change aside.

Rewiring America by Saul Griffith with Sam Calisch and Laura Fraser

As I mentioned in this article, Rewiring America is a source of actionable optimism for how we can move toward a sustainable future. The ebook was extremely accessible and highly informative - a great read for one wanting to get up to speed on climate technology.

The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick

I don’t know if I will ever have a job in which I deploy the tactics in this book for their explicit purposes, however, this book revealed to me a common and bad habit that I’ve been carrying around my entire life: self-sabotaging attempts to ask for candid feedback by using leading questions.

As it happens, the author reading of the audiobook is my absolute favorite performance of its kind. This is a business-self-help type of book, but I would recommend it to anyone in my life, whether for the sociological insight or for being delightful to listen to.

Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein

Why We’re Polarized was artful in its entirety, but there were two points that were lightbulbs for me: first was the discussion of research showing that people are very good at seeking out and dismissing information to confirm their own biases. Intelligence does not make one immune to bias (note to self). Second, describing the past half century as Klein does expanded my perspective on our current moment of cultural friction. There is a navigability to having a dominant culture, which does not justify the marginalization and violence that it can impose. But, to me, it’s helpful to recognize that there is some cost-benefit. Disrupting the dominant culture and having to repeatedly sort out who’s voice carries weight on a given topic is hopefully a side-effect of growing pains that lead to a more equitable future.