Hello š
The Counterflows newsletter celebrates its first birthday this month.
When I hit publish on that very first email a year ago, everything was different. All I hoped was that by forcing myself to publish, I might overcome a gnarly bout of writerās block. It worked. I was able to find my voice againāand connect with people like you who believe in what I do even on days that I donāt.
I wrote aboutĀ basic incomeĀ andĀ open bordersĀ in those early editionsāideas that seem more important than ever, but more distant too. Just as I did then, I still believe that trying to make sense of the world we live in is the duty of those who write. Thank you for giving me a place to do that, and allowing me to share my curiosity and findings with you week after week.
I spent a recent lockdown weekend creating a landing page for the newsletter. Do me a favour and share it with someone you think should subscribe?
-Lauren
PS: Donāt forget to join me and pals for a Clubhouse chat about digital nomads, work from anywhere, and subscription living for remote workers later today. Let me know if you need an app invite (iPhone/iPad only).
šš° Twitter Acquires Newsletter Platform Revue (Axios)
Speaking of newsletters, Twitter acquired a Dutch newsletter platform called Revue this week, bringing their six-person team in-house and indicating their plans to expand and invest. The popular Every bundle of newsletters and podcasts has just abandoned Substack for their own infrastructure too. The competition for the next generation of publishers is heating up fast.
š¬š Whatās Driving Californiaās Mass Exodus? (CNBC)
People and companies are ditching California and heading for states that offer more competitive packages and incentives for them to base there. This documentary (~19 mins) explores the trend, which has been accelerated by the switch to remote work. It touches on some of the same points as my recent essay aboutĀ distributed innovation and Silicon Valley's future.
š šŗļø Are Creator Towns the Future of Urban Living? (Nat Eliason)
So, when people leave the major cities and hubs of the 2010s behind, where do they go? Nat Eliason is betting big on the creative class relocating to smaller towns and cities. Thatās why heās just announced his intention to rejuvenate a historic town near Austin, TX, to serve them. This post explains his creator town concept and sets the tone for this ambitious placemaking project.
šāļø The Human Cloud: How Freelancers Are Transforming Work (Matthew Mottola)
Matthew Mottola, Microsoftās former future of work lead, connects artificial intelligence with the rise of freelancing in his debut book. Itās designed to help both employees and employers navigate the shift, and I got my hands on an advance copy last year. Itās released in North America this week, but you can get your hands on a Kindle copy wherever you are in the world.
š¼š§āāļøYou Really Donāt Need To Work So Much (The New Yorker)
There are many jobs of ādubious necessityā in the world today. In this piece, Tim Wu examines the idea that people donāt need to work as much as they used to. Yet the productivity gains of technology havenāt resulted in the shorter work weeks that commentators have predicted over the past 50 years. (This was written in 2015, so positively pre-pandemic, but an interesting read for our current context.)
šļøāļø Reflections of an Agoraphobic Travel Writer During Lockdown (The Independent)
Sian Meades is one of the finest writers and internet people Iāve ever met. This brave, beautifully-crafted piece of writing describes her experience of agoraphobia during the UK lockdowns, contrasted with her life as a food and travel writer pre-pandemic. Iām in awe of her resilience and ability to articulate what so many of us feel, whether weāre agoraphobic or not.
ā Next week, Iāll share an exclusive gift with my Ko-Fi supporters for the first time. So, if you enjoy the newsletter, nowās a great time to buy me a virtual coffee.
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