Monday Mashup: Emojis, Luxuries, and Too‑Smart TVs
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Every other week, we scour the web to bring you interesting bits and pieces from around the world. Enjoy!
Emojis Grow Up
This article asks the question “Should grown men use emoji?” It’s in The New York Times’ Men’s Style section, but we think it’s applicable to all—should adults make use of the sometimes-funny, sometimes-bizarre, always-juvenile imagery in conversations? Plenty of arguments for and against at the link. What are your thoughts? We say ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Stay-At-Home Parenting Not A Luxury
Allison Carter, a stay-at-home-mom, takes issue with the statement, “Well, you’re luck to have that luxury.” She asks what makes it a luxury, when she and her family have made sacrifices to make it possible. It’s a good read in general – especially for any stay-at-home parent who is tired of feeling like a commodity – and it prompts an examination of what we consider necessities and what we consider luxuries in life.
Brave New World Has Arrived
Voice command televisions? Sign us up! But televisions that can inadvertently record our private conversations? Definitely less cool. What do you think—is this new technology worth the worry over what you discuss in front of it? And is this just one step closer to killer robots? (And are we the only ones worried about that? Yes? OK, never mind.)
Mirror, Mirror On The Wall
No one wants their kid to turn into the Evil Queen from Snow White, forever obsessed with her own beauty. And no one wants to see their kid turn into any of the hundreds of other manifestations of narcissism. Luckily, this handy guide makes ensuring your kid turns out OK seem pretty easy. We never thought we’d take parenting advice from the NY Post, but these nine simple rules for how not to raise a narcissist seem spot on. Plus, it has a shout-out to our favorite dad, Louie.
#MyChoice Director Responds
Homi Adajania, director of the My Choice video, starring Deepika Padukone, was out of station during the video’s release. He came back to an unexpected firestorm of criticism. In a recent Facebook post, he responded to the backlash with dignity. Respect, Homi.
Cleaning Up The Streets
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan with a punchline! Leave it to those clever IITans to figure out how to turn a classic prank into a brush with your conscience. In case you’ve missed their April Fool’s Day video, a group of students left folded 100 rupee notes lying on the ground, then filmed the people who picked up the notes—and their reactions to the hidden message.