The Sunday Scoop
A Free Post
The Sunday Scoop 1/26/2025
A free post
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Lulu and I are packing for a trip to Portugal. We leave in the morning. Adventure awaits. We’ll keep you posted. If you have suggestions for things to see in Lisbon, comment or reply to this email. After Lisbon, we’ll head to the island of Madeira, the Hawaii of Europe. I am super excited about hiking, going to the beach, and enjoying the sunshine, even though I feel kind of tired.
This is my way of tuning out the bad news and things that are outside of my control. I am determined not to allow algorithms to dictate my life experiences. I’d rather be looking at things I’ve never seen before in 3D than at a screen.
Speaking of algorithms, did you know that even though Facebook/Meta (and the other social media sites) were originally created to connect people with other people, now they have begun to use AI-generated characters posing as real people, posting about “their lives” and interacting with others? WTF.
“Possibly the most upsetting was “himamaliv” or ‘Liv,’ a “proud Black queer momma of 2 & truth-teller,” who was confronted via DM about cultural appropriation and how they were AI-trained. In addition to users discovering the difficulty of blocking the AI profiles, the responses from the AI profiles were mocking. Meta’s answer was to shut down the project entirely by removing the accounts, citing a “bug that was impacting the ability for people to block those AIs.” (Source)
Thankfully, Meta has abandoned the project after negative backlash…. However, I wouldn’t put it past them to “improve” their characters so they can fool us better before they release another batch.
What happened to good old-fashioned reading books? Robots know that humans prefer the easy way and are training us to receive information rather than think about it. Why else TikTok?
But reading actually changes your brain for the better. It reduces anxiety and depression. It improves memory and emotional regulation. I found THIS good write-up about it if you want to read it yourself. It also cites sources. Perhaps it will help motivate you to drop the remote control and grab a book.
🌺 Weekly Intention Prompt
This one is a tough one. Don’t believe me? Try it.
“While engaged in physical movement, I will find moments of stillness within myself, noticing the internal pause even during activity.”
🌺Here's your shareable TIP of the day. Share it 😉
Hope you enjoyed the Sunday edition of Life Intelligence.
LEAVE A COMMENT.
Thanks for reading. See you next time :)
V.
Safe travels Val and Lulu! Yes reading. I'm on a Jonathan Franzen binge lately, reading new stuff to me (Crossroads) and rereading what I'd listened to on audio (Freedom). For me, there is nothing like a big hard covered book to spend hours with. I love to share with my husband some particularly well written paragraph. I love to look up some historical reference mentioned within the story. I hope Lulu finds nice warm spots for you to explore and maybe even read!
I still read-a lot and have Rebecca Solnit's "A Book of Migrations" and two issues of National Geographic, for the flight across the Pacific. Once in Manila, the National Bookstore will help me fill in time when K is busy.