friday five 5.26.17

FRIDAY, MAY 26TH

1. the unicorn craze, explained

Pop culture trends have always been a reaction in part to the current political climate, so it’s no surprise that this soft pastel trend exploded onto the scene in a glittery haze almost exactly a year ago. I’m personally amazed by not only the transparency of the desire for escapism, but also just how many things can be unicorn-ified. From food (okay, I think most of it is gross but people who know me know that I never say no to good, old-fashioned funfetti, and these unicorn macarons are ridiculously cute) to beauty products, the unicorn craze is undoubtedly everywhere. But it's just kind of interesting to follow exactly how it came into being.

2. watch these 90-year-old globe-trotters travel the world through virtual reality

This is so cute.

3. ivanka trump is the sparkly vampire america craves

And speaking of mythical creatures. There are a lot of problems with Ivanka’s fake feminism, but what is continuously astounding to me is how much like her father she really is. She’s a much prettier, more well-spoken package, of course, but she's exactly the same: someone who talks a lot and does nothing. Her “accomplishments” are really the byproduct of a famous family and some well-branded superficial ambition. The same elitism that Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In was harshly criticized for. And it’s incredible that people still regard her as a role model.

4. fox news’ problem is a lot bigger than bill o’reilly

It’s always a fundamental problem. The “bad apples” or “not all men” excuse is not a real excuse. Like we’re seeing with Uber and Thinx, a strong brand cannot make up for poor business practices and toxic company culture. You can see the visible discomfort of the female anchors, and you wonder how any of these people still have jobs. And we’re still surprised by the results of the election, when this is what our mass media culture looks like?

5. will ai take creative jobs? judging by these paint names, probably not today

Hilarious, but it also a good reminder of the importance of nuance. Algorithms are useful for many things, but I strongly believe that creative thinking can’t ever be replaced by a permutative computer program. There’s a reason that art is so valuable, and it’s not necessarily because it’s difficult. It’s because it’s something created by human emotion that can’t ever be replicated.