49 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
49 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
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template = "static.html"
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title = "Good Things to Read/Watch"
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#### Worth Reading
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- Henry George - [Progress and Poverty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progress_and_Poverty)
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<br /> timeless 19th-century book which provides a genuinely useful explanation for how wealth, capital, and labor interact.
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makes the case for a Land Value Tax specifically, and a tax on finite natural resources more generally.
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- Eliezer Yudkowsky - [Rationality: From AI to Zombies](https://www.readthesequences.com/)
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<br /> i disagree with the vision offered by most rationalists, but this particular piece gives
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some compelling explanations for why things are the way they are.
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- Charles Stross - [Accelerando](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accelerando)
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<br /> a fast paced and relatively concise view of one possible future. neither explicitly utopian nor dystopian: just
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"what could things look like if technological trends continue" through a cyberpunk lens.
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- Cory Doctorow
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<br /> vaguely cyberpunk, but often looking at one _particular_ development (distributed manufacturing, cloning, human-level AGI)
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and thinking about the unexpected effects.
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- Terry Pratchett
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<br /> incredible wit, good natured fun that points out some silly human tendencies without being too overt about it.
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- Brandon Sanderson
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<br /> vivid storyteller and excellent world builder. my favorite is his Mistborn series.
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#### Worth Watching
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Studio Ghibli still represents the peak of animated film, as far as i'm concerned. remarkable pacing, captivating worlds & artstyle, and adventurous. my favorites are:
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- [Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nausica%C3%A4_of_the_Valley_of_the_Wind_(film))
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- [Spirited Away](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirited_Away)
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besides Ghibli i've enjoyed a few other short-running anime/films:
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- Madoka Magica
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<br /> deconstruction of the "magical girl" genre. starts out slow and mysterious, then accelerates through some ambitious twists as you and the characters begin to learn what's *really* happening in the world. watch it if you're a softie who likes bittersweet (but satisfying) endings.
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- Made in Abyss
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<br /> amazing character- and world-building, great artwork, and an adventure-driven -- but dark -- plot that left me contemplative.
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- Frieren
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<br /> proves that there's space for slow-paced, reflective story-telling.
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- Kill la Kill
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<br /> unbelievably over-the-top, tropey, and a bit low-budget, but Studio Trigger leans into these things and makes something that's _so absurd_ you can't forget it.
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runners up:
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- A Place Further Than The Universe
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<br /> a short exploration into making sense of death and finding purpose when you have nothing to anchor to. will make you cry.
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- Nichijou
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<br /> short, hilarious and sometimes over-the-top skits which build on eachother over time. good, simple fun. it's a crowded genre but Nichijou is the best in class.
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- Zombieland Saga
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<br /> it's got some likable characters, a fun theme, and a good deal of unexpected turns. given it centers around _zombie popstars_,
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you'd think it'd stand out more, but in the end it's just a well-executed slice-of-life (with great music).
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