How You Goin?

I'm currently in Sydney after an unforgettable eight days in Japan, a trip that combined awe, reflection, and meaningful connection. It marked the culmination of a yearlong collaboration with researchers from South Korea, France, Japan, and Taiwan, organized by the French Mission in Taipei. Focused on AI and digital culture, this initiative has been incredibly helpful on informing my own perspective, and meeting face-to-face after a year of virtual conversations was a powerful reminder of the connections that only happen in person.

As Jesse and I wandered through Tokyo, I kept reflecting on the paradoxical freedom that can emerge from societal constraints. The streets were immaculate—no litter, no overflowing bins. We realized this wasn’t happenstance but the result of a collective agreement: a social contract dictating where people can eat and dispose of waste. Public eating is rare, confined to vending machines or convenience store corners, and trash bins are sparse, encouraging people to carry their waste home.

At first glance, this might feel restrictive to someone steeped in hyper-individualistic Western culture. Why should anyone dictate where I snack or toss a wrapper? But the trade-off—a spotless city, no pigeons circling for scraps, no visual clutter—felt worth it. It’s an unspoken understanding that small individual sacrifices create collective benefits. It struck me as a stark contrast to the West, where resistance to even mild inconveniences undermines the greater good.

Of course, Japan’s harmony and order come with their own constraints, which can feel stifling, especially for those who don’t fit neatly into societal norms. The same collective agreement that keeps Tokyo pristine can also impose rigid expectations. It’s a delicate balance: how do we create cleaner, safer, more harmonious communities while still allowing people the freedom to be themselves? Somewhere in that tension, I think, lies the answer.

After a few days in Tokyo, we took a Shinkansen to Hakone and stayed at a Ryokan with a private onsen—an unforgettable bucket-list experience. One of the trip’s highlights was visiting Amazake-Chaya, a 400-year-old Edo-period tea house. Operated by the same family for 13 generations, it serves a simple menu of fermented sweet rice drinks and mochi-like desserts—the same treats that once fueled samurai and travelers on the ancient road between Osaka and Tokyo. Sitting there, I reflected on everything this little tea house has endured: regional conflicts, the end of the Edo period, two world wars, industrialization, modernization, and now the age of AI. Through it all, it has remained a constant. That continuity felt deeply grounding in a world where change often feels overwhelming.

Despite everything—the wars, famines, genocides, ecological disasters—here we were. A Syrian immigrant turned Canadian turned French and a Canadian-born, Irish-turned-soon-to-be-French traveler, crossing oceans and borders in ways that would’ve been unimaginable not long ago.

We flew in a pressurized metal tube at 35,000 feet, zipped across the country on a bullet train, and used AI-powered apps to bridge language gaps—all to sit in a tiny tea house and experience a menu that’s remained unchanged for centuries. The enormity of that, the sheer improbability of it, settled something anxious that had been rattling inside my chest for months.

It’s easy to feel like the world is falling apart—we’re inundated with news that makes it seem like the end is near every single day. But moments like this remind me that life persists. Traditions endure. Empires rise and fall, but people find ways to carry on. And somehow, despite it all, it’s going to be okay.

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Using Your Purchasing Power for Good

Have you heard of the concept of "Economic Velocity"? It’s one of those economics terms that sounds intimidating but is actually pretty simple. Essentially, it tracks how quickly money moves through an economy—how many times a single dollar changes hands. Here’s an example: You grab a coffee from your local shop, the owner uses that money to buy groceries from a nearby farmer, and the farmer turns around and buys supplies from another local business. That one dollar has now benefited the economy three times. It’s like a little ripple of goodwill.

But here’s the catch: in today’s economy, too much of the money we spend doesn’t stay in our communities. Instead, it flows straight into the pockets of billionaires and global corporations, often disappearing into stock buybacks or offshore accounts. It’s frustrating, especially when local businesses—owned by our neighbors, friends, and fellow community members—are struggling to compete.

So, this year, let’s intentionally invest some of our dollars in small businesses and local artisans, the kind of people who reinvest in their communities. It’s one small way we can take a stand against wealth stagnation and make a tangible difference.

On a more personal note, I’ve been horrified—but not exactly surprised—by the sheer amount of waste our overconsumption creates. In our household, we’ve started shifting away from gifting clothes or items people don’t actually need and focusing instead on thoughtful, practical gifts. Loose-leaf tea is always a favorite (we love Paris-based Kodama), as are refillable candles (shoutout to our neighborhood gem, Iokko, which lets you bring back empty glass containers for a discount on your next candle). Other ideas? Chocolates (the galaxy-themed treats from Ursa Major are divine), or beautifully designed stationery (I’m obsessed with Notebook Therapy’s notebooks). Also, while I'm at it, La Bouche Rouge is a woman led, vegan, cruelty free, make-up company that sells refillable lipsticks and lip balm in gorgeous monogrammed, up-cycled leather.

And who can forget books? If you’re looking for gift ideas with a personal touch, I’ll shamelessly plug some of my own creations. For the romantic thriller enthusiast in your life, The Knowing might hit the sweet spot: a psychic teams up with a cynical detective to hunt a killer—cue drama, tension, and plenty of twists. For the sensitive soul, my debut poetry collection, Echoes of Migration, explores love, loss, and grief. (Perfect for those moments of quiet reflection by the fire.) And for anyone tired of toxic productivity culture, Hustle & Float offers a roadmap for reclaiming your time and energy.

Whatever you choose to give this year, let’s use our purchasing power to support businesses that reflect our values. It’s a small shift, but one that can ripple outward in ways that truly matter.

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Following the Red Thread:

Lately, long-haul flights have had me devouring more articles than usual. As I sift through essays and reports, I keep noticing how many intersect with themes we’ve explored. I’ve rounded up familiar ideas, now seen through new developments and perspectives.

Surveillance and Digital Footprints

​Last time, we dove into the unsettling reality of surveillance under authoritarian regimes—fun times! If you’re ready for another dose of discomfort, I highly recommend Ronan Farrow’s latest piece in The New Yorker. It details the spyware technologies governments now wield, including the Department of Homeland Security’s recent $2 million contract with Paragon, an Israeli firm specializing in breaching encrypted messaging platforms like Signal. The implications are chilling. Farrow documents how this technology is already being used globally to track dissidents, journalists, political activists, and even rivals. It’s a stark reminder that we all need to manage our digital footprints more carefully.

If this isn’t enough to set off your privacy alarms, Julianne McShane’s Mother Jones piece on what Big Tech can do to protect women is a perfect companion read. Her key takeaway? The unregulated data brokers selling your most intimate details to advertisers—and sometimes adversaries—are a privacy nightmare. I’m currently researching this for a future dispatch, and trust me, it’s worse than you think.

Gender Politics in the Spotlight

While we’re talking about dystopia, Sophie Gilbert’s piece in The Atlantic offers an insightful analysis of the incoming Trump administration’s gender politics. It’s a grim follow-up to the themes we’ve been tracking since early 2023, but if you’re new here, welcome! You can catch up on everything we’ve discussed so far:

• ​Happy Single Women and Lonely Single Men ​
• ​The Rise of Trad Wives Online ​
• ​Revisiting Trad Wives: Ballerina Farm ​
• ​Red Flags and Just Divorce Him Movement​
• ​Ruptures: Trump & 4B Movement in South Korea​

Boycotts and Consumer Resistance

Resistance, though, isn’t just about ideas—it’s about action. Boycotts remain one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal.

​Operation Femme Freeze is a call to action from December through January for American women (and anyone who wants to join). The idea? Boycott spaces that commodify women—bars, nightclubs, dating apps, social media platforms—and retailers that supported Trump. It’s about using our wallets, bodies, and attention to demand better.

A parallel effort has emerged targeting companies that have gutted their DEI practices, urging consumers not to “shop where they wouldn’t be hired.”

Meanwhile, the exodus from X to BlueSky continues to gain momentum. Elon Musk is doubling down on his chaotic politics, allegedly giving millions to Nigel Farage and meddling in UK politics with misguided petitions. The solution? Starve the beast. Delete your X account and find me on BlueSky. Every user who leaves chips away at their valuation, and every bit of attention you reclaim is a win.

Pluto in Aquarius: Chaos and Transformation

Remember when we talked about Pluto’s shift into Aquarius and how it would usher in revolution and transformation? (The Astrology of Late Capitalism )

Well, buckle up, because it is here.

In South Korea, citizens took to the streets at 1 a.m. to reject the President’s attempt at martial law, forcing politicians to climb through windows to vote it down. (Great resource with animations explaining it all here. Thanks Christen!)

In Georgia, protests against the ruling party’s attacks on civil society and free speech are intensifying, with opposition leaders arrested—a telltale sign of authoritarian overreach. And in France, the government just collapsed after a no-confidence vote rejected the Prime Minister’s 2025 budget, marking the first time in 60 years such a vote has succeeded. Whomp whomp. The lesson? Don't negotiate with extreme right wing parties!

The chaos feels endless, yet there’s a strange comfort in knowing these moments will eventually become history, reduced to a paragraph or two in textbooks. Either way, in 25 years, we’ll look back on these moments with some clarity. For now, I’ll just keep thinking of that 400-year-old tea house, holding on to the hope that this too will pass.

Mailbag: Community Conversations

One of my favorite parts of writing these dispatches is the conversations they spark. The last one, where we explored the question of who we should have in our communities, resonated deeply with so many of you, and I’m grateful to everyone who took the time to write in and share your thoughts, projects, and resources.

David Weaver introduced me to his fantastic initiative, Knock Knock United, which encourages people to have meaningful, real conversations with those in their lives—an antidote to the disconnection so many of us feel. Clara Deletraz, former CEO of Switch Collective, shared her new project, Ensemble, which focuses on connecting people with differing viewpoints to find common ground. And A (thank you for this!) recommended a powerful podcast episode by Glennon Doyle that dives deeper into the idea of curating your inner circle, especially when safety is a concern.

Hearing about what you’re working on or the ideas that have inspired you is one of the best parts of this process. My ultimate goal is to make these dispatches feel like a true community—one where we’re all learning from and supporting each other. So, please, keep sharing. You can always hit reply to these emails, and while it might take me a little while to get back to you, I promise, I will respond.

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Looking Ahead: Resources, Recommendations, and a Quick Poll

As the year winds down, I’ve been brainstorming ways to share some of the resources and ideas that have been on my mind. I’m thinking about creating an end-of-year book recommendation roundup, a more detailed gift guide, and even a curated list of my favorite spots from this year’s travels. These could take the form of dedicated pages on my site, a downloadable PDF, or even a shared Google map.

Before diving in and dedicating time to these projects, I wanted to hear from you: would this be something you’d find useful or interesting? Your feedback is invaluable, so I’ve put together a VERY quick poll to help me gauge whether this is worth pursuing.

Take a moment to share your thoughts—I’d love to hear from you!

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Coming Up: Wrapping Up the Year

As the year draws to a close, I’m gearing up for the final stretch of my travel calendar. After speaking in Australia, I’ll head to Dallas for what will (finally!) be my last keynote of the year. By December 13, I plan to be firmly rooted at home, wrapped in a blanket burrito by the fire, Pixel at my side, and holiday movies streaming 24/7.

Did you hear Netflix has a new film out about a SNOWMAN that comes to life? It's like a Frosty who F**ks.(My pitch, I haven't seen it yet, lol) These concepts get more insane every year and I am HERE for it.

I want to take a moment to thank you—for reading, for engaging, and for making this little corner of the internet feel like a shared space. Writing this newsletter has become one of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of my week. It’s a place where I get to reflect, connect, and explore ideas alongside you, and I’m so excited to see how it grows and evolves in the year ahead.

Here’s to wrapping up the year with warmth, connection, and just the right dose of holiday magic.