Tom's Review #183 - WWEconomics, Just Mercy, Fred again...


📖 What I’m Reading:

Simon-Ehrlich Wager – Wikipedia

  • Fun example of an academic putting money where his mouth is. Over the decades, life gets better in terms of resources. But it gets worse in terms of equality and ennui.

You Can’t Put a Price on Mental Freedom – Nick Maggiulli

  • Stock picking bad. Phone bad.

WWEconomics: Kayfabe and the Trade War – Kyla Scanlon

  • All the world’s a stage. “The show will continue because the incentives align: politicians get attention, corporations get deals, and algorithms get engagement.”

Book finished: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson: 5/5

  • Powerful read. Author has my full respect. Went into the belly of the beast and slowly tipped the system toward justice. Liked how the different storylines were woven together. A book that fully deserves its popularity. Notes here.

☝️ Word of the Month:

sprezzatura (n) spret-sah-TOOR-uh

Doing (or giving the appearance of doing) something effortlessly; effortless grace; nonchalance.

From Italian.

“Norris is a man always in equipoise, a living illustration of the art of sprezzatura. No one has ever seen him ruffled.”

🎵 Jams of the Month:

The catchy, emo punk of Oso Oso

The chugging, Petty-esque rock of Wild Pink

Undeniable tunes:

  • Diva - Model/Actriz (Spotify). The industrial-sounding polyrhythms at :43 make me feel like I’m doing parkour in Moscow.
  • Hang With Me - Robyn (Spotify). Chord change at 1:15, 2:16, etc.
  • R U Mine? - Arctic Monkeys (Spotify). Never noticed how much the drums rule.
  • Back Of My Mind - SG Lewis (Spotify). Euphoric house.
  • ID of the Month @ 39:15 - Fred again…
  • Damocles - Sleep Token (Spotify). Best song on a meh album.

💬 Quote of the Month:

“Nine-tenths of our happiness depends upon health alone. … The greatest of follies is to sacrifice health for any other kind of happiness, whatever it may be, for gain, advancement, learning or fame, let alone, then, for fleeting sensual pleasures.”

-Arthur Schopenhauer

ps: there was a real life treasure hunt riddle in San Francisco, and someone found the treasure (X)

pps: raw athleticism (X)

ppps: spaghetti (X)

Thomas Tassin

Read more from Thomas Tassin

📖 What I’m Reading: Inside America’s Death Chambers – Elizabeth Bruenig Best piece on the death penalty I’ve ever read. Elagabalus – Wikipedia “Elagabalus developed a posthumous reputation for extreme eccentricity, decadence, zealotry, and sexual promiscuity. … Elagabalus ‘abandoned himself to the grossest pleasures with ungoverned fury’ … ‘Elagabalus was not a tyrant, but he was an incompetent, probably the least able emperor Rome had ever had.’” A Consensus Statement on Potential Negative...

📖 What I’m Reading: Mike White’s 15-Year Journey For “The White Lotus” – Trung Phan Mike White is Ed Schneebly from School of Rock. He wrote Season 1 of White Lotus in 14 days. And True Detective helped pave the way. The Grand Encyclopedia of Eponymous Laws – Roger’s Bacon “Gibson’s Law: For every PhD there is an equal and opposite PhD.” “Hanlon’s Razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” “The Lindy Effect: The future life expectancy of a...

📖 What I’m Reading: Outcome Orientation as a Cure for Information Overload – Common Cognition “At all times, whenever you are doing something or reading something, you should ask yourself the question: ‘What is the outcome I am trying to achieve here?’” The Abundance Agenda – Matt Bruenig Best review of the biggest book of 2025 so far. Jordan Rudess – Wikipedia I discovered Jordan Rudess via this video. I’ve never heard a keyboard sound like it does at 3:05. Virtuosic. Turns out his life is...