Mark Fishman

[Instagram] is a fun product that millions of people seem to love; that is unwholesome in large doses; that makes a sizable minority feel more anxious, more depressed, and worse about their bodies; and that many people struggle to use in moderation.  What does that sound like to you? To me, it sounds like alcohol— a social lubricant that can be... See more

The community-input process is disastrous for two broad reasons. First, community input is not representative of the local population. Second, the perception of who counts as part of an affected local community tends to include everyone who feels the negative costs of development but only a fragment of the beneficiaries.

I’ve always thought that “rest” was a rather misleading shorthand for the purpose of the day because when people hear it, they think of “relaxing,” which isn’t exactly correct. ... Instead, I think of Shabbat as more like exercise: It can feel daunting to carve out time for it, you don’t always instantaneously achieve a meditative flow state, but... See more

Speed and efficiency are the promise of modernity. But speed and efficiency are all destination and no journey. And it is journey that gives life meaning.

Lamott tells writers to begin with what she calls a shitty first draft. The first version is going to be messy, and precisely because it does not have to be perfect, you are allowed to begin. Improvement comes through iteration.

Cities are no different. We inherit the slow, messy evolution of streets, plazas, and neighborhoods. What we need is... See more

A home used to be a place for people to just live. But if it’s a place to live, or work, or be on vacation, then people can work from many homes if they want. Our relationship to our homes is changing.