The Outline World Dispatch
Tired of the daily news doom and gloom? Looking to explore curious stories instead? Every Monday through Thursday, we bring a story on the theme of Power, Culture, and the Future, handpicked from The Outline. We guarantee you’ll feel smarter and more hydrated.
76
The app-i-fication of friendship
Like dating apps, people are experimenting with finding friendships through their phones. But is it worth the hype? Amanda Palleschi goes to a potluck with a bunch of strangers to find out.
9 min
77
Hell is empty and all the devils are creating W...
Paris Martineau talks to the people behind the avatars on r/westworld.
7 min
78
How 90s kids expressed themselves online
Before Instagram, there was this chat server where you could be whatever you wanted. Fire up the dial up with Nicole Carpenter and log onto the past.
8 min
79
Why we love conspiracy theories
Your high school friend won’t stop posting about lizard people and crisis actors. Ivana Rihter gives us the logic behind it.
7 min
80
For once, the NFL isn't awful
History is being made on the sidelines, and Ann Derrick-Gaillot walks us through the formation.
4 min
81
Rewind: Arming the flock
Owen Philips travels to Mississippi to sit in on a training session for a church security team.
13 min
82
Rewind: The ageless joy of Kingdom Hearts
Aaron Edwards and Jeremy Gordon geek out about how a video game changed their adolescent lives.
14 min
83
Rewind: Behind closed doors
Gaby Del Valle tells the story of asylum seekers that are being sexually assaulted in U.S. detention.
17 min
84
Rewind: Source code, the end of actress, and Go...
Karen Sandler is still waiting to see the source code that's keeping her alive, Andy Martino discusses the end of "actress", and Adrianne Jeffries finds out how Google destroyed celebritynetworth.com
13 min
85
Your boss is working you to death
How economic precarity, technology, and unrealistic expectations are making us sick.
13 min
86
I'm the man in the Jabbrrbox
A new startup wants to be the future of private space. Are they onto something?
11 min
87
Do we need Roseanne tho?
Roseanne is a polarizing figure while her reboot is getting top ratings. We breakdown what's changed since 1988.
16 min
88
Cambridge Analytica for dummies
We explain to you, like humans, why you should care about the Cambridge Analytica data leak.
18 min
89
Inside YouTube's fake views economy
Views are currency on YouTube, and the existence of fake ones creates questions for all videos.
8 min
90
"Education, not assassination."
March for Our Lives attendees speak about their experiences with gun violence.
11 min
91
Matt Binder hunts for Twitter bots
#Resist bots are all over Twitter. We found the person responsible.
11 min
92
Emily Brown learns how to ride a bike
A totally normal adult woman endures a sore ass and bruises to learn how to ride a bike. And we taped it.
13 min
93
Alex Jung takes us on a Drag Race
Alex Jung, staff writer at Vulture, and Aaron discuss what the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race means for culture today.
21 min
94
The sad, deep end of adulthood
Kate Ryan had a hint of nostalgia when she opened Netflix...
14 min
95
What does the universe sound like?
Joe Veix let's us listen to the most depressing algorithmic space composition, and the band that it surprisingly sounds like.
8 min
96
How do you say "smartphone" in Lakota?
J.p. Lawrence introduces us to a dying language kept alive.
8 min
97
Gaming the depression algorithm
Paris Martineau gives us an insight into the Alt-right's latest recruitment scheme.
10 min
98
Junkie XL and the soundtrack of strong women fi...
Paris Martineau chats with composer Junkie XL about scoring Tomb Raider and Mad Max, and his approaches for composing these films.
14 min
99
Last-chance tourism
Caroline Haskins introduces us to a cruise that's using climate change as a marketing ploy.
8 min
100
Meet the teachers on strike in West Virginia
Gaby Del Valle introduces us to Laura Picard Carter and Catherine Drummond Pizzino, two West Virginia teachers on the front lines for higher pay and lower medical costs.
9 min