Welcome to another edition of the Pink newsletter, which goes out to more than 150,000 subscribers every other Tuesday and which always offers 3 interesting things and 1 short Pinkcast video.
3 THINGS: A powerful podcast, a paean to professionals, a persuasive performance
1. Interview
Last week, I listened to the most riveting interview I’ve heard all year. Michael Barbaro of the New York Times podcast, The Daily, sat down with Derek Black. As a teenager, Black was a fervent white nationalist. His father created the notorious Stormfront site. His godfather was David Duke. Young Derek himself maintained his own website and talk show espousing his views. Then Derek went to college and . . . well, his perspective began to change (A Conversation With a Former White Nationalist).
2. Idea
Are you willing to be a professional or content to be an amateur? That’s one of the core questions I’ve asked myself — and an idea explored in classic books such as The War of Art. Now Shane Parrish of Farnam Street (whose email newsletter is a must read) offers a smart list of what separates serious pros from less serious dabblers. Example: “Amateurs have a goal. Professionals have a process.” (The Difference Between Amateurs and Professionals).
3. Performance
Until this month, I’d never heard of Hasan Minhaj, an American comedian of Indian descent who’s a correspondent for The Daily Show. Fortunately, my wife and our 14-year-old son have far more sophisticated tastes — and they encouraged me to watch Minhaj’s one-hour Netflix special, “Homecoming King.” I’m glad I did. It’s an extraordinary performance — funny, moving, insightful — as well as a master class in presenting complex ideas. I’m going to watch it again. (Homecoming King).
PINKCAST: Why you should take notes by hand
When you take notes, should you use your laptop computer or a pencil and paper?
This 99-second Pinkcast offers the answer — and why it matters more than you might think. You can watch it by clicking the flickering image below.
Thanks, as always, for subscribing.
Cheers,
Daniel Pink