One Thing

One Thing is a newsletter focusing on the exploration of authenticity through various lenses, including cultural commentary, lifestyle, digital phenomena, and personal collections. It delves into themes like curation, the impact of digital presence, mindful living, and the convergence of contemporary culture with traditional practices, all underscored by a quest for genuine experiences.

Cultural Commentary Lifestyle and Aesthetics Digital Presence and Social Media Mindfulness and Personal Development Contemporary vs. Traditional Practices Authenticity in Digital and Physical Spaces Curation and Content Creation Consumerism and Trends

The hottest Substack posts of One Thing

And their main takeaways

⬜ The importance of curation

1186 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Curation History Art Online Platforms Content creation
  1. Curation has a long history dating back to ancient Rome, starting as a way to manage aspects of city life and evolving into a responsibility of caretaking, on both a spiritual and physical level.
  2. The concept of curation has shifted over time, from being associated with museum stewards to being seen as a glamorous act online, where individuals are faced with curating their digital presence to navigate vast content.
  3. There's a call for more support for curation, emphasizing the importance of sustaining those who find and organize valuable content, moving beyond just paying creators for their work.

⬜ Time-less Japanese notebooks

929 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Culture Literature
  1. Japanese-made Stalogy notebooks are highly regarded for their quality, design, and cultural relevance.
  2. Stalogy notebooks offer a soothing planner experience with undated pages and functional details for easy use.
  3. The Stalogy approach to journaling encourages a sense of mindfulness and ease, allowing users to engage with their thoughts and tasks without pressure.

⬜ Beyond the search engine

573 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Search Engines Algorithms Internet Social media Data Privacy
  1. Utilize small, alternative search engines that offer unique approaches not influenced by market trends
  2. Consider using unconventional methods when searching, such as leveraging platforms like Reddit for information
  3. Prioritize authentic search experiences, focusing on genuine connections and unique discoveries rather than catering solely to algorithms

🟧 Book publisher as curator

336 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
📚 Literature Book Publishing Translation Classics
  1. Consider book publisher subscriptions as a way to receive curated reading recommendations and discover new writers.
  2. Independent publishers like Fitzcarraldo Editions, New Directions, and NYRB Classics offer monthly book subscriptions with unique selections and beautifully designed books.
  3. These subscriptions provide access to a diverse array of literature, including obscure classics and contemporary works in different languages, helping readers to explore beyond typical Anglophone literature.

⬜ Ignore the ugly book cover

296 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Books Fashion Podcasts Cuisine Literature
  1. The memoir of Venice highlighted in the post is engaging, despite its unattractive book cover.
  2. The CEO of Daunt Books emphasizes curation, allowing each store's staff to dictate book displays, leading to unique and engaging selections.
  3. Exploring Venice through the lens of 'The Politics of Washing' provides insights into daily life, history, and cultural complexities, showcasing the beauty and challenges of the city.
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🟧 Is boutique a bad word?

217 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Fashion Retail Internet Art Aesthetics
  1. The concept of a boutique has evolved from locally-owned stores with unique goods to a term that is overused and often diluted in online advertising.
  2. Boutiques represent a curated taste experience, but their high prices can make them exclusive and inaccessible to many customers.
  3. The internet provides opportunities for boutique-style businesses to reach wider audiences, but it lacks the physical charm and surprise of an in-person boutique.

⬜ How we pack now

237 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🏝 Travel Packing Aesthetic Influencer Accessories Cultural
  1. Travel packing is changing, now influenced by algorithmic recommendations and social media content like Pack With Me videos, promoting aspirational packing styles.
  2. There's a focus on aesthetic and product-driven packing, often influenced by influencer culture and capitalist ideals, encouraging excessive consumption and dissatisfaction with what one already owns.
  3. Travelers can still maintain personal style and practicality by using versatile items like zip-lock bags, colorful hard shell cases, accessorizing creatively, and opting for unique identification markers on luggage.

⬜ Taste notes 2.11.24

197 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Food Book Reviews Fashion
  1. One Thing newsletter is experimenting with a new format and will publish main newsletters on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with other digest-like content on remaining days.
  2. The article about Nicholas Saunders sheds light on British hipster food culture and his influence on companies like Neal's Yard, offering an interesting perspective on the food scene.
  3. Lorde's interest in Snow Peak products showcases the crossover between pop culture and niche hiking gear, demonstrating that pop stars can draw attention to unique brands.

⬜ Notes on format

395 implied HN points • 14 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Media Online Culture Community Creativity Authenticity
  1. Neighborhood restaurants like Tail Up Goat focus on a coherent vision, care, and unexpected surprises, qualities desired in media publications.
  2. One Thing newsletter aims for reliability with interest, focusing on quality, specificity, and texture in the content.
  3. The project explores a new form of 'corner-store microblogging' to move away from formulaic content creation, prioritizing authenticity, creativity, and discussions among cultural friends.

⬜ Waiting for books

336 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
📚 Literature Library Books Reading Newsletter Authors
  1. Waiting for books from the library can be a slow and unpredictable process, but it adds a layer of excitement and anticipation to reading.
  2. Having multiple books on hold at a time allows for a diverse selection and prevents the pressure of reading one book quickly.
  3. The time it takes for a book to arrive from the library creates a low-stakes adventure and allows the reader to engage with the content without external influences.

🟧 Try indie crosswords

98 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Community Media
  1. NYT crossword puzzle leans towards bland universal consumption, lacking in style and personality
  2. Indie crossword puzzles offer more variety, personality, and creativity than mainstream ones
  3. AVCX, an example of an indie crossword club, showcases diverse puzzles, engages a community, and resists institutional homogeneity

⬜ Connecticut is a trend

296 implied HN points • 28 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Influencers Pop culture Internet culture
  1. Influencers are shifting towards embracing the suburbs, with Connecticut becoming a trending location due to its appeal for content creation and lifestyle aesthetics.
  2. Connecticut's evolving image is influenced by pop culture references, creating a mix of traditional suburban ideals and modern internet-driven content.
  3. The state's suburban towns offer an attractive alternative to city living, with proximity to urban areas like Manhattan and a blend of capital dreams with references to other fictional or real places.

⬜ Finished basement core

237 implied HN points • 15 Dec 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Fashion Fashion Trends
  1. Fashion brands are exploring a relatable aesthetic called 'finished basement core' in their holiday campaigns.
  2. The 'finished basement core' aesthetic involves taupe carpeting, beige rugs, sparse decoration, and oatmeal-colored themes, resembling the atmosphere of a suburban finished basement.
  3. Returning to one's childhood home for the holidays may lead to a mix of emotions, from glamorous outfits to feeling humble in old, ill-fitting clothes kept at parents' house.

⬜ Studio Ghibli vibes vs. history

217 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation History Film Literature Philosophy
  1. The film The Boy and the Heron by Studio Ghibli offers a fantastical, immersive experience for viewers of all ages.
  2. The movie carries historical depth, drawing inspiration from a 1937 novel addressed to counter militant nationalism in Japan.
  3. The director, Hayao Miyazaki, encapsulates profound themes through abstract storytelling and dreamlike elements, challenging conventional standards of ambition in art.

⬜ The anti-SEO of vintage Etsy

257 implied HN points • 30 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Fashion Online shopping Fashion History
  1. Etsy provides a unique, chaotic, and low-pressure environment for exploring vintage items.
  2. Etsy allows for digital curation of items of interest, leading to a collection of unique finds separated from mainstream influence.
  3. Despite the potential issues like bots and ad spam, the unpolished nature of Etsy fosters a sense of adventure and discovery in the world of online shopping.

⬜ The artists' philosopher, Byung-Chul Han

178 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Cultural critique Spirituality Identity
  1. Byung-Chul Han is a Korean-German philosopher known for his critical engagement with contemporary culture, including the concept of burnout culture.
  2. Han's work focuses on critiquing inauthentic forms of selfhood and the loss of negation and conflict dynamics in culture.
  3. Han advocates for seeking authenticity through a genuine re-engagement with the multitudinous shape of existence, emphasizing the power of saying no and achieving pure negativity.

⬜ French tablecloth dupes

118 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Fashion
  1. Authentic copies for cheap can be satisfying as alternatives to luxury items.
  2. Finding dupes, or authentic, worthwhile copies, can be a way to participate in a desired aesthetic without spending a fortune.
  3. Having various options and alternatives like Etsy stores provide opportunities to find quality items that reflect your style without breaking the bank.

⬜ The meaning of a moka pot

158 implied HN points • 23 Nov 23
🍲 Food & Drink Coffee Design Culture History
  1. Moka pot is a classic kitchen item with a design for good coffee but may not always produce amazing coffee.
  2. The moka pot's appeal lies in its ability to transcend trends and societal distinctions, making it a versatile and enduring coffee maker for many.
  3. Upgrading to fancier versions of the moka pot may not always guarantee better coffee quality, as the simplicity and functionality of the original design can hold its own against modern iterations.

⬜ This sponge gave me lifestyle creep

118 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Lifestyle Beauty products
  1. Living in someone else's space can make you reconsider your lifestyle and choices.
  2. The concept of 'lifestyle creep' highlights how one luxury can lead to a desire for overall improvement, but it's important to assess if the changes truly enhance your life.
  3. When buying vintage on sites like Etsy, look for well-rated reliable sellers who provide detailed measurements to minimize the risk of getting the wrong item or size.

One Thing: a catalogue of authenticity

316 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Authenticity Internet Objects People
  1. One Thing newsletter collects cool and good things like objects, people, and ideas to help you navigate the internet.
  2. The newsletter is a project started by Kyle Chayka and Nate Gallant, inspired by Kyle's upcoming book, Filterworld.
  3. It aims to provide short blurbs that offer a glimpse into the diverse and fragmented online world.

⬜ Luxury in the Pokémon era

118 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Luxury Collaboration Jewelry Design Nostalgia
  1. Rimowa is expanding their luxury brand image with new products like backpacks and handbags, maintaining a cosmopolitan aesthetic.
  2. Tiffany's collaboration with The Pokémon Company is criticized for a lack of childlike fun and adding unnecessary luxury to the brand's cultural existence.
  3. Different luxury brands require unique strategies for success in the market, as seen with Rimowa and Tiffany's distinct approaches.

⬜ Fragments on Connecticut

79 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Poetry Food
  1. Connecticut is seen as a blank canvas for projecting insecurities and lacks a strong independent identity.
  2. Local media in Connecticut is thriving and provides insight into the local culture and community dynamics.
  3. Discussions around Connecticut often revolve around gentrification, evolving identities, and unique local experiences.