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Mapping military influence, censoring Americans, + more

This week, I’ve been watching (thanks in part to the awesome PD+ premium subscription service) some pretty interesting world/tech events. Here are some of the most interesting links:

Meanwhile, U.S. comedian Tosh.O attacks an audience member by inviting the audience to imagine her getting gang-raped, leading to well-deserved fury from many sides. This thoughtful response from a fellow comedian is one of the best. A choice quote:

“Your job as a comedian is to take us through pain, transcend pain, transform pain. And if you don’t get that, you are a fucking bully, and I’ve got zero time for bullies.”

Weekly Links I Liked

In case you need some weekend reading material… here are my picks on social media, tech, start-ups, and women and work:

A Cautionary Tale of ICT4D Failure at Scale

If you missed this when it first came out 5/18, great analysis of a great idea that failed – a city-wide Wifi network started by MIT students in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Unlike many international intervention failures in Afghanistan, it has nothing to do with Afghanistan’s violence and everything to do with a lack of stakeholder engagement and long-term planning.

Reverse Engineering When and Why Controversial Tweets are Deleted

It seems that this week’s news is all about MIT students, but at least this article writes of a success rather than a failure. Niemen Labs highlights the research of an MIT student on social media censorship in China. Chi-Chu Tsang has been following the deletion of Weibos (the Chinese version of Twitter – Weibo is both the platform and the equivalent of a tweet) and mapping them against the context of current events in China. SO awesome. Makes me want to get a PhD.

Startup Culture: Values vs. Vibe

This article questions traditional ideas on what “culture” means at an organization, startup or not. It argues that the the stereotypical “startup culture” – short bursts of intensity and long periods of chill, lots of organizational bonding, etc – is actually reflective of a temporary state (vibe) rather than permanent core principles (the values). This post spoke to me in part because we talked a lot about “values” at McChrystal Group – and I think that this post’s interpretation of values is completely in line.

‘I’m Not Your Wife!’ A New Study Points to a Hidden Form of Sexism

Incredibly worrying study finds that men with stay-at-home wives tend to carry over their “traditional” views of women into the workplace. Surprising? Not at all. But a step back for feminism? Very much so. This is a great article not only because of the study it highlights, but the point about feminism – and feminist allies – that it makes at the end.