End Notes
How is a death mourned after it’s gone viral? China, WeChat, and the public consumption of private tragedy.
Where Are You Really From
Many people aren’t from one place and are in constant motion. So why must we choose one nationality from a drop-down menu?
Terminal Democracy
At airports, ideals of free movement collide with protocols of restriction and privilege. That makes them vital sites of protest.
Camp Dread
The fleeting solace of consuming Melania Trump as camp.
Seeing Stars
“It was comforting to think that when we look into the sky we’re seeing the past, since that’s where I wanted to be. ” Alex Ronan on grieving for her brother Mark and finding her place in the universe.
Quick Fix
“I Googled in succession, How to stop thinking about someone, and How to stop missing someone, and How to be so lonely you could eat your own arm. No matter what combination of glum post-break-up sentiments I typed in, the top hit was almost always wikihow.com.”
The Babysitters Club
Apps like Seamless and Yelp listen in on our adult lives, then speak to us like children. “We’re in the middle of a decade of post-dignity design, whose dogma is cuteness.”