W4YW: Reading Genealogies, Writing Tips, & Self-Objectification

Wisdom For Your Weekend: your weekly installment of things we’ve been reading around the web.

Infographic of the Week

Death in the Digital Age, Eric Dye. Here’s a morbid and unusual thought: what happens to your Facebook after you kick the bucket? Sure, it’s not the most vital question to resolve, but it’s an intriguing one. Dye compiles the stats on “digital death,” some of which surprised me. (For instance, there are 30 million Facebook accounts belonging to deceased users. Creepy.)

Articles of the Week

Objectification Is Bad. But How About Self-Objectification? Chris Martin. “Feminism doesn’t bother me in and of itself—throughout history, waves of feminism have opened important doors for women. Consistent, constructive feminism has its place—you know, the kind that pursues women’s suffrage and equal pay for equal work. Inconsistent feminism bothers me, though. Inconsistent feminism says: ‘Women must not be reduced to objects. That is, unless it empowers them.’ Inconsistent feminism bothers me because in attempting to empower women it further demeans them.”

If Only the New York Times Understood Basic Christian Claims, Mollie Hemingway. “Are you smarter than a New York Times copy editor? Did you know that Christians do not believe Jesus is buried in a tomb in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre because they believe he rose from the dead? Oh, you did know that basic teaching of the world’s largest religion? Congratulations.”

Six Ways to Benefit From Reading Genealogies, Matthew Holst. I like the Bible. I read it a lot. But I’ll be candid that I stand with most other Christians in my attitude toward the genealogies. They simply are not my favorite. I view them kinda like I do most online “Terms and Conditions” – I know it’s important, and I approve of it, but I’d rather not read every word. There is a better way, and Holst shows us how we can benefit from these seemingly tedious lists of names.

Write More Better: Unoriginal (but helpful!) Tips for Writing Well, Aaron Armstrong. For anyone who wants to “write more better” (and who doesn’t?), Armstrong combines expert opinion with his own experiential insights. Tip #3: Read a bunch—and don’t skimp on the fiction. Be sure to check out Part 1 (Write Simply) and Part 2 (Be coachable).

On The Lighter Side

“The Oven Song,” Elton John. A blast from the past—1997, to be exact. Elton John takes up the challenge to create a song based on oven instructions. I can say without exaggeration that I’ve never heard a better instruction-booklet-based tune.