Issue 20
the Week of April 27, 2015
In this issue, we cover advice for women starting out in tech, how STEM professions are portrayed in mass media, and the problems with how we talk about imposter syndrome. We explore the role of emerging technologies in addressing chronic disease, and how American technology culture reflects systemic oppression in the country. Plus, combatting the dominant design of fitness apps, and how legitimacy and erasure function in social media activism. Photo CC-BY Andy Wilkinson, cropped and filtered.
Social Media Activism And The Problem With Legitimacy
As much as social media activism has evolved, it cannot escape its dependency on oppressive norms, ripping the legitimacy of movements from their creators.
Exercise Without Failure: Building Fitness Apps As Narrative Games
Technologies have politics and games have aesthetics, but neither of these factors are immutable; there might still be time to rewrite the purpose of the iPhone’s accelerometer and motion co-processor.
Where Tech Culture Meets Healthcare: Chronic Disease and The Promise of New Interventions
Startups need to stop working in silos, engaging doctors, health care administrators, communities and other system players.
The Trouble with Imposters
Tech culture doles out imposter syndrome on one side, hubris on the other.
Dreaming: Holding Onto the Hope of Justice in Technology and America
American technology culture is reflective and a result of American systemic racism and sexism.
Gender, Race and Stereotypes in “Scorpion”, “Silicon Valley” and “Big Bang Theory”
There are a variety of shows featuring other professions that portray diverse, dynamic, likeable characters. Why can’t we have the same for STEM careers?
Advice for Women Entering the Tech Industry
At the end of the day, there’s no way to sugarcoat this: you will encounter difficulty, you will experience discrimination and harassment both in the workplace and in the larger community. Leaning in doesn’t solve everything, and leaving isn’t always the right choice for you.
This issue is made possible in part by some of our generous readers: Igor, Aleen Simms, Matt Pruitt, Jordan Kay, Josh Lucas, Jacques Labuschagne, Christian Müller, Ashe Dryden and vexorian.