ZD 24.42: The Year in Review
They said 2024 would be a big year. They were right.
In this issue: Curated year end round up posts; the zeitgeist of 2024; top 10 links; top 3 covers.
Thanks for a Great Year One!
Thanks to each and every one of you who took the time to sign up and who take the time to read this each week. It has been a really successful year one for this publication. This newsletter has grown to more than 200 subscribers. A significant proportion of the readership has been organic growth on this platform. People I’ve never even met have been reading this week in and week out. I’m really humbled and honored.
Now, on to our regularly scheduled 2024 wrap-up post.
The Distilled Spirit
Just about every newsletter runs a year end round up these days. I am a succor for that sort of content so I read a lot of them. Here are the best I’ve come across for 2024 in no particular order:
Tom Whitwell’s annual list of 52 things he learned is always worth the read.
- ’s year-end 10 Charts that Capture how the World Is Changing (Part I and Part II) are as enlightening as usual.
Pornhub’s annual review provides an interesting window into culture few platforms can capture.
Garbage Day helps you understand who won the internet in 2024.
- ’s 2024 top reads are enlightening.
- “tested hundreds of tools this year” and to find his best of 2024. Enhance your productivity today.
Andrew Ng gathers a lot of complicated threads to wrap up AI’s progress in 2024.
- gives 🔥 and 🧊 grading on his 2024 predictions.
The Zeitgeist of 2024
2024 was a wild ride with many villains, numerous plot twists and lots of surprise endings. I wanted to do a little year end wrap up. It includes a few sections. First we will discuss six key threads from the year. There is a curated top ten list of links and our top three covers for visual flair. Please make sure to catch the wrap up at the end.
Six Threads
The Zeitgeist Distilled covers a very wide range of topics. In 2024 they congealed around handful of threads that connect many of the stories that were shared and discussed. The six threads are:
1. The Impact of AI and LLMs on Work, Life, and Thought
Foundational Models are rapidly changing the way we live and work. This transformation brings enormous potential for massive benefits. Learning how to use AI is a particularly important thing for any professional.
The four AI quarterlies are a great start on the subject.
NotebookLM is an amazing application. As are ChatGPT Canvases. Don’t forget that Perplexity is pretty cool too.
ZD 24.24 explored using AI as a fantasy draft aid. Now that we are at the end of the season I can say this might not be a great idea.
BrXnd.ai is a pretty amazing conference and has a great perspective on AI. Their upcoming LA event is worth it if you are on the left coast.
2. The Shifting Media Landscape and the Need for Content Curation
The ways we consume and share information are undergoing a significant shift, with the rise of new media platforms and the decline of trust in traditional sources. Effective content curation and critical thinking are essential for navigating this evolving landscape.
ZD 24.16 looked into the rise of the Zynternet as a crucible of modern culture.
ZD 24.30 contains a curated fall publications guide.
3. Understanding Gen Zalpha and the Challenges of Modern Life
As a parent of a gen alpha kid, and living in a world where Gen Z is rapidly coming of age and dominating culture, it is important to understand their worldview and their unique societal pressures.
ZD 24.11 shares some ways to find gen alpha. Watch out for brainrot.
ZD 24.19 looks into the Gen-Z phenomenon of brat summer.
ZD 24.21 explores the subject from a parent’s perspective asking questions about play structure and social media access.
4. Instability in the US and in the World
2024 saw the United States is experiencing a period of intense political and social division, driven by a complex interplay of economic anxieties, cultural clashes, and a loss of trust in institutions. At the same time the world is experiencing the most intensive period of prolonged interstate conflict since the second world war and a rising Cold War II between a stagnating US and a rising China.
ZD 24.03 looks at the world from the Chinese perspective.
ZD 24.20 asks about the costs of cancel culture.
ZD 24.35 explores some of the why behind the 2024 US election cycle.
ZD 24.39 recounts a very wild week which saw a sea change in the middle east.
5. The Potential and Limitations of Emerging Technologies
Technology is both amazingly powerful and amazingly scary. There is great potential to create a much better world. It can also have serious unintended side effects. We explore both on this publication.
ZD 24.08 discusses the XZ software supply chain attack that could have been devastating.
ZD 24.13 shines a light on the ongoing solar industrial revolution.
ZD 24.31 looks at port automation in the US while also noting how AI apps are not ready.
6. The Importance of Personal Growth and Productivity
We live in a world of constant change and information overload. Prioritizing personal growth and finding effective ways to use technology to enhance your workflow are worthwhile investments. Having some hobbies outside of tech are also helpful to maintain sanity in this world.
ZD 24.06 explores the Zeitgeist of Grilling.
ZD 24.09 shares some tools to work smarter not harder.
ZD 24.25 will help you enhance your office experience.
ZD 24.40 describes the toolchain used to create this publication.
The Spirit of 2024 in 10 Links
This publication is in large part well curated links. Here are the best 10 links we shared all year for handy reference and exploration.
- reminds us that we live differently than any other humans in history (ZD 24.02).
- warns us about the age of zugzwang (ZD 24.05).
- explains the rise of neotoddlerism (ZD 24.22).
- ’s creates the term Zynternet (ZD 24.16) and the explains the TikTok electorate (ZD 24.35).
- demonstrated that Excel is immortal (ZD 24.30).
- explains how AI is world changing for many with disabilities (ZD 24.30).
- B Jones coins the term “The Cognitive Century” (ZD 24.33).
- declares the revenge of the humanities (ZD 24.13).
- charts America’s productivity boom (ZD 24.37).
Big Think illustrates how cheap light transformed civilization (ZD 24.08).
Covers of the Year
One feature of this publication is the cover model — the AI-generated gentleman you see in various thematic scenarios every issue. It has been an interesting AI art project I should write about at some point, but for now I’d like to share my top three covers of the year for your viewing pleasure.
Happy New Year!
Thanks again for your readership this year! Have a great holiday, stay tuned for an exciting and informative 2025.
Did you enjoy reading this post? Hit the ♥ button above or below because it helps more people discover great Substacks like this one and it helps train your algorithm to get you more posts you like. Please share here or in your networks to help us grow!