“A good newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself.”
– Arthur Miller
This year, we did a lot of talking – and a lot of reading. With the newspapers dropped off daily, and different newsletters hitting each of our inboxes, it’s hard to remember all of the headlines. It’s much easier to remember how these stories made us think and feel. Below, we sum up the stories that made us think and feel in memorable ways.
The most thought-provoking long read of 2016.
Kellie: Michael Moore’s piece on why Donald Trump would win the 2016 election – “Five Reasons Why Trump Will Win” via michaelmoore.com.
Kat: George Megalogenis’s blog on how we all know Australia is changing, but no-one can tell us into what – “Transition vamp” via The Monthly.
Amelia: Scanlon Foundation’s Social Cohesion Report refuted the ‘doomsday’ narratives that dominated the media this year – “Mapping Social Cohesion: The Scanlon Foundation surveys 2016” via monash.edu.au.
Janine: As a Brit, it’s all about Brexit and The Guardian’s analysis of the working class revolt – “Brexit – a disaster decades in the making” via The Guardian.
Patrick: And alongside Brexit, the rise of the far right in Europe – “The ruthlessly effective rebranding of Europe’s new far right” via The Guardian.
Maddi: Domestic violence has hit the spotlight this year – “Why are three women in Australia already dead this year?” via news.com.au.
Felicity: Finally, we have the concreteness effect – “Science backs up the power of the narrative in convincing an audience” via Mumbrella.
Caroline: Matt Barrie’s original 8000-word essay lamenting the current state of Australia’s emerald city – “Will the last person in Sydney please turn off the lights?” via LinkedIn.
Alice: The full statement read out in court by a Stanford rape victim during the Brock Turner trial – “This is the full statement read out in court by the woman Brock Turner assaulted” via news.com.au.
Melinda: “What are some ugly truths?” by James Altucher via LinkedIn.
Rhod: Aeon, although it doesn’t always hit the mark, is a welcome addition to philosophical blogs with some great long reads.
David: “Mies van der Rohe’s unrealised scheme for Lloyds of London” via Real Review.
It’s not new, but “The ones who walk away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le. Guin really struck a chord with me this year, and is particularly relevant when considering what we’ve learned this year about the treatment of asylum seekers on Nauru, notably via The Guardian’s “The Nauru Files“.
– Elise
The most uplifting news story of 2016.
Kellie: India planted 50 million trees in one day via National Geographic.
Kat: Aboriginal man wanted to ‘do something nice’ after overhearing racist comments in a Fremantle cafe via ABC News.
Amelia: President Barack Obama made a friendship bracelet for Joe Biden via People; the ultimate bromance lives on.
Janine: “Toddlers and the elderly bond over books” via ABC.
Felicity: Sad “PawPaw” is happy again via Daily Mail.
Melinda: Australia’s response to the conservative claim that smashed avo is the downfall of a whole generation, summed up by The Australian.
Caroline: Migaloo (and Son of Migaloo) spotted migrating south this winter via Cairns Post.
Alice: “The Spice Girls’ ‘Wannabe’ Music Video Just Got A Rad Feminist Makeover” via Huffington Post.
Patrick: “From BMX to brain injury: how a single punch changed a life forever” via The Guardian.
Elise: It’s very pop culture, but made my heart sing when Tiffany and Megan announced their love for each other (via Sydney Morning Herald), after both leaving the patriarchal cesspool that is The Bachelor. They brought a positive queer story into mainstream media and, for the most part, have been embraced by the public.
David: Patrick Grant launches Community Clothing via Creative Review.
Burn victim Kate Sanderson participated in the Marathon Des Sables, known as the toughest foot race on earth. Kate was severely burnt in a bushfire while competing in an ultramarathon in WA in 2011. Sunday Night did a great feature on it, “Conquering the Marathon Des Sables“.
– Maddi
The most important article for 2017, and the challenges ahead.
Kellie: “Has World War 3 begun?” by Simon Reich writing for The Conversation – interesting to revisit in light of the election of Trump.
Kat: As Digital Manager I have to say it’s “7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2017” via Forbes.
Amelia: A report on Melbourne’s Foodprint was aptly summed up by The Conversation in “Melbourne wastes 200 kg of food per person a year: it’s time to get serious”.
Maddi: “Millennials’ hatred of ‘dealing with people’ is a major threat to fast-food workers” via Business Insider Australia.
Caroline: “The Boomer Supremacy” by Richard Cook writing for The Monthly.
Alice: “ISIS is weak” editorial by Waleed Aly for The Project.
Felicity: “Digital Marketing in 2017” by Kat on the EJ Blog.
Elise: “To Harness Complex Problems, Do These Three Things” via Medium.
Patrick: “Population Paradox: Europe’s time bomb” via The Independent.
Melinda: Although it has a very leftist tone, “Trump in the White House: An Interview With Noam Chomsky” is a great read via Truth Out.
