I published the first post on this blog, then called Understated, in November of 2024. My two goals back then were first, to get better at working on developing ideas in public rather than more privately or in close collaboration with just a few others. Second, I needed to get my head around why I was feeling that the news was getting less and less useful when it came to confronting complicated challenges, like climate change, immigration or political polarization.

My thinking has come a long way, with the help of readers and collaborators. These posts are a record of how that clarity has developed.

Post 1: Defining the problem

Post 2: A reading list for inspiration and learning

Post 3: An exercise for finding the value in a story (original version, an updated one lives in the teaching and learning tab)

Post 4: Quick takeaways from our collective past to fuel your curiosity

Post 5: An exercise to see if your work and life line up with your desires

Post 6: Habit forming news is probably a bad thing

Post 7: Interrogating if you want your reporting to change people