The Dann Chronicles: July 🐭
The "friction" beind the Gen Z stare, keeping a close eye on OpenAI, a terrifying AI video quiz, the joys of a label maker, and a great video game to play when you're sick.
July 2025
Hey all,
I have a vivid memory of learning the phrase, "the best laid plans of mice and men." I had just finished the Steinbeck book Of Mice and Men in eighth-grade English class, and learning the phrase felt like a powerful magic linking my limited life experience to the wider world.
But it's not until we're older, with much more life experience, that we can truly come to understand the phrase.
In my last newsletter, I mentioned that I was going to a regional Burning Man event outside of Seattle called Critical NW. I did still make it out, but it did not quite go as planned.
A few days before our planned departure date, our cat wound up in the ER for 48 hours due to a urinary blockage. I changed my flights, both arriving later and leaving earlier than originally planned to help with post-hospitalization care.
Then, the day I returned from Seattle, I had the sudden onset of the worst sore throat I’ve ever had. A trip to urgent care informed me that this was actually the latest variant of COVID: Nimbus NB.1.8.1 aka "Razor-Blade Throat."
In my personal experience, it wholly lives up to its nickname. I was laid out for nearly a week after returning from the festival. But, by some miracle, no one else at my camp—not even my wife—have tested positive. I was the lucky one.
So, as they say: the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
I've since recovered from COVID and am directing my attention to Burning Man next month—fully prepared to accept anything that comes my way.
-Dann
📱 Just a second...
Every generation has its own characteristics that make each age group unique. Back in October 2022, I talked about the "Millennial pause" being a tell-tale sign of my own generation. This month, Millennials have shot back by pointing out the Gen Z stare.
Perhaps you've noticed this particular trait, too. You, in the older generation, walk into an establishment and instead of being greeted by the younger employee, you're met with a stare. You say hi, and get nothing. Just the Gen Z stare. Or maybe you're a service employee interacting with a younger customer. When you try and engage, you get nothing. Again, just the Gen Z stare.
If you search TikTok for "gen z stare," you'll get tons of videos from Millennials roasting Gen Z. Move to the comments, and you'll see tons of defensive Gen Zers ardently pushing back.
There are a plethora of explanations that try to interpret this unique and slightly unnerving trait. No, it's not the blank stare you give someone when they say something stupid (everyone does that). Instead, it's more like that vacant stare you get when scrolling on your phone. Gen Z just takes longer to switch from that digital context to the real world. Thus, the Gen Z stare.
It's a topic that dovetails nicely with Kyla Scanlon's discussion of "friction" in a recent conversation with Ezra Klein (NYT gift article):
Basically the idea of friction is that there is value in things being a tiny bit difficult...When we use digital tools, there really isn’t a lot of friction...Whereas in the physical world, there’s a lot of friction...It’s just little things that feel like they should be simpler and running smoother. And they’re not, because they’re not part of the digital universe, which gets so much money and investment.
It feels like 2020 was the inflection point where more of our lives moved into the digital realm, free from the friction of the physical world—especially the younger generation. But that migration has consequences for face-to-face interactions, which are intrinsically different (and more difficult) than in the digital world.
As always, I urge you to consider that different doesn't always mean worse. But I'd posit that the Gen Z stare is merely a byproduct of that shift.
🤖 Green eggs and Sam
You may remember the horrifying predictions in AI 2027 from my newsletter a couple months ago—it was one of the few newsletter sections to ever be upgraded to a blog post. In this research-backed prediction, the fate of humanity is held in the hands of a small number of executives at the leading Artificial Intelligence company.
AI 2027 uses a fictional company called OpenBrain, which bears a striking resemblance to the real-world company OpenAI. OpenAI, and its CEO Sam Altman have largely stayed out of headlines since his dramatic firing and re-hiring in 2023. Outsiders may think things are just peachy since then, but with so much at stake, it's important to keep a closer eye on the situation.
The OpenAI Files is "the most comprehensive collection to date of documented concerns with governance practices, leadership integrity, and organizational culture at OpenAI."
It's a research project that's both troubling in terms of its contents and reassuring in that it exists. Neither you nor I may be able to do anything about the potential threats of future AI models, but it's going to take efforts like this to keep the lights shining bright on an otherwise autonomous private company.
🎥 ¡Ay, Dios VEO3!
Speaking of artificial intelligence, my friend Joe shared a terrifying New York Times quiz with me. It's a test to see if you can tell the difference between real video footage and clips generated by AI.
I scored a five out of ten, with many of the tricks I use to spot AI videos actually working against me.
Curious how you stack up? Take a few moments to complete the quiz yourself (NYT gift article). Let me know how you do.
🔌 Labeling the cabling
I purchased a label maker back in March and have been finding a ton of random uses for it since then. It's one of those products that's firmly in the luxury category, not the necessity category, but tickles my brain in a way that makes it totally worth the cost.
I've labeled all my various luggage tags with my name and email, replacing my horrible handwriting with professional-looking lettering. All my various chargers are now labeled with output wattage for quick, at-a-glance reference. And, perhaps most importantly, cables for my computer and TV are now labeled on both ends with their function, making future management a breeze.
Speaking of cable management, keeping a stack of reusable cable ties in a drawer is a trick I learned from my days working in a data center. They always prove infinitely useful.
🌕 Full moon rising
While sick with COVID this past week, I've had a ton of fun diving into the 2022 video game The Quarry.
It's an "interactive drama horror game," which means it plays like a choose-your-own-adventure movie more than a traditional video game. There are long cut scenes interspersed with decision-making and minor exploring. Each choice has an impact on the story, resulting in 186 different possible endings. Players can even disable certain gameplay mechanics, allowing progression with less skill-based input.
It was a perfect game to play while under the weather. For me, disabling aiming and shooting, while keeping everything else active, has allowed me to progress way farther than my first playthrough years ago.
End note
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Also, if you find anything interesting, send it my way.
Thanks for reading. Until next time,
Dann
The Quarry sounds interesting- loved the spiritual prequel to that Until Dawn. If you liked The Quarry I'd check that out next you have some spare time.