Good morning. It's Saturday, Nov. 15. Welcome to this week's Society & Culture newsletter. First time reading? Sign up here or click here to share with friends. |
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First up this week is Georgia O'Keeffe, the inimitable American artist whose birthday is today. Following that, we've got a fascinating exploration of the lasting cultural relevance of tattoos. Finally, we go deep on coffee, one of the most popular beverages in the world—and, frankly, one I'm not sure I could live without!
Feel free to drop me a line. What do you think of this week's edition? What would you like to see covered in future sends? I'm always looking to improve the newsletter, so I appreciate the feedback. It's as simple as replying to this email. |
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A beginner's guide to Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgia O’Keeffe was an American painter and sculptor, known for her vivid and abstract depictions of natural subjects. Over the course of her seven-decade career, she became known as the “mother of American modernism” and a mysterious and often misunderstood figure. (See an archive of her work.)
O’Keeffe is best known for her grand, vibrant, and close-up paintings of flowers that disrupted the longstanding conventions for still-life painting. Intending to capture her love of nature, she focused on a gradient of vivid colors and shapes rather than accurate details. These depictions were often misinterpreted as female genitalia, though O’Keeffe repeatedly refuted the claim.
Her unconventional interpretations of subjects led to her recognition as one of the key figures of American modernism, a movement that captured the country's changing spirit in the early 20th century. As of 2025, she is the most expensive female artist of all time.
Also, check out ...
> In 1949, O'Keeffe moved to a tiny desert village in New Mexico that inspired her painting. (More)
> After a drought near her home, O'Keeffe began incorporating animal skulls into her work. (More)
> Take a virtual tour of Santa Fe's Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. (More)
> O'Keeffe's late-in-life relationship with a young artist caused controversy. (More)
Explore everything else we've found on Georgia O'Keeffe. |
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Tattoos, 101
Tattoos are permanent markings made by pigments injected beneath the outer layer of skin. They remain indelible by harnessing immune cells called macrophages, which perceive ink as a foreign body and try to digest it. Ink particles can’t be broken down, so macrophages hold on to them, helping maintain the tattoo pattern. Historically, tattoos were tapped into the skin with sharpened objects. In fact, the word “tattoo” comes from “tatatau,” the Polynesian word for “to strike.”
Throughout the ages, tattoos have functioned as markers of status, brands, ornamentation, spiritual protection, and therapeutic tools, depending on the cultural context.
Tattoos are more visible in the US than in the past, with around 32% of adults sporting at least one. Despite their popularity, studies show that tattoo wearers are associated with stereotypes of promiscuity, incompetence, and dishonesty, possibly due to lingering associations of tattoos with crime.
Also, check out ...
> Ötzi the Iceman, one of the oldest human mummies ever found, had 61 tattoos. (More)
> Samuel O'Reilly, inspired by Thomas Edison's electric pen, patented the tattoo gun in 1891. (More)
> Tattoo removal breaks apart ink particles below the skin's surface. (More)
> Women from the island of Timor used tattoos to avoid capture during World War II. (More)
Explore everything else we've found on tattoos. |
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The Best Part of Waking Up |
The brief history of coffee
Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, with more than 2.25 billion cups consumed every day. The beverage is made by brewing the roasted seeds of fruit from the coffea plant (also known as coffee beans) to produce caffeine, a stimulant that temporarily blocks receptors that cause us to feel tired and enables stimulants like dopamine to increase alertness and focus.
Coffee brewing likely originated in Ethiopia before spreading to the Arabian Peninsula through traders sometime in the 15th century, where it was first cultivated and used by Sufi mystics as a source of energy during lengthy, overnight religious rituals.
Coffee production in South America took off in the 1800s, with Brazil establishing itself as the largest global producer in the 1840s. Today, it grows more than one-third of the world’s beans.
Also, check out ...
> How coffee is roasted determines how it will taste. (More)
> A visual guide to the many kinds of coffee drinks. (More)
> Before it was a drink, coffee was used for handwashing. (More)
> "Cat poo coffee" is one of the most expensive coffee types in the world. (More)
Explore everything else we've found on coffee. |
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Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.
> So ... What Is a Podcast, Anyway?
Literary Hub | Dennis Funk. In the past few years, the podcast has moved from an audio-driven medium to one not so different from a television talk show. Funk proposes renaming the classic podcast—an artful audio documentary—to distinguish it from the junk posing as the genuine article. (Read)
> Trial by Fandom
Pirate Wires | Monia Ali. True crime fans are notorious for falling down rabbit holes. Ali explores how that passionate interest has been exploited by attorneys marshaling influencers to serve as informal public relations representatives, a trend that's blurring the lines between fan theories and reality. (Read)
> The Man Who Rescued Faulkner
The Atlantic | Michael Gorra. Malcolm Cowley is responsible for the careers of several titans in American literature, including John Cheever, Jack Kerouac, and Ken Kesey. But the work he did to bring William Faulkner, who had fallen out of print, back might've had the greatest impact on the modern canon. (Read)
> Why Is It So Easy to Flood Streaming With AI Slop?
Hearing Things | Andy Cush. If you've found some questionable tracks on your favorite artists' streaming accounts lately, you might've assumed they were the result of a technical glitch. Cush makes the case it's not a temporary bug; it's a strategic gambit by scammers coopting willfully naive platforms. (Read)
> Why Is TikTok Obsessed With a 50-Year-Old Shipwreck?
Atlas Obscura | Allegra Rosenberg. The social media app is known for inspiring odd trends and resurrecting older songs. A recent trend checks both of those boxes, with an explosion of interest in the Edmund Fitzgerald, a shipwreck memorialized by singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. (Read) |
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