The Daily Valet. - 11/11/19, Monday

✔️ Pour One Out for the Likes

November 11, 2019

Monday, November 11th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I come from a long-line of military men, so I’m sending my sincere gratitude to anyone who’s served our country.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Instagram Will Soon Hide Like Counts

Pour one out for your social media-fueled anxiety

The cartoon above, from The New Yorker, really says it all, doesn't? We know that our social media is a highlight reel—showing only the good, varnished truths that make up just a fraction of our real life. But that doesn't mean we don't still buy into the myths and compare our lowest points to others' high points.

And that's just one way social media messes with our self esteem. Let us count the ways ... For instance, when you post to Instagram, do you return a few minutes later to monitor the likes? Comparing how well one image did to the last one? Or to the Insta posted by your friend or colleague? Of course you do. We all do. And while we know that the tiny counter at the bottom of each photo doesn't equal our self worth, it can still bring up some subconscious feelings of inadequacy.

For this very reason, Instagram will begin hiding likes in the US. The move follows promising trials in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, announced over the weekend that private like-count testing would begin for some American users as early as this week.

At the WIRED25W conference, Mosseri spoke to Tracee Ellis Ross and Wired's Arielle Pardes about how the move aims to “de-pressurize Instagram” to “give people more space to connect.”

To be clear, Instagram won’t be getting rid of like counts altogether; users will still be able to see how often a post of theirs has been liked. However, those counts won’t be displayed to followers anymore, and won’t appear in public Instagram feeds.

The move is an attempt to strengthen conversations over popularity contests. But it does beg the question ... if you post an awesome shot, and no one sees how many people liked it, is it still a great shot?

A Breakthrough in the Vaping Illness Mystery

Vitamin E acetate may be the culprit

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified Vitamin E acetate as the possible cause for the wave of vaping-related lung injuries and deaths that have plagued the nation for months.

The chemical, an oil derived from the vitamin, was found in the lung fluids of 29 people who were sickened or died in the outbreak of dangerous vaping-related lung injuries, according to the Washington Post. Vitamin E acetate is a popular vape additive because it is colorless and odorless, has similar viscosity to THC oil and is much more inexpensive.

The findings are significant because for the first time, scientists have been able to connect results from product testing with clinical specimens from patients. And while the findings do not rule out other possible compounds or ingredients that may be causing the lung injuries, the CDC described the lab results as a “breakthrough” in the investigation.

Many patients with the mysterious illness have wound up hospitalized in intensive care units, needing ventilators or even more desperate measures to help them breathe, reports the New York Times. More than 2,000 people have suffered vaping-related illnesses and at least 39 have died.

Easily Experience Burning Man

Without the blazing heat, dust storms and overall inherent danger

If you, like me, try to avoid excessive heat and sand without the promise of an ocean (and a cocktail on a lounge chair), then you're likely not one of the 80,000 “burners” who attend the annual weeklong Burning Man event. But that doesn't mean we don't want to get an up close look at the otherworldly pieces of art that are constructed for the festival.

Given the rising number of people and art organizations exposed to Burning Man either directly or through the media (all those Instagrammers!), and the rising quality and scope of the artists contributing to the festival, it was inevitable that there would be a buildup of curiosity and funding to give these creations a second life, reports the New York Times. They round up the best pieces that have left the desert and are now permanently displayed around the country.

Then there's No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man, originally commissioned by the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian, it's a traveling exhibit that just wrapped up in Cincinnati and recently opened at the Oakland Museum of California. I, for one, am stoked to see the innovative art having a life beyond the hazy days in the desert.

↦ curious? Get all the information on the next Burning Man, in August 2020.

Who Chooses the Dalai Lama’s Successor?

Will it be his supporters or Beijing?

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, the spiritual leader of Tibet, turned 84 this summer. With his advancing age, and ailing health, the question of who will succeed him, has become more pressing.

Winner of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize and one of the most recognizable faces in the world—Buddhist or otherwise—the Dalai Lama is an important figure bringing thoughtful teachings to the international community.

Tibetan Buddhists believe their spiritual leader will be reincarnated when he dies—the same being, they believe, who has been reincarnated for more than 600 years. Traditionally, the Dalai Lama himself gives instructions before he dies. He's supposed to tell aides where to look for a child who will next embody his essence. But this time, politics may complicate the search, reports NPR.

That's because in 2011, the Chinese foreign ministry declared that only the government in Beijing can appoint the next Dalai Lama. China says he lost his legitimacy when he and his followers fled their native Tibet after the Chinese government's crackdown. Which means when he dies, the world could end up with two Dalai Lamas—one identified by the Chinese government and another by Tibetans in exile.

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

The exact salary you need to be happy

Everything you should know about the negroni

Where to peep those autumnal leaves

This Is Ralph Lauren’s Week

America’s first man of fashion is getting a book and movie on the same day.

All great American success stories are predicated on hard-work, perseverance and a thick skin. And Ralph Lauren, the master of American style, definitely sits atop the pantheon of great success stories.

He's the son of two immigrants and grew up in a working-class Bronx neighborhood, but through determination and sheer ingenuity, became a self-made billionaire. A man who, without formal design training, went on to become one of the world's most successful designers.

There's a lot to learn from the guy. Which is why both an HBO documentary and a new coffee table book are dropping this week celebrating the man, the myth and how it's so much more than just pretty clothing.

We preview both on Valet. today, with some stellar archival photos and inspiring tales of making it in both business and in life.

↦ Lessons in Success: What we can all learn from Ralph Lauren.

What We’re Buying

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