#139 - Notes on Cheetos, Lawyers and Dylan
Education Coffee is 2xWeekly Newsletter on People, Ideas and Culture.
In this newsletter, I share five inspiring web resources that I have curated after hours of research to ensure that you have the best education coffee in your inbox. In upcoming editions, I will focus on sharing insights, notes and realizations that I gather from people, ideas, books, films and podcasts.
1. Learning from People
On Episode 59 of #LearningStories we chat with Rohan Banerjee on his Life as a Lawyer and Writer. He is a lawyer by training and writer/idler by choice. He received his law degree from NUJS in 2010 and moved to Mumbai. He has been working in the same firm since 2010. From 2010 to 2021 he was a securities lawyer advising institutions and listed companies on financial regulations. He grew through the ranks and made partner in 2019. In 2021 he resigned and transitioned into a part time learning focused role because he wanted to pursue writing. He writes 'More Letters, Less News' newsletter on Substack that is about travel, humour, running and books with a new issue every fortnight. He also works in a law firm in Mumbai. His work has also been published and featured in Indian Express, Scroll.in, Wire.in and Times of India. You can find Rohan on Substack, Linkedin and Twitter.
2. Learning from Ideas and Questions
Alain De Botton, renowned essayist, philosopher and founder of 'The School of Life' examined the nature and function of work in this thought-provoking RSA lecture. It helped me understand the many ways that humans find meaning in their daily jobs and careers.
3. Learning from Books, Websites and Blog
Han Kang (b. 1970) is a South Korean author of novels, poetry, and short stories. In this powerful portrait from the Louisiana Channel, South Korean writer Han Kang – winner of the 2016 Man Booker Prize in Literature and the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature – reveals the story of how she became an author, and how writing helps her pierce her distrust in human beings.
4. Learning from Films, Videos and Shows
A janitor at a small factory invents the Flamin Hot Cheetos and fights bureaucracy to bring his innovation to life for his family, his culture and his roots. It is also an ode to second chances, the spirit of immigrant entrepreneurship and the life changing impact of loving family members on professional success over time.
5. Learning from Podcasts and Music
Timothee Chalamet talks to Zane Lowe about how he became Bob Dylan for the biopic film, ‘A Complete Unknown’. It is an interesting deep dive into the mind of an actor and the preparation needed for a role.
It brought Dylan’s music to life for me and also threw light on the life of an artist before and after fame. It also showed me how critics and producers can put additional pressure on an musician by asking them to conform to the most popular methods of producing and releasing music. Timothee Chalamet (as Bob Dylan) and Monica Barbarro (as Joan Didion) were the highlights of this film for me. Watch the trailer here.
Thank you for reading this edition of #EducationCoffee. I look forward to writing weekly editions of this newsletter this year. I hope to continue to share resources that will add value to your life. You can also review the archive of Education Coffee for free at this link (100+ newsletters here). You can email your thoughts, feedback or recommendations to abhishekashokshetty@gmail.com. I love connecting with other writers and learners on the Internet.
Abhishek