5SR - March 25, 2024

A quick refresher - I’m Hitha Palepu, the founder of #5SmartReads. If you’d like to connect with me elsewhere, I’m most active on Instagram and write a weekly newsletter about smart, random things (check out the most recent issue). Looking forward to connecting there!

Reddit vs. Truth Social: A tale of two social media listings (Axios)

Social media is literally my business (well, one of them) and I am fascinated by these two very different public offerings.

On one hand, you have a lion of the Internet whose relevance is still as strong as its early peak days. On the other hand, you have a mewling, irrational toddler of a social media platform who’s going through this exercise so a former president of the United States can secure a near half billion dollar bond.

These two are not the same. But there’s a lot to learn in how these stocks perform in the coming days and weeks.

Bronx-born food collective goes from trendy dinner parties to Target shelves (Food Dive)

Before you click on this article, do yourself a favor and stock up on some Ghetto Gastro pancake/waffle mix and toaster pastries.

I’m partial to the strawberry (for both), and add a half cup of vanilla Greek yogurt in the mix for the fluffiest, most delicious pancakes ever.

I’m also a huge fan of their mission and their executive team (Sushma is a close friend and one of the most talented executives in the food space) - and I loved this piece and to get a peek at how Ghetto Gastro is growing and scaling while staying true to their mission.

It’s rare that my food purchases hit the center of a triple Venn diagram of values - delicious, nutritious, and aligned with my values. That GG does this AND at a great price point means they have my business for life.

First human transplant of a genetically modified pig kidney performed (NPR)

I will spare you how long I’ve been thinking about pig organs being transplanted into humans. Just know that it’s been decades.

Yes, really.

Our digestive system is most similar to pigs, making them an ideal candidate for genetic modification to help grow necessary organs for the massive organ shortage we’ve faced for years now.

The bioethics of these do need to be considered as the science progresses, and should happen together rather than in their own silos. As promising as this is, it’s not without significant consequences - and I appreciate the nuance this article outlines.

What Happens to the Stay-at-Home Girlfriend After a Breakup? (Cosmopolitan)

My 39 year old self spends way too much time thinking about the impact of trad wives and stay at home girlfriends. I have been thinking a lot about what happens when those relationship ends, and specifically what happens to the wife/girlfriend.

Bless you, Erika W. Smith, for this really, really smart read, which focuses on the necessary nuance of not criticizing these women for the choices they made, but instead showcases what happens when this stay-at-home-girlfriend situation ends - and what they have to say about it.

This one is well worth your time (and I especially love Farnoosh Torabi’s wisdom to help women protect themselves in any relationship, but especially this one).

What is the real Hamas? (The Guardian)

A long read, but a necessary one.

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