

Discover more from Bennett’s Five Links
Issue #003 — If you’ll believe in me, I’ll believe in you
... is that a bargain?

It has been a long time since I was in the dating game. I was terrible at it then I’m sure I would be even worse now. But this bloke has set an excellent example; creating a PowerPoint presentation for his Tinder profile.
Can't tell if this was the best or dumbest thing I ever decided to do on tinder?
The COVID-19 Pandemic, while awful, has provided an opportunity for many to skill-up in new areas. Woeful university online learning programs have been exposed and now some less prestigious online education providers are being seen as a legitimate option for those looking to learn new skills.
You’ve probably seen one of these online providers all over your Facebook Feed. I’m referring to MasterClass. Well, it appears not all online providers are all that legitimate. This article talks about how MasterClass’ impressive growth has come as a result of selling the dream of progress as an antidote to Millennial anxiety, rather than actually being an effective method for teaching new skills.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how prospectors in the California Gold Rush rarely struck it rich. In 1849, the ones who did well were those who supplied prospectors with shovels, tents, and jeans—they kept the dream alive.
But wait - stay with me - that isn’t actually the link I wanted to plug.
MasterWiki is the link I wanted to plug. MasterWiki describes itself as content ‘stolen from MasterClass, republished as wikiHow”. I’ve had a quick look at the site and I’m not sure how much longer it will be around. It’s blatant in its desire to take MasterClass’ work and repackage it in a more simple, much more free, format.
So if there was any value in the MasterClass offering, I suspect it might be worth first looking to see if MasterWiki can deliver it at a much more compelling price. Until it’s shut down, that is.
(via @anthilemoon)
Pfft, mate - is the Pope a Catholic?!
We’ve all said it. It’s a great way to express incredulity at a stupid question. The problem is, it turns out, the Pope isn’t actually Catholic. Awkward.
The short version is as follows: (1) The person we think is the Pope isn’t actually the Pope; (2) Another guy, who IS actually the Pope, well it turns out he’s not Catholic.
We’ll have to stick to the other expression about bears and outdoor ablutions.
It can be helpful to reflect throughout the year to really appreciate all the things that have gone wrong.
And if that last link bummed you out a little, if you’re struggling to keep your spirits up through what has been a hell of a year, just remember, you still have options.
For example, you could specialise in shovelling dirt in front of an audience!
(via @conaw)
If you enjoyed any of these links please consider forwarding this email on to a friend. They can sign up at this link.
Thanks for subscribing!
Bennett.