19 January is known as Quitter’s Day. It is when most people who told themselves ‘New Year, New You’ on January 1^st will officially give up on their self-improvement plans[1].

How do we know this? Strava data.

Founded in 2009, this social network for athletes (defined as ‘anyone who sweats’) gains 1 million new users every month. Strava gamified fitness, building communities of everyone from amateurs to ultra-competitive spirits. And we all lapped it up. To find out what makes Strava so compelling to so many people, check out our Read of the Week from The Guardian.

Oh, and hopefully the reverse psychology in Paragraph One worked. Don’t give up! We believe in you[2].

Someone[3] once said that you should walk a mile in another a person’s shoes before judging them. Technology Review presumably had a similar adage in mind when they asked teenagers to explain what adults failed to understand about technology. If you’ve ever wondered why social media simultaneously validates and makes people insecure, or why selfies are not vain, this is a good perspective.

Elsewhere, former Deadspin editor David Roth wrote about the ramifications of the publishing industry pivoting to video. Then we have a couple of influencer pieces – gamer/boxer KSI explains to Vice how he plans to take over the world, while the New Statesman tells us about Paul Zimmer, one of the breakout stars of Musical.ly (later TikTok) who has *probably* rebranded as Troy Becker, a different person entirely. It’s… a wild ride.

READ OF THE WEEK: Kudos, leaderboards, QOMs: how fitness app Strava became a religion
[The Guardian]

We asked teenagers what adults are missing about technology. This was the best response.
[Technology Review]

The year in pivoting to video
[Hazlitt]

Now he’s conquered Logan Paul, KSI is ready to break America
[Vice]

The strange case of Paul Zimmer, the influencer who came back as a different person
[New Statesman]

[1] Maybe this explains why 2020’s Blue Monday, allegedly the most depressing day of the year, will arrive on January 20^th.
[2] Kudos etc.
[3] Potentially God?