Culture Fix
What to Stream in Seattle September 18–24
Learn about one of the original data miners and check out a John Lewis documentary and panel discussion.
Historian and New Yorker writer Jill Lepore's book, If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future, tells about one of the first organizations to collect data with the hopes of influencing individuals.
Image: Courtesy of Dari Pillsbury
Fri, Sept 18
If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future
We all know that websites track our data, eroding the line between helpful and invasive. But collecting data with the intention of wielding influence isn't new. In her new book, If Then, historian and New Yorker writer Jill Lepore introduces many to the Simulmatics Corporation. Founded in 1959, Simulmatics mined data, persuaded voters, and altered information decades before Zuckerberg arrived on Harvard’s campus and tech giants algorithmically logged our lives. For this streaming talk, Lepore joins University of Washington history professor Margaret O’Mara, who released a book on big tech last year. 6pm, $5
Sat, Sept 19
There Is Always a Before
As smoke lingers throughout the state and residents continue to clash with the pandemic, it’s probably safe to say we could all appreciate a cultural escape, even if it's for a couple of hours. Enter Lakshmi Muirhead’s exhibit There Is Always A Before, which will show at the J. Rinehart Gallery. At the virtual opening, Muirhead will answer questions and guide viewers through her large-scale paintings, which look simple at first glance—black and white squares. But as you look, they deepen and deepen. 5pm, Free
Mon, Sept 21
John Lewis: Good Trouble
To celebrate the life and legacy of U.S. Representative and civil rights leader John Lewis, Seattle Theater Group presents a panel discussion about the film John Lewis: Good Trouble which takes viewers through his life and work. The panel will feature Dawn Porter, the film's director; Ras J. Baraka, the mayor of Newark, NJ; and Khalil Gibran Muhammad, a professor of history, race, and public policy at Harvard Kennedy School. 4pm, Free
Thu, Sept. 24
Mountaineering and the Climate Crisis
As a professional climber, Conrad Anker has seen pockets of the world in its most pristine state. But he’s also witnessed the results of the global climate crisis. Anker will share his thoughts on how people and organizations can help protect our land as well as a little about his favorite places and adventures both abroad and in the Pacific Northwest. 7pm, $14
