Elisha Stam | Hammer In The News

A triumph of the human spirit.

A devout list-lover could spend hours looking at Buzzfeed’s amazing lists like the 7 Types of Crying Selfies You’ve Seen on Facebook, or 16 Street Gangs You’d Totally Join, and 21 Signs You Were Raised by Asian Immigrants.

This week’s list comes from the good people at BuzzFeed. 21 Pictures that Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity was compiled by Jack Shepherd, the current community manager of BuzzFeed. And like so many great listers, he lives with his cats in NYC.

Each of Shepherd’s “moments” are written in the neutral, Helvetica font, which allows the content to speak, not the font.

His clear and anecdotal voice lets the reader get the gist of the story behind the photos, but allowing for personal reflection. And he really starts delivering at item #19 – This exchange between a protester and a soldier during a protest in Brazil.

Allowing the pictures to do the talking, Shepherd shares a story of a protest in Brazil. One of the army generals asks the people to stop protesting because it is his birthday. The protestors buy the general a birthday cake, and major hugging ensues. And to quote Shepherd, “Faith in Humanity: Restored.”

The most surprising item is #3, where three young men rescue a sheep from certain death (pictured right). The sheep had fallen into the treacherous sea, and through a riveting series of photographs, we see one man jumping at his own risk to save this sheep. It is a testament to their bravery.

It’s ironic that 21 Pictures that Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity contained so many photos about animals. Is it because we don’t have enough pictures online of people doing nice things for people? Or is that cute animals are our go-to when we feel a little hopeless (those cute little cats getting air from the fireman did make me pretty happy).

21 Pictures that Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity resonates with the crowd that feels like the world lacks hope. Shepherd realizes the right photos can remind us that love abounds, and distracts us from war, famine, and marathon terrorism. And, for the most part, he delivers.

I give this list 3 check-marks out of 5.

Cheers!

By Elisha Stam

Lists are literature, just like Byron, Keats or Atwood.

Hammer In The News presents a weekly list review to help you ponder and reflect on life. Internet lists abound, yet there’s a lack of serious reviews, or a literary treatment of the medium.

Elisha Stam, writer and book reviewer, wants us to look differently at lists. To capture their raw and simple beauty, to nurture their growth, and to place their authors on the literary pedestal, until now, reserved only for the Hemingways and the Shakespeares.

Welcome to Lists in Review.

This week’s list comes to us from Jeff Bredenberg, Readers Digest‘s masterful list curator.

The layout can be as important as the list itself – Elisha Stam

A simple perusal on the site reveals hundreds of beautiful lists in a stylish “slideshow” technique (see image right), which is extremely hot right now because it integrates easy browsing with simple images.

But the reason I settled on 13 Ways to Beat an Afternoon Slump was because of its powerful tagline: “It’s tough to beat, but we’ve got 13 tricks and tips to help you feel more energized and be more productive for the rest of the day.” After all, who doesn’t hate the afternoon slump?

I thought all thirteen of the suggestions were powerfully worded and commanding, which is important in a list. A list needs to convince the reader to try new things, and Bredenberg didn’t disappoint. One suggestion was to try tea in the afternoon rather than coffee. I’m not going to lie, I think a coffee would make me feel less “slumpy” but I’m willing to give tea a try because of the sheer authority Bredenberg conveyed on the issue.

My favorite of the thirteen, by far, was “Get Minty” (number six) – It suggests rubbing peppermint oil into the palms of your hands and even on your face, when a slump arrives. It’s such a powerful image, you can almost smell the peppermint. Imagine how great you’d feel in your cubicle!

As always, Bredenberg brings a solid list that adds to his mounting body of literature. If you are looking for some solutions for your afternoon slump, you MUST read this list. You won’t be disappointed.

Overall I give 13 Ways to Beat the Afternoon Slump an enthusiastic Four Checks out of Five.

Elisha Stam is a Hamilton writer. Catch more of her reviews on her blog, Past Page Ten.