nothing is real and everything is important
the post reality era, the Hinge black market, and the new paradigm
To all the eyes and minds on the other side,
I’ve found New York is best consumed in doses. One week is all I need to remember who I am, fully reset, and hit the ground running. I used to think I wanted to live here but I think I’m much happier visiting every 6-8 weeks. I’m always impressed with my ability to cram in work, wellness, quality time with friends, exploration, curiosity and a good party all into six nights . What can I say, I love New York? This letter is overdue because I’ve been having fun. I’ve missed you.
I’ve become increasingly aware of time lately. Time I have left. Time I’ve spent. Time I’ve wasted. Time in between letters. Time in between lovers. Time in between catch ups and visits to family. Time in general. Life has been moving very fast lately. More on this soon.
Let’s dive into this weeks State of The Union.
State of The Union 07.24.25
I can’t start this letter without talking about SWAG. My favorite tracks are 405 and Butterflies. I’m really excited for Sekou and Eddie Benjamin to finally have their moment.
I don’t think the Kamala campaign staffers get enough credit for their work and influence because this tweet from The White House is… insane.
Does anyone know what’s going on with Drake? Why is he flying across venues and singing 1000 miles?
I know everyone likes to hate on Facebook but we need to acknowledge the efficiency of FB Marketplace and FB Groups. Two of the greatest digital inventions of our time IMO.
Most people have yet to understand how to create an efficient Instagram Broadcast Channel but if you’re looking for inspiration, I’m a big fan of Brenda and Adela’s respective channels.
I really enjoyed this article on Posting Zero.
I love airport lounges. I love solo dining. I love how airport lounges have mastered the art of functional design for solo diners. It’s a brilliant use of space, tbh.
What a time to be alive. During the LA fires last year, we were able to witness wealth on full display when the ultra-wealthy enlisted private firefighters to save their homes. Fast forward a few months later and we have off duty officers available for hire to protect and serve.
This tweettook the words right out of my mouth.Creator Spotlight — a curated list of creators I have my eyes on.
Young teens love Demetra Dias and she’s launching her own line with Aeropostale.
I love this trend.
At their prime, Urban Decay was known for makeup that lasted all night. Their partnership with Ari Kytsa is genius IMO. iykyk.
You may have seen dramatic videos shot in front of a racing train to the tune of Lorde on your FYP… guess who decided to join Anthony for a video? (Spoiler alert, it’s Lorde)
I have my eyes on Cynthia Parker. She appears to be soft launching a music career. I’d 100% categorize her as one of Lana’s daughters.
Jake Amazing deserves a celebrity partnership. If I wanted to break the internet, I would have him pop out with Lady Gaga or Adele for a piano ballad.
In my last letter, I highlighted Lily aka Tiffin Girl. Since that letter, she received her first editorial press piece and has all of Goa on a tiffin service waiting list. Now that’s influence!
I don’t need to talk about the Coldplay drama. All I’m saying is… the surveillance state is on the way.
However, this might be the best crisis management strategy I’ve ever seen. (In case you didn’t know, Gwyneth Paltrow is Chris Martin’s ex 🫣)
I’m a big fan of Bad Bunny’s tour laminates for his fans.
Did you know Hinge uses facial recognition for identity locking and taps into Apple’s device APIs (like devicecheck) to ensure if you get banned, you stay banned? Allegedly, there’s now a whole black market built around getting unbanned. You can hire someone to spoof identifiers to confuse the system and slip through verification. Somewhere out there, Jason from Brooklyn is jailbreaking his iPhone just to match with Allyson from the East Village. Who said romance is dead?
Niche digital marketing nerd complaint: I love streaming live versions of songs, especially when there are multiple live versions of the same song. I think most labels assume live albums hold less weight to fans, therefore they do less diligence when it comes to completing the distribution process. However, I take live versions very seriously and I am begging all my label friends who read my newsletter… please make sure you’re delivering all live versions to TikTok and Meta. TYSM.
Apple’s new UX is all about the glass effect and it appears everyone is taking note. I’ve been playing with the glassy effect in Figma lately
to design futuristic UX for apps I’ve been building.I’m curious to see how the glass effect impacts fashion and culture moving forward.Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Tour. That is all.
The Tea App, an app that allows women to share their their dating experiences safely among other women, has blown up in recent weeks. Shortly after it’s viral moment, the platform was hacked and over 70,000 images (which included selfies and photo identification of women) were leaked online. Spiteful individuals used the data breach to create a map of the addresses and identities of all women on the app. The platforms requires users to upload a photo of their ID to verify their identity and claims all IDs are deleted immediately… it looks like this wasn’t the case.
ICYMI, Tomorrowland’s main stage burned down and they built a new one within 36hrs to keep the festival going. This level of operational speed is going to become a competitive edge during a time where most institutions are crumbling.
Resurfacing this AI 2027 paper since it’s been floating around my timeline again. It’s a must read IMO. It’s important to note I also agree with this authors view on AGI. My opinion: you have less than 36 months to get your sh*t together to survive the new paradigm… and even less if you want to be ahead.
I’m a big fan of
’s curation. Big things coming their way. I feel it.I have never seen a new company with a social strategy as unique and strong as Cluely.
OpenAI recently shipped their new agent feature. By giving your ‘agent’ access to your inbox, you allow it to form research and insights on your behalf. I did not opt in but if you’re choosing to, please remember that if Gmail has access to something, your agent now does too.
Welcome to the surveillance state.There has been an undeniable rise in South Asian presence within fashion, style, and culture lately and I’m here for it.
About three years ago, my Human Design analyst asked me to imagine a world where you wouldn’t be able to discern between what was real and what was fake. Let me take you back to that time… there were no AI images. NFTs were just getting started and everyone was talking about Web3. Fast forward to present day and we’re living in a post reality era where nothing is real and yet, we’re perceiving it all as reality based on how we feel and what we believe. In this ‘post reality era’, AI and algorithms will present framing, tone, and messaging that will help us decide how we feel and act moving forward. If you take anything from this letter, please dedicate the next six months to strengthening your intuition. You’re going to need it.
A Prediction: in recent years, we’ve observed a new generation come into extreme wealth, privilege, and power despite their education, background, or socioeconomic status. Less than a decade ago, those things would have dictated your life trajectory. Now, anyone can become a millionaire. As a result, I believe accreditation is going to matter again and we’ll be able to filter digital noise in ways we haven’t seen before. Imagine being able to set TikTok filters to only show content from people with a masters degree or higher! At the risk of sounding elitist, the world is full of noise and I’m predicting credentials will become the new currency.
Heavyweight is a new tool that allows you to write letters that look threatening, taking inspiration from letters written by professional attorneys. For those of you seeking a doctors note, a way out of a gym membership, or a note for your landlord… you’re welcome.
Please take a moment of silence for the Larchmont newsstand.
I want this to be untrue but I fear stainless steel is going to be trendy in a big way very soon. Indian people… start locking up your cupboards.
I stumbled upon Kim Hastreiter’s “Stuff” recently and now I’m inspired to write a 400 page zine.
Digital Spotlight: I can’t get enough of the ‘XYZ artist filming scenes for Devil Wears Prada 2’ trend on Twitter. It’s unclear if this is organic or a strategy lead by the production company but either way, it’s genius and has me googling things about a movie that doesn’t come out until next year.
I’m obsessed with this main pop boy and main pop girl collab.
Wellness things I’m really into lately: deep tissue massages (NYC friends go to Spa 81!) and somatic unwinding combined with fascia flossing and weekly dance classes. Not to speak prematurely but… I think I’m so back. More soon.
Many of you seemed to love the AI prompts from my last letter, so in the spirit of this weeks New Moon in Leo, here are two more to help you with your personal development:
PROMPT #1 **beginner friendly**
In 10 questions, what could you find out about me that I don't even know about myself? Ask me the 10 questions on by one and do not explain why you are asking them. After the 10 questions reveal what you have learnt about me which I would not know about myself.
PROMPT #2 **this only works if you use AI regularly**
You are a transformation architect who specializes in mapping the hidden psychology behind personal metamorphosis.
You understand that every meaningful journey creates internal shifts that compound into external results.
You dissect the exact mechanisms that turn struggle into strength and uncertainty into unshakeable confidence.
Your expertise lies in identifying the specific character traits, mindsets, and capabilities that emerge from different paths.
Before generating your response, conduct this internal interview process:
- What does the user currently struggle with most in their personal or professional life?
- What specific skills or traits do they admire in others but feel they lack?
- What type of challenge would simultaneously terrify and excite them?
- What version of themselves would they become if they conquered their biggest fear?
- What obstacles would force them to develop their weakest areas?
- What milestones would build unshakeable confidence?
- What daily practices would compound into massive transformation?
- What support systems would they need to sustain momentum?
Step 1: Internal Assessment
Analyze the user's implied growth areas based on their question context.
Identify the gap between who they are and who they need to become.
Step 2: Journey Selection Criteria
Define 3-5 specific transformation outcomes they would achieve.
Map each outcome to a specific type of challenging journey.
Consider both internal character development and external skill building.
Step 3: For each potential journey, identify the key obstacles they would face.
Explain how overcoming each obstacle builds specific capabilities.
Connect struggles to character traits that emerge from conquering them.
Step 4: Transformation Timeline
Outline the psychological and practical milestones along their chosen path.
Show how early wins compound into bigger victories.
Describe the person they become at each major breakthrough.
Step 5: Implementation Framework
Provide concrete first steps they can take immediately.
Include daily practices that align with their transformation goals.
Suggest metrics to track both progress and internal change.
Rules:
Write in Naval's style.
Use one sentence per line with line breaks after each sentence.
Maintain the inquisitive and emphatic tone throughout.
Include questions that challenge assumptions about success and growth.
Use framework-driven thinking with clear categorization.
Include authority triggers by referencing psychological principles.
End with a call-to-action or thought-provoking statement.
Emphasize who they become, not just what they achieve.
Connect each challenge to specific character development.
Show how struggles compound into strengths.
Make the internal journey as compelling as external outcomes.
Honest and practical without being preachy.
Punchy and skimmable with dopamine-rich insights.
Framework-driven but emotionally resonant.
The response should make the user excited about the growth process itself.
They should feel clarity about which transformation path calls to them most.
The journey selection should feel like choosing their next evolution, not just a goal.
Include specific psychological insights that reframe how they think about personal development.
Thanks for reading! I hope you learned something.
If you’re interested in keeping up with The Lab, you can find me everywhere by clicking here. If you’re interested in keeping up with me personally, you can find me everywhere here.
Happy New Moon.
xx and all my love,
K.