Getting Rickrolled...And DataViz?

I almost skipped this issue of this newsletter because I'm a bit under the gun on several deadlines, including creating a new course here on LinkedIn that will be focused on presenting data (stay tuned...)

But then I got Rickrolled. If you don't know what that is, just read about it. This was a fad/meme back in the early- to mid-2000s. And it was way overdone, completely annoying, and absolutely hilarious (believe it or not) at the time. Then it faded away, as these things do.

Every couple/few years, I would see a reference to it. And then today, I was SUPER EXCITED to see this RT from Jonni Walker, who is a very well-respected and talented cartographer.

And I absolutely LOVE The Pudding, which creates some of the best data storytelling around! So of course I clicked through. And I was really excited to see this data story.

And then I got Rickrolled. And it was beautiful. I even did it twice to see if maybe it was a mistake, maybe the second click would give me what I came for. (This is a typical reaction to "victims" of the Rickroll - to second guess themselves and hope for a different outcome.)

What does this have to do with data visualization? Just about nothing. Except it was something that happened in the context of a promised data visualization experience, within the core of the data visualization community, and I only fell victim because of my passion for that content.

And I could be annoyed, BTW. Jonnie Walker totally tricked me. The Pudding–a brand I really trust–"victimized" me. But of course, my trust isn't actually broken. I have a sense of humor. And I love that meme.

What's most interesting is that The Pudding, which publishes AMAZING and sometimes very serious work, decided to invest time and effort and space on their site for this. It's not April Fool's Day. Rickrolling isn't a "thing" today. There's no rhyme or reason to this that I can detect. And yet here we are.

I guess the lesson is to have fun, don't be afraid to try new and different things, and maybe you'll bring some humor and joy into the world in even a small, weird, random way.

Oh, BTW, check it out for yourself.

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