In a world increasingly driven by practicality and efficiency, are we sacrificing beauty and creativity in our cities - and in our lives? Inspired by a presentation on the Keyes Art Mile project in Johannesburg, this piece reflects on the loss of artistic vision in modern architecture and challenges us to seek beauty in the everyday.
Some pithy life advice from my 32-year-old self.
Melding two art forms together can deliver an entirely new level of immersion. ‘Pictures Reframed’ by Robin Rhode and Qden Blaauw does exactly that.
My annual review for 2023.
My annual review for 2022.
My annual review of 2021 and the lessons I learned along the way.
A short story.
Those fleeting moments when everything seems to align only come from dogged determination, an appetite for wonder, and the willingness to show up time and time again.
If we can recognise that imposter syndrome is an indication that this really matters to us and will feed our soul - then we can try to harness that to ignore the voice in our head and just do the work.
28 lessons learned from 28 years on this floating rock.
As we craft the narratives and stories required to explain artificial intelligence, we must do so truthfully - avoiding the temptation to fear-monger and exaggerate in order to win clicks. The way we communicate will determine the societal impact of the technology.
Thought experiments are the tool of choice for thinking. If we don’t understand how they can manipulate us, then we are at the mercy of bad ideas that are artfully constructed and disseminated. We need to strengthen our mental immune system.
You know those old, weathered books you keep on your bookshelf so that you look sophisticated during those Zoom calls? Here’s why you should read them.
It seems obvious to me (but significantly under-discussed) that the media we consume dictates so much of how we experience the world and is not merely a mirror on reality - but an immutable self-fulfilling prophecy machine. If we don’t understand how we are being seduced, we have no way of avoiding the associated harms.
Some thoughts on the implications of the Stoic wisdom found in Epictetus’ Discourses. Why is it so hard for us to put this into action? Why is our happiness still reliant on external circumstances?
Tyler Cowen ran a fascinating experiment with his 2019 Stanford talk on his latest book. I want to see more of these steel-man experiments from public intellectuals and, to be honest, all of us in our daily lives.
3 lessons I learned from Einstein after reading Walter Isaacson’s biography detailing his life story.
The rear-view mirror is useful to glance at once in a while, but we actually need to keep our eyes on the road. There is beauty and wonder to be found when we look forward with anticipation. There are abundant opportunities for casual magic in the every-day slog of adult life.
The Corona Virus has shone a light on how we manage immediate risk - but why don't we apply the same scrutiny, rigour and effort to long-term risk? Especially when we may have a moral obligation to do so.
My review of ‘The School of Life: An Emotional Education’ by Alain de Botton and his team.