Brian Wiesner

Again, the hopes of our travels seem somewhat distinct from hopes of everyday life, mainly because we believe that by going elsewhere we can obtain something that we can’t obtain where we presently stand.

Way beneath every step you’ve ever taken and every step you will take is this thing called mycelium. Long threads of fungi that grow one cell at a time, branching and re-branching, growing in every direction. They even grow three-dimensionally.

Rarely do we think of creatives as wealthy or successful, even cracking jokes about the wastefulness of art degrees and theater classes. We have heard how pursuing creativity is not a safe career move, whether that means chasing an interest in literature, music, or some other endeavor.

The fundamental message of marketing must change from "we want your money" to "we share your interests".

As we’ve discussed before, that’s why you feel the difference when you sit in an IKEA chair versus something handcrafted. You may be saying, well, a chair is a chair—but even in the most strictly utilitarian worldview, the quality is different. And though you may justify this through modes of mass production, attention to detail, etc. etc., the... See more

Feeling part of a community helps us to feel seen and gives us confidence and identity, and reaching other steps on the hierarchy of needs becomes much easier with a social support system. A strong social network may help in times of crisis, support with job search or with moving houses. It may also be instrumental in inspiring us to reach our full... See more

Massively available video recordings of practitioners in action change this entirely. Through these videos, learners can now partially replicate the master-apprentice relationship, opening up skill domains and economic niches that were previously cordoned off by personal access. These new points of access range from the specialized trades, where... See more

The barrio is a pinball machine of cultures and characters. It can feel frenetic and claustrophobic. But barrio life is a series of trade-offs: With the shuddering bottle bank collection at midnight, there are freshly-washed streets at dawn. With drunken revellers announcing their arrival home as others begin their day, there is 24/7 foot traffic... See more

There are many hopes to travel but perhaps my greatest hope is that it will always serve as a reminder that we live in a vast universe of the unknown with limited minds, that we should always be humbled by our ignorance, and that travel will always possess the capacity to restore us and nudge us to be less presumptuous and more generous and kind to... See more