How to Be
A story of culture and norms overriding the default urge to find blame.
“…the primary purpose of an aircraft accident investigation is to prevent future accidents — a decision that implicitly privileged prevention above the search for liability. Conducting a police-style investigation that faults a deceased pilot does nothing to affect the probability of future accidents.”
Don’t be lame, don’t be corny. The craft has to be there. I feel like I’m just such a craft snob. I just don’t respect people that don’t... I mean, whatever, it’s your thing if you don’t care about it, but it’s like, if you know about it, you know it when you see it. Also, every masterpiece has incorporated so much craft into it, and there’s no way... See more
Cristine Brache • On holding yourself to a higher standard
Therefore, what does it mean to live erotically in a world designed to suppress the erotic? It means making decisions that align with your aliveness, even if they offend your ego, your upbringing, your pay check. It means walking away from a job that kills your soul. Reading poetry instead of productivity manuals. Saying “yes” to a conversation... See more
Tamara • Erotic Decisions
There’s this whole thing about street photography where, if you want “authenticity” you’re supposed to steal shots, and just assault people with your camera. That always felt wrong and strange and uncomfortable to me, and this is just another reminder (a necessary reminder) that you can do things however you want. Do things the way you want to do them and the way that feels right to you. Don’t let some imaginary ruleset control you.
Also, the way Sara talks about hanging out with her friends—instead of going out to bars or partying or whatever people do on the weekends—just walking around with cameras to see what’s going on in the world. That sounds so fun to me. Why am I not doing that?
In a world full of people who seem to know everything, passionately, based on little (often slanted) information, where certainty is often mistaken for power, what a relief it is to be in the company of someone confident enough to stay unsure (that is, perpetually curious).
Maria Popova • How to Love the World More: George Saunders on the Courage of Uncertainty
One belief I have is that if you wish to be virtuous you will learn to eat cereal virtuously.
The novice of virtue is tempted by dreams of heroic acts, just as the novice sculptor daydreams of palatial monuments, or other grand work. But the master sculptor is extraordinary not because he has been commissioned for monumental bronzes (which may never... See more
The novice of virtue is tempted by dreams of heroic acts, just as the novice sculptor daydreams of palatial monuments, or other grand work. But the master sculptor is extraordinary not because he has been commissioned for monumental bronzes (which may never... See more
Simon Sarris • Breadcrumbs - by Simon Sarris - The Map is Mostly Water
When I give of myself, when I genuinely care about others, I generate a feeling of connection, a feeling that is closely related to love. This is a feeling we long for. And it is common to think of it as something we must receive —that to feel a connection, we must find someone who sees us and who cares about our authentic self. But what people who... See more
Henrik Karlsson • On Feeling Connected
There’s also a great anecdote from Nobel-winning physicist Richard Feynman, where he talks about how physics used to delight him when he used to play with it, but then it started to disgust him when he got burdened by this idea that he was obligated to advance the future of science. That he was supposed to be doing “important” work.
It’s quite... See more
It’s quite... See more