Writing to pursue

Dazed’s Death of Cool report begins by summarizing the roots of cool: The origins of its modern meaning “trace back to West African traditions, where concepts like ‘itutu’ (Yoruba for ‘coolness’) symbolized spiritual composure, grace under pressure, and quiet strength.” This concept was later leveraged by African Americans, who used coolness “as a... See more

There’s a simple difference between art and ‘content.’ Content is made first and foremost for The Feed: the platform’s rules, constraints, best practices, and format requirements come first, and within those, a ‘creator’ inserts their whims. (Consider the trending-audio dance Reel: the moves, the song, the framing, the camera angle are all... See more

Why do animals play? Well, why shouldn’t they? The real question is: Why does the existence of action carried out for the sheer pleasure of acting, the exertion of powers for the sheer pleasure of exerting them, strike us as mysterious? What does it tell us about ourselves that we instinctively assume that it is?

There’s a phrase making the rounds online: “The more I heal, the less ambitious I become.” I’ve been wondering if its resonance reveals a quiet fatigue with the constant push for more and a longing for lives that are simpler, quieter, and more self-directed. Not smaller in value, but in volume. To me, that’s not regression. That’s freedom.

Somewhere along the way, we decided that the only acceptable form of communication is a main-stage monologue. Virtual validation has become currency, and every thought must hold weight. One version of me has bought into that. It’s compelling, competitive, and best of all, within reach. But another, quieter and better version wonders whether “big... See more

MY POINT IS this: You must go. You must leave your state of potential behind. You must go somewhere over the rainbow. Dreaming about it from “Kansas” feels good, but the drug of potential isn’t good for you. It feels good to want, dream, and yearn. In a way, it feels just as good as getting what you want, dream, and yearn for. The same way you can... See more

The second truth is that we are terrible at putting a finger on what it is that makes these people so captivating. Beyond surface-level observations — a nice smile, or the ability to tell a good story — few of us can quantify, in an instant, what makes charismatic people so magnetic.

Perhaps it’s evolutionary. As a species, innate instinctual... See more

Extrapolating from the premise of Aspirational Humanity , I’m proposing that charisma , not taste, may be the most covetable skill in the age of AI. Perhaps your aesthetic sensibility is irrelevant, as long as you can hold a great conversation. AI can style your outfit, but it’s not going to be a helpful wingwoman at the bar. As our external... See more

I’d contend that the demand for live-ness is also connected to the boom in sports viewership and theater attendance. There is a growing appreciation of those inimitable moments where ‘ you just had to be there ’ because that specific experience can never again be exactly replicated.