And yet, we often approach our work and lives as if there were—as if every day is a competition, every achievement a test of our worth rather than a step in an ongoing journey.
The religion scholar James P. Carse wrote that there are two kinds of games in life: finite and infinite. A finite game is played to win; there are clear victors and losers. An infinite game is played to keep playing; the goal is to maximize winning across all participants.
And at the same time though, I do think that there’s been a serious decline in the quality of things that we build and a kind of disposability to the world. This is what really saddens me and it goes back to beauty and the way that that interweaves with writing and AI. We got so good at making stuff in China that if your shirt doesn’t hold up,... See more
“I think of beauty as an absolute necessity. I don’t think it’s a privilege or an indulgence, it’s not even a quest. I think it’s almost like knowledge, which is to say, it’s what we were born for. I think finding, incorporating and then representing beauty is what humans do. With or without authorities telling us what it is, I think it would exist... See more
Wise words from Kevin Kelly’s annual letter: “Despite our political situation, I am more optimistic than ever before. That's because I intentionally choose to be more optimistic each year. Optimism is a choice, not a personality trait.
I am aiming to be as optimistic as I possibly can because a big dose of optimism is required to make better things
We have to give up. You surrender to the reality that things just take the time they take, and that you can’t quiet your anxieties by working faster, because it isn’t within your power to force reality’s pace as much as you feel you need to, and because the faster you go, the faster you’ll feel you need to go. If you can let those fantasies... See more