The people we’re surrounded by limit or expand our sense of what is possible.
~ Brett McKay from, «https://www.artofmanliness.com/people/relationships/sunday-firesides-relationships-over-willpower/»
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That’s a perfect turn of phrase from McKay. I love to find myself exposed to new people; those moments where I think, “that’s interesting!” are like single-serving sized friends (with hat tip to Chuck Palahniuk).
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Most of us in life are tacticians, not strategists. We become so enmeshed in the conflicts we face that we can think only of how to get what we want in the battle we are currently facing. To think strategically is difficult and unnatural. You may imagine you are being strategic, but in all likelihood you are merely being tactical. To have the power that only strategy can bring, you must be able to elevate yourself above the battlefield, to focus on your long-term objectives, to craft an entire campaign, to get out of the reactive mode that so many battles in life lock you into.
~ Robert Greene
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It was a good book, the student told the 14 others in the undergraduate seminar I was teaching, and it included a number of excellent illustrations, such as photographs of relevant Civil War manuscripts. But, he continued, those weren’t very helpful to him, because of course he couldn’t read cursive.
~ Drew Gilpin Faust from, Gen Z Never Learned to Read Cursive – The Atlantic
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People of a certain age know that cursive is no longer taught and that of course there must be people who can’t read or write cursive. But I certainly wasn’t clear on when the sun actually set. (Hint: Teaching of cursive ended in 2010.)
What struck me in this article was how Faust’s not knowing about the sunset of cursive knowledge sparked an interesting discussion among himself and the students in his class. Rather than rail against the cessation of cursive education, I’m left with interesting questions: I was taught a specific, super–simplified form of cursive. I know there are other styles, even hardcore calligraphy, which I can barely read. While there are lots of reasons trotted out for why cursive should be taught, maybe I should go through the effort of learning another form of cursive to put my efforts where my mouth has always been? If my cursive knowledge—for example—opens up my ability to access certain documents, wouldn’t it be better (my own argument goes) to learn another form, or to practice even more, to access even more?
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To be a successful creator, you don’t need millions. You don’t need millions of dollars or millions of customers, clients, or fans. To make a living as a craftsperson, photographer, musician, designer, author, animator, app maker, entrepreneur, or inventor you need only 1,000 true fans.
~ Kevin Kelly
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After all, why do you want to marry someone hot? Evolution made you that way because hotness is a proxy for good genetics. Your genes want you to reproduce with someone hot so that you will produce lots of kids (who will have lots of kids). Your parents care who you marry because evolution tuned them to help you reproduce your genes (which are also their genes).
~ “Dynomight” from, You, your parents, and the hotness of who you marry
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I truly love when someone does the deep dive trying to figure out “people.” Or dating or marrying or mating… somewhere there’s a popcorn meme. You know, where something is about to happen, and you just know it’s going to be an entertaining train-wreck— wait, why would a train-wreck be entertaining. Let’s go with: …and you just know it’s going to be entertaining to see someone learn just how complicated people are.
Reminder: “Love ya’! You’re one in a million!” …implies there are 8,000 other, equally awesome people that are interchangeable. Although I’d argue you should probably cut that in half based on biological distribution of gender. So, yes, you’re one of 4,000 . . . fine. Fine! I’m heading for the guest room.
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A person is not created either to subdue others, or to follow the orders of others. People are corrupted by both ways of behavior. In the first they assume too much importance, in the second, too little respect. In both ways there is very little dignity.
~ Victor Considérant
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Let’s shatter this illusioned stigma. Authentic vulnerability and transparency are strengths masquerading as weaknesses. And companies too scared to embrace both traits in their content forfeit bona fide user-brand connections for often shallow, misleading engagement tactics that create fleeting relationships.
~ Travis McKnight from, The Untapped Power of Vulnerability & Transparency in Content Strategy – A List Apart
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Simply some evergreen content reminding me that people have been fighting the good fight for a long time against the usual litany of online issue. Well, at least for three years since the article was written. Three years is long, right? I mean it feels like forever since it was 2019.
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What insights can be gained from exploring human movement, physics, and juggling in weightlessness?
Adam Dipert is a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Physics at North Carolina State University and has wowed audiences as a professional circus performer for nearly twenty years. He started studying human movement in weightlessness in preparation for his first parabolic flight in 2016, and since then he has logged countless hours exploring the frontiers of microgravity flow in pools, aerial harnesses, flotation tanks, wind tunnels, and airplanes. In addition to developing a new suite of dance moves for outer space, he has exercised remarkable restraint not asking NASA for permission to spin fire on the ISS.
And you’ve become only eyes, because you now no longer have a way of sensing where your body is. And not only do you only become eyes, but you’re also experiencing tunnel vision. And so when you enter weightlessness, and start to develop the skills which will be necessary to become a competent movement artist in that environment, you have to first figure out how to re inhabit your body and how to come back from just being eyes and realize that you have a head and find out where your arms are, and have some idea about where your arm is, say when it’s behind your back because, you know, right now on Earth, probably everybody listening to this is on earth, waving your arm. Yeah, you put your arm behind your back and and what is it that tells you where your arm is? It’s the tension in your shoulder, right? It’s the torque in your arm, elbow. It’s a lot of things that are all gravitationally oriented. And so you have to come with a totally new set of skills.
~ Adam Dipert (16:55)
This episode is far out, and far ranging. Adam and I managed to coordinate a recording session with little advanced notice… and then we proceeded to go wide and deep on circus stuff, juggling, physics, mathematics, and movement in weightlessness.
Since I clearly cannot cram the visuals into the audio, you simply must float over to Adam’s web site: TheSpaceJuggler.com
The conversation explores the unique challenges and opportunities of human movement and artistic expression in microgravity. One key topic is the disconnection from conventional proprioception in zero gravity, requiring innovative methods to reorient oneself and move effectively. The discussion also covers the physics of rotations and how understanding moments of inertia can inform both practical and artistic endeavors, like juggling in altered environments.
Another important focus is how altered environments like space could fundamentally change our understanding of what it means to be human. Insights about the adaptability of the human body, new forms of artistic expression, and philosophical reflections on perspective and truth highlight the broader implications of this work. The conversation also touches on the importance of preparing humanity for future space exploration, emphasizing the potential for cultural and intellectual growth through such endeavors.
Takeaways
Human proprioception in weightlessness — The experience of zero gravity requires a complete relearning of body orientation and movement.
Rotational dynamics in microgravity — Understanding how the human body rotates in space helps develop both practical movement skills and new artistic expressions.
Integration of physics and art — Combining physics with creative disciplines like juggling leads to innovative insights and applications.
Space as a proving ground — Microgravity environments challenge and expand human understanding of movement and adaptation.
Embodied cognition and ethics — Exploration of movement in space raises questions about how gravitational experiences shape human cognition and morality.
Philosophical dualities — Weightlessness provides a powerful metaphor for understanding multiple truths from different perspectives.
Preparation for space exploration — Analog environments are essential for developing skills and knowledge before venturing into true microgravity.
Resources
The Space Juggler — Adam’s official website showcasing his projects, videos, and information about space juggling.
MIT Media Lab — A location where Adam has shared insights into his work on microgravity and movement.
Kitsou Dubois — French choreographer and dancer specializing in zero gravity dance.
International Jugglers’ Association — Organization where Adam has showcased his pioneering work in space juggling.
SpaceX — One of the private companies advancing human space exploration discussed in the conversation.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Some people live and act according to their own thoughts, and some according to the thoughts of others; this is a crucial distinction between people.
~ Leo Tolstoy
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During the Sept 24th weekend, I’ll once again be recording conversations with community leaders and movement enthusiasts at a retreat in the Cascades outside of Seattle. Follow that link If you’re interested in the nuts-and-bolts of what I do in order to create some conversations. Over there, I’ll be posting replies as the project progresses over the next two weeks. I’ll be showing my work—preparation, packing, gear, field recording, and post-production. I’ll try to cover everything from ideation to the final deliverables.
The first piece of context is, what is the event that I’m attending? It’s an immersive gathering celebrating leadership in parkour. We bring remarkable leaders from the global parkour community together for 4 days of learning, sharing, and play.
The event is a concept which has been held in various locations over the years. It’s near and dear to me both in the sense that I’m into parkour and I’m into podcasting. I’m also leading an interactive session about Creating Better Conversation.
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The Stoics knew that fear was to be feared because of the miseries it creates. The things we fear pale in comparison to the damage we do to ourselves and others when we unthinkingly scramble to avoid them. An economic depression is bad; a panic is worse. A tough situation isn’t helped by terror—it only makes things harder. And that’s why we must resist it and reject it if we wish to turn this situation around.
~ Ryan Holiday
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Quid and I have struck a deal. Every morning she flies up the stairs, leaps onto our bed, and attacks my nose with her sharp little teeth. And I am awakened.
~ Alexandra Horowitz from, What Do Dogs Know About Us? – The Atlantic
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You had me at, “dogs.”
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How does one navigate the challenges of fostering creativity and sharing personal experiences through podcasting and storytelling?
The conversation explores how creative transformation impacts personal identity and professional pursuits.
I made a very drastic leap. I quit my job, sold my car, divorced my husband, and moved over to Ireland because I thought I needed to completely remove myself to start over as this artist.
~ Tricia Rose Burt (3:24)
The discussion centers on creative transformation and the courage required to embrace a life of artistic expression. Tricia shares her journey of leaving a conventional life to pursue a career as an artist and storyteller. She reflects on how discovering their creative identity in midlife reshaped their perspective and drove her to inspire others to take similar leaps.
The conversation also explores the challenges and rewards of podcasting as a medium for storytelling. Topics include the importance of maintaining focus on a central theme, the intimacy of podcasting, and the difficulties of not receiving immediate audience feedback. Practical strategies are discussed, such as tailoring content to serve the audience while balancing personal vulnerability with broader themes.
Takeaways
Transformative power of embracing a creative identity — how shifting to an artistic career can redefine life’s purpose.
Breaking away from conventional expectations — requiring significant personal and professional changes.
Central theme in creative work — guiding content choices and maintaining focus.
Courage required for new mediums — navigating unfamiliar processes like podcasting.
Value of storytelling — as a tool for connection and inspiring others to pursue creative paths.
Role of audience perspective — shaping how personal narratives are shared to serve others.
Balancing technical hurdles in podcasting — with a focus on authenticity and quality.
Resources
Tricia Rose Burt’s website — Contains her blog and links to her creative works.
How to Draw a Nekkid Man — A storytelling performance video by Tricia.
The Memoir Project — by Marion Roach Smith, a guide to writing memoirs, referenced for its advice on personal storytelling.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Too often there is a chasm between our ideas and knowledge on the one hand and our actual experience on the other. We absorb trivia and information that take up mental space but get us nowhere. We read books that divert us but have little relevance to our daily lives. We have lofty ideas that we do not put into practice. We also have many rich experiences that we do not analyze enough, that do not inspire us with ideas, whose lessons we ignore. Strategy requires a constant contact between the two realms.
~ Robert Greene
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The answer depends on whether he recognizes that though he may have subdued his external obstacles and enemies, he must overcome psychological foes — depression, anomie, angst — which are no less formidable for their ethereality. He must embrace the fact that though this world may be thoroughly charted, explored, and technologized, there remains one last territory to conquer — himself.
~ Brett McKay from, Sunday Firesides: Man’s Last Great Conquest — Himself | The Art of Manliness
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I would argue that all the external conquering and subduing was the easy part. That existential dread? That’s not so easy. The first part of solving that problem is of course realizing it is a problem for oneself. Yeah, I’m working on that.
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Do not bother about what will happen someday, somewhere, in the far away distance, in a future time; think and be very attentive to what happens now, here, in this place.
~ John Ruskin
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Unlike chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, the “cure” for traffic fatalities will depend more on technology and policy than on medicine and health science. On the plus side, we as a society already have pretty clear evidence of effective strategies for improving the problem – e.g., stricter speed limit enforcement, restrictions on commercial and residential building along arterial roads, and mandates for safety features such as automatic emergency braking. On the minus side, we as individuals are very limited in our power to enact those strategies.
~ Peter Attia, from The Epidemic on the Road
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The article is about traffic fatalities in the context of the COVID pandemic. I’m focusing simply on the fact that more than 40,000 people died in 2021 in traffic fatalities. Sure there are lots of causes, but you know what the single most easily implemented change is? Of course you do. Slow down. Me? You’ll find me doing about 5-over-the-limit on the highway (so people don’t literally shoot me) and usually a little below-the limit otherwise. Often with the cruise control set. How about you?
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People jump back and forth in pursuit of pleasures only because they see the emptiness of their lives more clearly than they do the emptiness of whichever new entertainment attracts them.
~ Blaise Pascal
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But in our Physics Project we’ve developed a fundamentally different view of space—in which space is not just a background, but has its own elaborate composition and structure. And in fact, we posit that space is in a sense everything that exists, and that all “things” are ultimately just features of the structure of space. We imagine that at the lowest level, space consists of large numbers of abstract “atoms of space” connected in a hypergraph that’s continually getting updated according to definite rules and that’s a huge version of something like this…
~ Stephen Wolfram from, On the Concept of Motion—Stephen Wolfram Writings
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I’m not sure what to say about this. I am certain that Wolfram is not crazy and that he is brilliant, but he’s pretty far beyond what I can understand. (Picture me doing that slightly askew, squinting thing.) On the other hand, if they really are making the progress they seem to be… it’s going to be a neat time to be alive, in another decade when they get things sorted out.
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The possibility of influencing others causes a person with high morals to be more strict about his words and actions which could influence other people.
~ Leo Tolstoy
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