Luxury beliefs are ideas and opinions that confer status on the upper class, while often inflicting costs on the lower classes. In 1899, the economist… Read More »Top hats, stotting, and defunding the police: Rob Henderson on Luxury Beliefs
I have always thought that he [Wells] reacted too swiftly to everything; possibly as a part of the swiftness of his natural genius. I have… Read More »GK Chesterton on HG Wells and the function of an open mind
“Cool” impresses us – at least in unguarded moments – because it signals surplus: I thought I was reminded of this via mention of smoking… Read More »The Function of Cool
The exponential growth of possible connections as networks expand (see previous post) makes them hugely valuable, but comes with its own set of costs. Keeping… Read More »(Re)visualising network effects (2): Lines of Chaos
(Hat tip for prompting today’s post goes to The Bear) Metcalfe’s Law tells us that the value of a network increases (roughly) at the square… Read More »(Re)visualising network effects (1)
It’s My Life It’s my lifeAnd it’s now or neverI aint gonna live foreverI just wanna live while I’m alive. My heart is like an… Read More »Bon Jovi / The Mandalorian / Socrates
If you do something for an hour or two once a week – go for a run, play a sport or an instrument, make some… Read More »Three Times a Week
I propose the substitution [in Joel Springarn’s phrase “Creative Criticism”*] of “catalytic” for “creative,” despite the fact that “catalytic” is an unfamiliar word, and suggests… Read More »HL Mencken on critic as catalyst
The title Doom Book (Old English dōm-bōc) comes from the Old English word dōm meaning judgment or law – as in Alfred’s admonishment to “Doom… Read More »Public holidays and compensation for body parts, 9th century edition; Or, King Alfred and the Book of Doom
The expansion of personal horizons mentioned above has implications for the whole of society: people’s geographic knowledge increases exponentially the further they ride or walk.… Read More »Ian Mortimer on the network effects and feedback loops of medieval travel