1. The Psychological Drivers of the Metacrisis with John Vervaeke, Iain McGilchrist and Daniel Schmachtenberger. Granted, quite a hardcore link (and long 3hr+ video) to start this week’s links…but well worth a watch over a few sittings. The discussion seeks to outline “the total ecosystem of all global crises and the common underlying dynamics that generate catastrophic and existential risks.” One of the most interesting bits is at the c.2hr mark: “Can we Imagine a Civilisation with the Wisdom to Steward Exponential Power?” (Thanks for the recommendation Simon.)
2. Makers & Mavericks of 2023. Always look forward to this…the inspiring annual list curated by David and Clare Hiaett of Hiut Denim.
3. In the spirit of Makers & Mavericks…Louis Cardozo. An amazing musician with a superb new song…and, well, just watch this incredible video. Thanks Capel for sending on. Massive congratulations to Louis and the whole Cardozo family.
4. Art Fund’s National Art Pass. A great gift to give or receive (Thanks Dad). Since 1903, the Art Fund has been providing support and access to hundreds of the UK’s museums and exhibitions. The National Art Pass now has over 135,000 members. Below a link to a some of the best upcoming events in 2024…some really beautiful and inspiring things to look forward to…
5. 52 things learnt in 2023 by Tom Whitehall. His annual ‘52 things’ list this year includes the following: “A colony of 15,000 wild scorpions has been living in the walls of Sheerness Dockyard, Kent, for over 200 years.” And, “In a recent experiment, a group of domesticated birds were taught to call one another on tablets and smartphones. Apparently, they enjoyed it and made new friendships.”
6. 81 Things that Blew Our Mind via The Atlantic Science Desk. Including…“You have two noses, and you can control them separately via your armpits.”
7. The UK’s (the world’s?) most creative and inspiring artist/set designer, Es Devlin gave a great talk in November at Nicer Tuesdays. The nice people at Nicer Tuesdays have just released the video of the event (below). Her new book is also superb: An Atlas Of Es Devlin. “A true feast for the senses”. Covering her work at/with the Tate Modern, Serpentine, V&A, Barbican, Imperial War Museum and the Lincoln Center, to stage designs at the Royal Opera House, the Royal Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala and the National Theatre, as well as Olympic Ceremonies, Super-Bowl half-time shows, and monumental illuminated stage sculptures for Beyonce, The Weeknd, U2, Rosalia, Dr Dre and Kendrick Lamar.
8. Two favourite books from Christmas…first, Japanese Tales by Royall Tyler via The Folio Society. “A window into a long-vanished culture that still fascinates, this collection of 170 tales introduces us to a broad tableau of characters: saints and scoundrels, ghosts and magical healers and a vast assortment of deities and demons.”
9. And Sleeping Beauties by Andreas Wagner. The mystery of dormant innovations in nature and culture. Thanks Sourav for the recommendation…an amazing book.
10. Finally, via Twitter, and possibly a bit left field: the counting system used by Northumberland shepherds (excuse the dreadful pun). However, if like me, that’s your sort of thing, there’s a great Wikipedia page that shows how the names for numbers varies by region. Personal favourite has to be West Country Dorset.
Quote of the Week: “Curiosity is one of the great secrets of happiness.” Bryant H. McGill
Have a great weekend, Matt