Getting Better, Mimetic Desire, Rival Consoles, & Pretend It’s A City (Find Something Cool)
At a glance:
- ☁️ Thinking: It’s okay to (just) get better
- 📕 Reading: Wanting: The power of mimetic desire in every day life
- 🎧 Listening: Overflow by Rival Consoles
- 📹 Watching: Pretend It’s a City
- ⚡️ Bonus: Lubalin is good internet
Hi makers,
I’ve been sick this week. It’s not covid, but just a regular cold (I forgot those exist). I’ve been resting all week so this update is a bit late and a bit short.
The highlight was releasing a new podcast with Luke Burgis. We discussed his book Wanting: The power of mimetic desire in every day life and I have gotten a ton of positive feedback from it so far. You can listen here!
Also, we are returning to a bi-weekly release for Make Something Cool. The next episode will be out on April 11th.
Here are some cool things I found this week:
☁️ Thinking: It’s okay to (just) get better
My mind has been dominated by the feeling of not being “productive enough” all week. Having a cold and sinus issues left me feeling unmotivated and uninspired.
The funny part is, I finished all of my work, and everything is running smoothly. But because I haven’t given any “extra”, I have a longing sense that I am not doing enough.
What if I just enjoyed doing nothing? What if I accepted my limitations and just let my body heal without feeling guilt about it?
This is probably obvious to many, but to a recovering workaholic, it’s been a tough lesson.
📕 Reading: Wanting: The power of mimetic desire in every day life by Luke Burgis
Sometimes you’re hit with an idea that you cannot unsee. Mimetic desire is one of those concepts for me, and Wanting is a strong introduction.
The primary question: Why do you want what you want? Do you believe your desires come from you? Or is there something else going on under the surface?
Read the book or listen to my latest podcast with the author to get a primer on the topic.
🎵 Listening: Overflow by Rival Consoles
Rival Consoles is one of my favorite artists. As a sound nerd, he is one of the best producers I’ve heard in recent years and is always surprising me with choices in tracks.
Overflow came out last year, but I’ve been spinning it all week. Listen here.
📹 Watching: Pretend It’s A City
People who live in New York love talking about living here, and it’s incredibly annoying to those who don’t. I annoy myself all the time when talking about it.
Why is it frustrating to others? It comes off as elitist, overhyped, and confusing why any human would pay absurd prices to live in tiny apartments in a filthy city like this. I understand the confusion. I really do.
I won’t write about why I love living here. That can be for another time. But for those of us who are crazy enough to enjoy it, good New York commentary is very comforting when we stumble upon it.
That is why *Pretend It’s A City* is fun to watch. Fran Lebowitz and Martin Scorsese talk about living here and how absurd and perfect it is.
Highly recommend for New Yorkers, or those trying to understand annoying New Yorkers in your life.
⚡️ Bonus: Lubalin is good internet
Lubalin’s viral hits are the internet at its best. I became a fan last year, but can’t stop going back for more. Enjoy his feed.
That’s all I have for this edition! See you on the 11th with a new podcast. Have a great week!
-Alex