Today, many of us have the feeling of needing to escape. Escape from the future, from the past, from the inexorable complexities of the present. Many have the feeling of being pursued by hidden forces, entangled in unseen snares, ensnarled in unknown traps. The feeling of being tracked and harried is often accompanied by an… Continue reading The Art of Twists and Turns
Several Notes on Lifecraft
I: Strategy is about identifying or creating advantageous asymmetries at particular times and places, mobilising the cusps of change and points of leverage that appear amidst chance and uncertainty. II: All humans are ecological engineers. We do not simply live in the world, passively reacting to events, but actively engage, continually restructuring the environment to… Continue reading Several Notes on Lifecraft
The Art of Hidden Opportunities
“I have a plan, sir.” “Really, Baldrick? A cunning and subtle one?” “Yes, sir.” “As cunning as a fox who’s just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University?” “Yes, sir.” — Blackadder Goes Forth On the surface there appears to be little affinity between the figure of the spy and that of the artist.… Continue reading The Art of Hidden Opportunities
The New Instrumentalists
The New Instrumentalists: The Modern Myth of the Life Hacker The idea of life hacking—the cultivation of techniques and stratagems to reduce the friction of everyday life—is not merely the adroit use of organising technologies for personal and professional advantage, but is tied to a larger field of practice in which adepts employ techniques and… Continue reading The New Instrumentalists
The Infinite Turbulence
Initially intended as a regular blog, it quickly became a place for me to post the various texts I have written for others, so far mostly catalogue essays for some artist friends, amongst other things. Other kinds of posts may appear every now and then, but PhD work consumes my labour most of the time,… Continue reading The Infinite Turbulence
