In 1965, the conceptual artist Joseph Kosuth set up an installation titled One and Three Chairs. It consisted of three things: a photo of a chair, a physical wooden chair, and a dictionary definition of the word “chair.” Kosuth was asking the question that haunts every writer: Which one is the real chair? The object, the image, or the definition? Now shrink the problem down to a single word: red. A car, a winter coat, and a traffic light can all qualify as red. …
Klinta of Ecotarian Eats specialises in vegan recipes, baking experiments, and transparent process-sharing, engaging both “home-cooks” and discerning palates (Michelin chefs!). Her blind-taste videos are absolutely something else in terms of detail, honesty, respect, trials and errors as she compares different recipes across taste, texture, method, ingredients, price, and “crowd-pleaser” potential. Take, for example, her video of Michelin chefs’ blind tasting of vegan chocolate chip cookies: with the Pick Up Limes recipe as a winner So, yes, Pick Up Limes cookie really is a …
On March 1st, we Romanians celebrate Mărțișor to mark the beginning of spring. Mărțișor is a small red and white string, often embellished with trinkets like hearts, clovers, birds, horseshoes, flowers, chimney sweeps, symbolizing renewal, protection, good fortune, love, or the continuity of life. The red and white colors represent cosmic balance: red for vitality and life and white for purity and snow, embodying the transition from winter to spring. [Romanian] Dochia e cea întâia zi de primăvară. În ziua de Dochia, se face mărţişor: un …
Writing as a Thinking Practice Writing is a powerful exercise in refining thought, unearthing new insights, and building clarity. As William Zinsser famously said in his On Writing Well classic: Clear thinking becomes clear writing; one can’t exist without the other. One sharpens the other as writing forces us to slow down and organize our thoughts in ways that speaking or thinking alone often cannot achieve. At its best, clear writing transcends the personal and becomes universal by tapping into shared human experiences and …
Sometimes, it is the quirky, the overlooked, or the downright difficult that brings us a smile or a thought. Sometimes, we need moments like these, an array of stories, not neatly correlated but a jump from one thought to another, to wander and wonder. Born in 1875 in Arles, France, Jeanne Calment witnessed the turning of two centuries and the transformations they brought with them. At the age of 90, Jeanne entered into a contract with 47-year-old lawyer André-François Raffray, who agreed to pay …
Sketchplanations Sketchplanations is an ever-growing collection of illustrations that explain complex topics through easy, one-panel sketches. When I first discovered it, I spent hours devouring bite-sized explanations on various subjects, from science and behavioral economics to psychology frameworks and business models with detours to domestic life hacks. Some that stood out for me are VUCA, the Hotel Drying Technique, Hara Hachi Bu, Collective Effervescence, The Automation Paradox, Tsundoku, Kaffikok, Detecting Prostate Cancer or Problem-solving. Especially good to browse on a lazy Sunday afternoon. r/AskHistorians Another resource …
EconTalk Podcast EconTalk is a fantastic free podcast hosted by Russ Roberts that explores various topics related to economics, philosophy, and current events. The episodes are designed to make complex ideas easy to understand and provide diverse perspectives. I like to listen to episodes during the week, and then on Saturday mornings, I review the attached long-form articles, take notes from the audio transcripts, and go over recommended sources. For instance, this week’s article was an interview with David Epstein, author of Range: Why …
This article is a curated collection of quotes from various perspectives regarding women’s discrimination and the resilience of those who have tried to dismantle systemic biases. This compilation is highly personal, and I hope the following voices will resonate with you, too. Historical Underrepresentation The French philosopher Gilles Ménage, from the XVII-th century, found references to sixty-five women philosophers in ancient texts and works by the fathers of the Church. However, modern philosophy encyclopedias, apart from Hypatia (a renowned mathematician, philosopher, and astronomer who lived in Alexandria, …