Read Beyond Words - A three week summary, and the road ahead
The premise
We are the last generation with both our feet on Earth.
The next generation, and the ones after that, will be born into a stateless society where wealth is heavily decentralized, society is fragmented into tiny autonomous states with granular rules, and where an Earth-origin certificate is just one of the many certificates one could potentially be entitled to.
The massive romp of Sci-fi and speculative fiction for the last millennium has left us desirous of a future that exceeds our grasp. Flying cars are now a reality, flying saucers aren't - so that's where we're headed next. Artificial intelligence is good enough for replacing the average Joe on spreadsheets, but we need computers to conjure up life itself - so Neuromorphic computing is our next pit-stop. These grand visions and tiny epiphanies are all part of the ever-expanding tapestry of ideas that the human mind has tried to grapple with. And for thousands of years, through countless wars, famines, purges, inventions and transient periods of peace, we have perfected the art of reading beyond words.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,”
- George Santayana, The Life of Reason
Reading is not mere assimilation of knowledge from a book. The act of reading, is a brave leap into the vast body of chaos encircling us, and weaving sense out of it. And the act of reading happens from life itself, which is why I have decided to initiate a weekly bulletin with very personal recommendations to read beyond mere words.
Week 01
Our book reco was Godel, Escher, Bach - A legendary tome of genre-bending, epoch defining work from Douglas R. Hofstadter. Published more than 40 years ago, it continues to stump, amaze, inform and ignite minds across generations. Do not wish to interpret this book before you read it, resist the temptation. The author himself offers a definition of what GEB's "point" is, read it, and then form your own opinion at the end of the 800-pages. A tour-de-force.
For podcast. I recommended the excellent episode "Data Centers" from "Stepchange". It covers the history of computing and data architecture in depth, while not compromising on the technical explanations that underlie all of the internet today.
For essay, I recommended "Argentina Could be a Superpower" by Thomas Pueyo. It offers a clearheaded view of Argentina's economic strengths and possibilities, while also offering insights into its current trajectory. Worth reading.
For documentary, I recommended Teere Teere Narmada by Arunoday Thakur, a moving piece on the historic parikrama of Narmada from her origins in Amarkantak to her downstream journey, through the eyes of her devotees and the landscapes she nourishes. Highly recommend.
Week 02
Our book reco was A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin. A classic account of the race to the Moon and the men who had "the right stuff" to make it happen. A tale of American ingenuity, dogged persistence, larger-than-life men and an intimate portrait from behind-the-scenes of the greater adventure mankind has launched itself into.
For podcast, I recommended a lecture (not strictly a podcast) by Prof. Jiang from Predictive History. An excellent pedagogical teacher, he blends history, political theory, literature and diverse branches into a mind-expanding exploration of the concept of "Heaven on Earth". A treat, as always.
For essay, I recommended Hermann Hesse, Wandering,Solitude and the Creative Life by Poetic Outlaws. A wonderfully written essay delving into the mind of one of the most evocative writers of the west, it offers yet another insight into the power of walking in solitude. With rising noise and the constant battles for attention in society, this is an invitation to introspect and choose to embrace the inner creative fire that lives within us all.
For documentary, I recommended "The Minimalists" by Matt D'Avella on YouTube. Matt has been a favorite creator in the minimalism-productivity niche, and this documentary captures the essence of this philosophy in juxtaposition with the modern world. Do Watch!
Week 03
For this week, my book recommendation is A Burnout Society by Byung-Chul Han. An extremely important read for the post-AI world. Our minds are now squarely hijacked by this unquenchable hunger for dopamine, and leaving all the justified alarm aside, Han lays out some hard-hitting facts on this malaise. Beautifully written with a characteristic no-nonsense style, this is perhaps the one book everyone must read, at least before we stop reading stuff altogether.
For Podcasts, I recommend Hard Drugs from Works in Progress magazine, and this week's episode is The Art of Protein design with AI. This is a fascinating topic personally, and I believe one of the key areas where AI has demonstrated awesome potential to actually benefit life.
For Essay, this week's recommendation is We used to read things in this country by Noah McCormack from The Baffler. I won't say much about it here, and would urge you to read this extremely important piece.
For Documentary, this week I bring you a poignant production by Emergence Magazine on an Ornithologist and his intimate connection to the ephemeral world of birds. Touching grass might have become touche, but it certainly is a lot more layered once we consider how fast the ecology of the world around us is changing for the worse. Birds and birdsong are rapidly receding remnants of a world unblemished by the darkness of the anthropocene, and this beautiful piece urges us to look & listen to these magical flying denizens of our world.
What's next?
Well, another week, another bulletin!
These recommendations are very personal (for now) and I encourage you to dive into these at your own pace, keep a library and just pass around for anyone who might be looking for a way out of the doomscrollers' pit.
It remains the prime motivation for me, to celebrate, encourage and practice critical thinking in life, and I hope this benefits you as well!
Happy reading!