Here are some potential takeaways from this interview: 1. Developing personal taste and discernment is increasingly important for resisting the homogenizing effects of algorithms. 2. Data-driven optimization rewards predictable mass appeal rather than complexity and depth. 3. Review aggregators like Rotten Tomatoes have displaced individual critical voices and treat culture as a poll rather than a matter of judgment. 4. Human curators brought challenge by exposing people to the obscure; incentives now discourage weirdness. 5. Distraction-rich environments inhibit the patient attention needed to understand one's reactions and develop taste. 6. Patience with difficult, uncomfortable culture plays a developmental role in taste. 7. Discovering an artist's influences can give richer appreciation and self-understanding. 8. Uncovering artistic lineages teaches you about both aesthetics broadly and your personal taste. 9. The abundance of algorithmic recommendation makes it effortless to consume more culture but risks missing outlier works aligned with one’s idiosyncratic taste. 10. Balancing algorithmic and human-curated culture allows both breadth of access and cultivation of depth and individuality.
This episode is thoughtful and fantastic. The conversation is heady but at the same time accessible - and a reminder that pursuing what we see as beauty and happiness isn't trivial but maybe the whole point.
An interesting conversation, thank you! It made me think that this conversation could only happen in the context of Western culture because it reveals an obsession with individuality and distinctiveness. Could it be that we're craving to be different and distinct so much that eventually this is why we lose our distinctiveness?
OMG! I have no idea what a sherpa jacket is! I'm feeling tasteless. I better go watch some Jeffrey Veidlinger lecture ... a historian I discovered by chance browsing RUclips!
Do I really have to know what I am and what I like? That alone is such a huge task that I will never have taste! I'm also too old and I have spent most of my life doing the opposite ... looking for things I didn't like but that people I respected told me was good - all I managed to do is rearing music on the sound of an oil pump and considering 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence to be the most important piece of the 20th century. What can I do now? I think there's no fixing me ... I'll die with a taste of rotten meat!
That’s what I was thinking! Don’t let the New York Times editorial line turn you off music though. There’s a Nick Hornby book called “songbook” that’s like twenty essays on twenty of his favorite songs. I disagree quite vehemently with him on some of them, but it’s the best, most honest way to think and write about music I’m familiar with
Here are some potential takeaways from this interview:
1. Developing personal taste and discernment is increasingly important for resisting the homogenizing effects of algorithms.
2. Data-driven optimization rewards predictable mass appeal rather than complexity and depth.
3. Review aggregators like Rotten Tomatoes have displaced individual critical voices and treat culture as a poll rather than a matter of judgment.
4. Human curators brought challenge by exposing people to the obscure; incentives now discourage weirdness.
5. Distraction-rich environments inhibit the patient attention needed to understand one's reactions and develop taste.
6. Patience with difficult, uncomfortable culture plays a developmental role in taste.
7. Discovering an artist's influences can give richer appreciation and self-understanding.
8. Uncovering artistic lineages teaches you about both aesthetics broadly and your personal taste.
9. The abundance of algorithmic recommendation makes it effortless to consume more culture but risks missing outlier works aligned with one’s idiosyncratic taste.
10. Balancing algorithmic and human-curated culture allows both breadth of access and cultivation of depth and individuality.
Fortunately, podcasts like this still provide intelligent, unique, human curation through the choice of guests and topics.
This episode is thoughtful and fantastic. The conversation is heady but at the same time accessible - and a reminder that pursuing what we see as beauty and happiness isn't trivial but maybe the whole point.
Thank you so much for having such thought provoking shows on a wide variety of interesting topics.
I couldn’t listen, vocal fry of the guest killed it for me. I guess it’s my taste
Yup, what is that all about?
Its L.A uuugh Bro uuuuugh @@singing-sands
An interesting conversation, thank you! It made me think that this conversation could only happen in the context of Western culture because it reveals an obsession with individuality and distinctiveness. Could it be that we're craving to be different and distinct so much that eventually this is why we lose our distinctiveness?
verbal fry hell!
Warmth sounds like Fratres by Arvo Pert.
Very thoughtful perspectives from Kyle
Like i always say: "you can't help what you like".
But you sure can talk about it!
@@theGefilteFist 📢
OMG! I have no idea what a sherpa jacket is! I'm feeling tasteless. I better go watch some Jeffrey Veidlinger lecture ... a historian I discovered by chance browsing RUclips!
Do I really have to know what I am and what I like? That alone is such a huge task that I will never have taste! I'm also too old and I have spent most of my life doing the opposite ... looking for things I didn't like but that people I respected told me was good - all I managed to do is rearing music on the sound of an oil pump and considering 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence to be the most important piece of the 20th century. What can I do now? I think there's no fixing me ... I'll die with a taste of rotten meat!
That’s what I was thinking! Don’t let the New York Times editorial line turn you off music though. There’s a Nick Hornby book called “songbook” that’s like twenty essays on twenty of his favorite songs. I disagree quite vehemently with him on some of them, but it’s the best, most honest way to think and write about music I’m familiar with
Though I'm not into it, I belive biting the tongue really hard would not be enough.
oh ... got it ... I misunderstood the title - sorry.
Put it on your tombstone. It’s just too corny.
I discovered my own taste after a night of eating taco bell.
💙🩷
Unlistenable. It’s one thing to say pretentious stuff, but adding the pretentious voice is a deal killer.
Just lick the back of your hand
Ah I was looking forward to reading his book but now I’ve discovered he has the most unbearable voice imaginable
This sounds too aristocratic