"'So much time and thought goes into trying to figure out what the comparative worth of all these skills and labors are. But the problem begins with trying to reduce them all to the same measure of coin in the first place: skilled time, unskilled time, the talk of a clever woman, nature's gifts of fish and fruit, the invention of a craftsman, the ( Read more... )

Something I need to learn to remember and accept is that I'm an undergraduate student. That is the identity that I'm expected to have. It's not really something I get to define. The undergraduate student identity has been formed by hundreds of thousands of white men over the last 200 or so years. I'm expected to be at a certain point in both my ( Read more... )

As classes are coming to a close, I'm feeling an immense weight lifted from my chest. I will be sure never to have a semester like this one again. It felt a bit like all four years of high school: a waste. A period in which I was forced to do something I didn't want to do, and worst of all, during which I was too stubborn to 'make the best of it ( Read more... )

Lola writes about brand preferences: http://lolabc.blogspot.com/2008/11/this-hip-self.htmlRead more... )

Related to my Twitter post: "Do you situate yourself in a self-narrative? Do you like to look at your life as a story unfolding? Do you make it that way?" 2:58 AM Nov 25th

What cultural elements can be seen to be interconnected with technology? And we believe technology to be more than just a system, but rather the strongest 'symbolic entity' ( Read more... )

Here’s how I define “stuff:” anything you have allowed into your psychological or physical world that doesn’t belong where it is, but for which you haven’t yet determined the desired outcome and the next action step. [pg. 17]

Good definition. So:
1. identify all the stuff in your life that isn’t in the right place (close all open loops ( Read more... )

Over the last few months I've been re-convincing myself that fashion is not pointless. To solidify my new conviction, three weeks ago I purchased a beautiful black overcoat at Le Baie. It has changed everything. To feel every day like an aesthetic object is a wonderful thing.

But more specifically, as my acceptance for fashion in general has grown ( Read more... )

"What is true is that the idea of power corrupts. Power corrupts most rapidly those who believe in it, and it is they who will want it most. Obviously, our democratic system tends to give power to those who hunger for it and gives every opportunity to those who don’t want power to avoid getting it. Not a very satisfactory arrangement if power ( Read more... )

Just upgraded to s2. New features everywhere. My LJ feels more like a ThinkPad or good pre-XP Windows software now. I visited the International Students Office today to talk about getting a SIN and a new passport and I noticed that they have these beautiful IBMs. Who designs these things? They're attractive in a sort of modernist/cyberpunk way. ( Read more... )

It has hit me the importance of understanding economy. Also the importance of fiction.