In a world increasingly driven by practicality and efficiency, are we sacrificing beauty and creativity in our cities - and in our lives? Inspired by a presentation on the Keyes Art Mile project in Johannesburg, this piece reflects on the loss of artistic vision in modern architecture and challenges us to seek beauty in the everyday.
Some pithy life advice from my 32-year-old self.
Melding two art forms together can deliver an entirely new level of immersion. ‘Pictures Reframed’ by Robin Rhode and Qden Blaauw does exactly that.
My annual review for 2023.
My annual review for 2022.
My annual review of 2021 and the lessons I learned along the way.
A short story.
Those fleeting moments when everything seems to align only come from dogged determination, an appetite for wonder, and the willingness to show up time and time again.
If we can recognise that imposter syndrome is an indication that this really matters to us and will feed our soul - then we can try to harness that to ignore the voice in our head and just do the work.
28 lessons learned from 28 years on this floating rock.
As we craft the narratives and stories required to explain artificial intelligence, we must do so truthfully - avoiding the temptation to fear-monger and exaggerate in order to win clicks. The way we communicate will determine the societal impact of the technology.
Thought experiments are the tool of choice for thinking. If we don’t understand how they can manipulate us, then we are at the mercy of bad ideas that are artfully constructed and disseminated. We need to strengthen our mental immune system.
You know those old, weathered books you keep on your bookshelf so that you look sophisticated during those Zoom calls? Here’s why you should read them.
It seems obvious to me (but significantly under-discussed) that the media we consume dictates so much of how we experience the world and is not merely a mirror on reality - but an immutable self-fulfilling prophecy machine. If we don’t understand how we are being seduced, we have no way of avoiding the associated harms.
Some thoughts on the implications of the Stoic wisdom found in Epictetus’ Discourses. Why is it so hard for us to put this into action? Why is our happiness still reliant on external circumstances?
Tyler Cowen ran a fascinating experiment with his 2019 Stanford talk on his latest book. I want to see more of these steel-man experiments from public intellectuals and, to be honest, all of us in our daily lives.
3 lessons I learned from Einstein after reading Walter Isaacson’s biography detailing his life story.
The rear-view mirror is useful to glance at once in a while, but we actually need to keep our eyes on the road. There is beauty and wonder to be found when we look forward with anticipation. There are abundant opportunities for casual magic in the every-day slog of adult life.
The Corona Virus has shone a light on how we manage immediate risk - but why don't we apply the same scrutiny, rigour and effort to long-term risk? Especially when we may have a moral obligation to do so.
My review of ‘The School of Life: An Emotional Education’ by Alain de Botton and his team.
A musing on the scenes outside a boarding gate.
A poem.
My theme for 2020: The Year of the Last Mile.
My review of 2019.
Abraham Lincoln only accomplished what he did with a pragmatic understanding of scale, space and time.
Our obsession with having our name outlive us is getting in the way of fulfillment.
The Philosophy of Frozen II - Do The Next Right Thing.
My review and notes on Daniel Levitin’s book ‘The Organized Mind’: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload.
Maybe the best career advice we could take onboard would be to be useful to the world.
I call for more savvy commercialisation of machine learning and less publicity-chasing sensationalisation.
A poem about heartbreak.
Two short points on how English’s stranglehold on intellectual thought might be missing a trick.
My reflections on the 2019 Deep Learning Indaba held in Nairobi, Kenya.
2 things that I think are holding us back in intellectual debates/lectures in public forums.
My thoughts on the recent Uber Technology for Safety summit - looking at how technology solutions can make South Africa safer. (#Tech4Safety)
Ethics dumping is a scary trend where the Western world can export it’s dirty work elsewhere and still maintain the moral high ground. Are we aware of the consequences of such activities?
My reflections on my visit to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in Germany.
There are very few things that make me irrationally angry.
A tribute to the role model I never knew I had - Mr Fred Rogers.
There are two ways to appreciate art: as a commodity or as a conversation.
I presented this keynote at the 2019 Education Innovation summit. The topic was looking at the impact of artificial intelligence on our world and how our education system needs to change as a result.
My (very unsatisfying) review of ‘Superintelligence’ by Nick Bostrom - one of the foundational books in the recent rebirth of the field of artificial intelligence.
One little nugget from the book ‘Release the Bats’ by DBC Pierre.
A review of the wonderful travel treatise ‘Vagabonding’ by Rolf Potts. A book that champions slow, wandering travel as a means for re-discovering the awe in our world.
The pragmatic entrepreneurs of South Africa’s rural areas have a lot to teach us. We should be hearing more of their stories because they are the people on the ground moving the needle for the country by solving real, tangible problems.
Some thoughts on the distinction between need-based and want-based suffering and how to combat it with a story of redemption.
The best part about being rock bottom is that the only way to go is up.
The notion of creativity is sometimes narrowed down to grabbing inspiration from the ether and transcribing that into a work of art. However, as the professionals will tell you, that’s naive. In order to be prolific - you have to sit down in the chair and do the work.
Perhaps we are responsible for the perils of fame? It might be time to dim the spotlight and re-think the way we respond to people in the public eye.
It's time to start changing the way we tell stories to ourselves.My review of the book 'Happy' by Derren Brown.
"We are all tragically misunderstood."My review of 'The Course of Love' by Alain de Botton.
Mathematics is a subject that divides us squarely between those who hate it and those who love it. I argue that regardless of your affinity, it is a subject that lays the foundation for our thinking and therefore for our lives. Here's why it deserves respect.
Using influence to make yourself better.
Politics is a game. With a playbook written in the 16th century. We need to make it obsolete. We need real leaders.
My thoughts on 'The Raft' by Fred Strydom.
Going back to first principles.
My thoughts on 'The Perfection Point' by John Brenkus.
Reading is an art. We need to treat it as such.
My thoughts on 'Candide' by Voltaire.
Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.
My thoughts on 'A Man's Search for Meaning' by Viktor Frankl.
'Busy' should not be a badge that you wear.
My thoughts on 'Revolution' by Russell Brand.
My thoughts on 'A Storm of Swords' by George R. R. Martin.
Getting away from technology for periods of time is so incredibly important for us.
Sometimes when we follow our heroes, we can lose our way.
A deep dive into the benefits and myths of hard work.
My review of the Pioneer Nation entrepreneurship festival.
When runners come together, something magical happens.
How you can use your voicemail to spread some goodness in the world.
What I learnt from performing at the National Arts Festival.
Habits are everything. Here are two tidbits you can use today to improve yours.
Sometimes all we need is a little time.
I failed.
How do we prize risk-taking in a world which avoids it at every turn?
My thoughts on the latest books I've read.
I try and pull some lessons from the current viral sensations.
When you don't have any other choice, you learn pretty quick.
My first skydiving experience.
We have to take risks when we are young. What happens if we don't? Will we ever be able to?
The circus was an eye-opening experience for me - one that I won't repeating.
A new, interesting way of telling stories. Mixing long-form and short-form, elegantly.
The shift from Hannah Montana to Miley Cyrus has been masterful marketing.
A poem.
What are our online profiles doing to the way we see ourselves? The way we treat ourselves?
A call for authentic expression.
My thoughts on 'The Lean Startup' by Eric Ries.
My thoughts on the entrepreneurship conference run by YouthLab in Johannesburg.
Our legacy is the only thing that survives us. What will people say about you when you're gone?
It's time to start really celebrating the small wins.
The mob now has the ability to break the news - on the ground. For good and for bad.
The darker side of goalsetting that doesn't get spoken about enough.
Perhaps the idea of a balanced life is a misnomer.
Time is our most valuable resource. We should be keeping track of where we invest it.
We need to be especially conscious of where we are getting our information from.
When tackling a test or exam, controlling that stress response is half the battle.
A really exciting business model investing directly in people.
You come up to the hairpin bend. What do you do?
Sometimes it doesn't help to try harder.
You don't know what's happening behind the curtain. Treat people accordingly.
Barry. Listen up.
Sometimes there aren't two sides of the coin. And it takes serious guts to admit that.
My musings on the book 'Anthem' by Ayn Rand.
Everyone wears the same mask. Perhaps its time to try a new one.
The standard hierarchy template for businesses brings its own problems.
The parallels between art and technology. Are they really that far apart?
Perhaps telling people about your goals is not such a bad thing after all.
When you tell other people about your goals, what does it do to your motivation in achieving them?
"Because everyone else is doing it" is always a lousy reason for doing something. Hold on to what makes you unique and revel in that.
My thoughts on 'Schindler's List' by Thomas Keneally.
What does our social media addiction mean for our psychology?
A poem.
When Felix Baumgartner leapt from space and hurtled towards the ground, it made me think about what things I thought were impossible. What boundaries do we place in front of ourselves?
My thoughts on 'The Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins.
Top athletes spend lots of time and effort conditioning their bodies so they can perform at the highest level. We should be doing the same with our brains.
My thoughts on 'Confessions of an Economic Hitman' by John Perkins.
It is snowing in Johannesburg. I think it's a sign of things to come.
The traditional way of thinking about education is outdated. We need a revamp.
My very first post. The start of a journey.
