Common Discourse is a newsletter designed to help others (and ourselves) think through the pursuit of creativity, business, and culture.
Every week, we share a few ideas from us, a quote from somebody else, and links worth sharing. On Fridays we invite a guest to share images from their camera roll and a sound that resonates with them. Occasionally, we’ll write a journal with observations on what’s happening in the world.
While the majority result of the events taking place in Los Angeles over the last week are a complete devastation, one unique thing to observe is how people band together during trying times. Seeing resources gather, hands become available, and displays of gratitude is a reminder of how human we really are.
I read somewhere this week that Los Angeles is often a place that people love to hate, but where else in the world do the creative outliers of their families run to chase their dreams? For me and many others, this place is where where my dreams came true.
I know through experience that Los Angeles is a symbol for strength, resilience, and courage—and I’m sure even more so as we come out the other side of this.
— Alex
A few ideas
I. THE MISCONCEPTION OF TASTE
I don’t believe that you just wake up knowing what you like. You get it wrong. You stop liking things you liked a few years back. You have to keep hunting it down.
The misconception of taste is that you either have it or you don’t.
But just like anything else, taste is a lifelong practice—a burden and a privilege that none of us are able to escape.
II. GREEN GRASS
Most people believe that the grass is greener somewhere else, but a difference is made by those who know the grass is greener where they water it.
To plant a garden is to believe in the future.
III. RESILIENCE
The world is going to change, and resilience is our best response.
It’s not about building things that always turn out the way we expect...
Bulletproof is too expensive and too rigid. Certainty requires perfect knowledge of the future and is a lay up for disappointment.
But resilience is a commitment to a design, an attitude and a system that works even when things don’t turn out the way we planned.
Instead of designing for the best case scenario, consider how to continue on when the best case doesn’t arrive. Because that’s a far more likely outcome.
Sailors know that fixing on a point on the horizon is a good way to survive a storm. Professional athletes are quick to forget previous mistakes and focus on the next play. Medical professionals pause before taking any action to create clarity and reduce errors, even if time is of the essence.
Flexibility, community, and a sense of possibility can go a long way. That doesn’t make it easier, but it’s our best path forward.
A quote from somebody else
“We’ve all struggled to express certain ideas or put certain feelings into words. The task of writing can present a huge challenge, from the classroom to the boardroom. But although the work may sometimes be difficult or frustrating, it’s still not something that we should give up and outsource to a machine. To give up the labour of writing is to give up the labour of living.”
— Tom Albrighton
Links worth sharing
💡 Ray Bradbury on why intellect is creativity’s greatest threat (10:59 - 13:20)
🍷 Currently, AI is unable to generate an image of a wine glass filled to the top because all of the pictures on which it is trained are half full
🖼️ A collection of images photographed between 1992-1995, during the making of ‘Kids,’ by Larry Clark is on view at Ruttkowski;68 in New York
🛋️ Mouthwash Studio’s new Los Angeles office is cozy like a living room
🚒 How Watch Duty’s wildfire tracking app became a crucial lifeline for LA
👨🏽💻 How do you work less when you love your job?
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