Weekly Catch #7🎣: we fall down
but we get up :)
TOC:{Memory,Quantum Physics/FreeWill, RIP Internet, Graduation Day, Living In A Bookshelf, Twitter, & Yayoi Kusama}
📣 Announcements:
fumbled a potential job at Exa trying to be cool and not check my LinkedIn, now I’ve been active every single day seeing if they’ll hit me back 💔
I love the sweet sweet joy of being proven wrong, or at least finding a new gap to investigate
Everyone loved my Mac & Cheese, best comment: “If I were on death row, I’d want this to be my last meal” - Verda 😱🥹
SO @Igor bc we did our 3rd street performance, sm fun!! Singing better by the day #BuskBabyBusk
The Case For Not Remembering Everything (ft. Kasra) [Essay]
*I love when I randomly find something via a friend; anything meaningful I’ve come across has most likely been recommended. You’ll see that trend this week.*
Kasra’s insights perfectly underscore a truth we've been grappling with in Weekly Catch#4 about eternalism and the nature of memory. For two decades, many of us have been diligently storing every fragment of our lives in the cloud, pursuing what felt like super-memory on some level, but is that even human? Do we even want that burden? As Kasra eloquently puts, "And you eventually realize that you compiled too much: it looks more like a garbage heap than a nicely curated gallery of memories… the more space you have, the more wisdom you need to make good use of that space."
Again, we see this language disconnect between space and time.
This hits home for those of us considering eternalism in code. As you know, I believe every moment: past, present, and future—is equally real. My mission is to demonstrate this in practice, and I thought that an unbroken context stream or "infinite memory" would be key. Guess the real key to human-superintelligence might be knowing what to remember, what to make dormant, and what to permanently delete.
Creativity & Consciousness: aka Free Will is a real experience? [Paper]
read below
What Happened To The Internet? [Article]
Another gift this week was @Jake sharing this article on the regression of the internet and digital media (refusing to call it social lol). And here are some key takeaways that truly resonated with me:
“404 Page Not Found. The internet feeds on its own dying dreams…”
1. Social Media is NOT the Internet.
The author argues that the internet's transformation from a wild, open, and amateur-driven space (often called Web 1.0) to today's consolidated, app-driven, and corporate-controlled environment is a process of "technological cannibalism." The new internet doesn't just replace the old; it devours its past artifacts, like Geocities, GIFs, and Myspace flair, decontextualizing them into mere nostalgia bait for profit, thereby erasing their original spirit and the user agency they once embodied.
*UltimATE Colonization is figurative cannibalism*
2. Monoculture is classy, diversity is ghetto.
There’s this powerful segment highlighting how what's deemed "cool" or "high-status" often contrasts sharply with platforms whose main base are diverse users.
The essay laments the consolidation of the diverse internet into a monoculture dominated by a few large tech companies (FAANGs) and maintained through app stores. This shift to mobile-first app usage has stifled competition, forced unique web design into a bland, uniform minimalism, and replaced the early internet's ethos of open exchange with proprietary, closed ecosystems. Facebook started through Ivy League students, while in comparison, MySpace, which could be used by anyone, was seen as "ghetto.":
In essence, the “glitter” produced by those who “pimp out” their MySpaces is seen by some in a positive light while others see it as “gaudy,” “tacky,” and “cluttered.” While Facebook fans loved the site’s aesthetic minimalism, others viewed this tone as “boring,” “lame,” and “elitist.” Boyd’s essay cites the race- and class-based explanations given by young people—she interviewed many teenagers—for why they chose one social network over the other. One white teen, for instance, called Myspace a “ghetto,” and another described Facebook as “the place where the ‘honors kids’ got together and discussed how they were procrastinating over their next AP English essay.” `
3. Capitalism and technology together consequence loss of user agency and creative freedom.
The essay highlights a fundamental shift from the "DIY-vibe" and significant user agency of Web 1.0 to the "hell of beautiful interfaces" in Web 2.0. Early internet users had the freedom to manually code, design, and manage their own online spaces, fostering unique, "vernacular" aesthetics. In contrast, modern social media platforms, while marketing themselves as more accessible, offer streamlined designs that strip away user control and creative expression, transforming users into passive products within highly regulated systems.
The author also demonstrates how platforms quickly consume and sterilize authentic user aesthetics, effectively turning authentic expression into decontextualized, marketable imagery. We see the consequences of this today.
Living In A Bookshelf [Essay/YouTube]
Have you ever felt like a book? If yes, has it ever felt like life's bookshelf just got too heavy, leaving you feeling useless and shattered? @Lena helps us explore why our fragility hurts so much, and how discovering your inner "book" lets you author your own incredible comeback story, glitter, beauty, and all.
Lame For Not Being Lame #RIPBernieMac [YouTube]
Welp, I learned that the voice comedian behind this hilarious skit was in fact, not Bernie Mac... It was this dude…
My dad actually shared this song with me as a testament to what he’d say if I ever dropped out of school. And honestly, if you’ve ever felt trapped by the academic grind, or if you simply don’t like school, you must listen to Kanye’s creative response to failing to do "something uplifting for the kids." Our not liking school, our resentment, is never without depth; it has real, systemic roots...and he showed that!
What’s funny is that Kanye as a rapper, particularly at that time, was ironic in itself. In an era where rap and hip-hop were often reserved for "gangstas and hood n***as," Kanye was well-traveled, educated, had his parents actively involved in his life, and built a strong repertoire of soul samples/skills. This track comes just after "We Don’t Care," where he very intelligently articulates how systems simply set us up for failure as youth. His dropping out was his way of choosing himself, of rejecting a status quo that often demands conformity over genuine aspiration. The only way to truly reject the status quo, he suggests, is by participating just enough to expose it, and then stepping away on your own terms. It’s a sad irony that so little introspection often accompanies listening to this song.
I Made A Solid Tweet, Read [Twitter]
@Verda talked a lot this week about the importance of context, and how that information gap causes a lack of ignition or even tension in many relationships, especially in a world where most begin as parasocial ones. Asking for likes is desperate. Instead, go read it below, and if you enjoy it, like it as a signal or let me know what I can do to connect better on X!
“My years as a tech bro left me creatively drained... Between endless "all hands" meetings, ideas silenced, and HR watching my social media? There just wasn't room left for play or self-expression. Then I moved to SF! It started with
@temperanceVec (@Igor)
and I singing in my car one day. We realized we had a ton of fun and should do it again, and with more friends! That led us to start busking on the streets, hoping to create a space for music, improvisation, and genuine fun for tech bros right here in this amazing city. For us, busking is about reclaiming the joy and freedom that often gets lost in the innovation grind. Song by song, we dive deeper into play and spontaneity, choosing genuine expression over mindlessly pursuing "innovation" or "building the future." (Seriously guys, are we there yet? What kind of future are we building if it costs us our serendipity?) If you're a tech bro feeling that same void, come jam with us!!! We're often at the intersection of art and awesomeness but if you get lost, you can catch us next week at Alamo Square Park ;) We sing, play guitar, cajon, and most of all, we vibe out!”
— philosofounder_
👑 Queen Yayoi Kusama [Next Deep Dive]
They always say you should ask your favorite artist who their favorite artist is, and this my my favorite artist’s, favorite artist!! And I love her work so much:
Did not enjoy her exhibit @ SFMoMa that I experienced, but thankfully @Lena showed me her other work: particles, dots, stars patterning infinitely are my thang!!😍
There you have it, 7 Tings to consume each day this week. Have a great week Thought Fishers!!
Catch me in these places:
Call Me: (864)-907-9757 - I don’t bite, and love convos so just do it man!
IRL: SF in South Park @Nautilus (lets get drinks/snacks, talk, and chill)
X as @philosofounder (girard 4 techbros)
Insta also as @philosofounder (mi vida loca)
Spotify as @mkhastaste (listening party?)
(in need of a new book/film app but I love those too)