Smelly Websites
Today we are moving. From the windows we'll be able to see the hospital where both Uno and I were born. We'll also have a birch tree on our doorstep. That is better than Sunday morning dubstep.
Another Sunday, Another Naive Weekly — Observations From The Internet Wilderness.
In a few hours we are moving. So this is the last newsletter I write from our current apartment. If you could hear and smell this newsletter, you’d hear the sound of the train passing by and the particular smell of everything packed down. But maybe you can?
Last week I overheard someone being asked what the smell of their website was. At first I took it as a silly question. Websites don’t smell. But the more I thought about the question, the better I thought it was.
Everything on the internet looks a certain way. Even the text only websites ‘have a look’. Much more than being textual, the internet is visual. And maybe that is why it is much more interesting to ask what is the sound, smell, touch and taste of a website.
I’m sure the flat we are now leaving has influenced the newsletter. While I stayed here, first Ana and later Uno moved in. So it feels appropriate to leave it a digital thank you. And for next week I’m curious to see how the new place will shape how I write.
With care,
Kristoffer
VISUALLY PLEASING
READER INTERVIEW
Sara Schelde Faust has been to Tadao Ando’s The Oval. A locked door, a monorail, and then Sara was there. It sounds almost too good to be true. That is also the feeling I get when gazing at Sara’s instagram of homemade pizza, flowers and careful details. Sara is a freelance digital and creative consultant, so consider dropping her a hi.
K: Who can write the future?
Sara: We can. We are all capable of writing the future, at least we can do our very best to nurture it towards the direction we want it to go. Lately, all the movements going on globally and locally have touched me with their drive to create a better world for everyone. From bigger demonstrations, silent movements, offline gatherings, and online meet-ups.
I see how my young goddaughters challenge climate change in a way I would never have thought of when I was their age. The next generations have powerful voices and the willingness to change what needs to be changed, representing the voice of the people.
K: How do you think about time?
Sara: I no longer think a lot about time, at least not on the bigger scale. Before, I used to think of time as a measurement of success, of my imagined achievements. I was hoping and believing that at this given point of time, I would have succeeded at these grown-up things you achieve and do, when you reach the age of a young adult. Things I used to measure myself up against society and everyone else.
Later I’ve discovered, by involuntary childlessness, that I’m not always able to achieve what I dream of. Most often I can’t control life myself, when and how it shapes. Rather than being in a hurry and disappointed, I’m now more at ease believing that things will happen when they’re supposed to, and I know that time is an element of life that’s beyond my control. What I can do is to ensure that my time spent is well-spent.
Also, after the COVID-19 lockdown, I've lost all sense of time, as I am no longer able to plan longer than next week. I guess that’s one of the best things that has happened to me this year. Carpe diem.
K: What is the size of your internet?
Sara: At the moment it’s approximately the size of my neighborhood, it isn’t too big and tends to feel very local and secure, and I got all I need nearby. These times I rarely explore beyond my city border, and close to never I go far off from the national border.
Maybe it's the season that encourages staying at home, cuddled up or it’s the lack of curiosity caused by the current circumstances’ vigilance. Currently, I feel very comfortable at home, and have no particular wanderlust both digitally and in real life.
K: How do you prepare for death?
Sara: I haven’t thought much about it. I’m not afraid of death—all good things must come to an end at some point. If I was told tomorrow that I only had a week left, I think I would ensure to tell my loved ones how much I’ve enjoyed the time we’ve had together, eat some phenomenal last suppers at restaurants I’ve never been to, and take some time to appreciate where life brought me.
ROADSIDE FLOWERS
UNDERSTORY
I’m listening to podcasts again. So I want to share three of those I enjoy listening to while taking Uno out for a nap. They are critical to technology, at least to the ‘tech’ type of technology. Please feel free to share any podcasts you have in your feed, especially those with different opinions.
In each episode, the two hosts talk at length about one topic. While it can — and does — turn into small talk, I have learned something new in every single episode. Consider starting with episode 16 where they unfold big tech’s entry into urbanization. I can also recommend episode 4 where they tear apart Zuboff’s Surveillance capitalism is also worth you.
This podcast is not only about technology. It was the interview with Xiaowei Wang (episode 1249) about her new book Blockchain Chicken Farm that brought me to the podcast. Since then I’ve enjoyed the conversation with Anna Tsing (episode 1259) and a few others that I don’t want to share because you should rather listen to Xiaowei and Anna. Consider to skip the first approximately ten minutes leading up to the actual interviews.
Paris Marx might no longer write his excellent urbanism newsletter, but his podcast is shining. If you enjoy the books from Verso and the articles from Logic Magazine, you’ll also enjoy Paris’ podcast. I recommend you to start with the interview with Aaron Benanav about his book Automation and the Future of Work (from Nov 5). And even despite the bad audio, I loved every minute of the conversation with Logic Mag editor-in-chief Ben Tarnoff (from Sep 3).
INTERNETMEZZO
Hi, I’m Kristoffer and you have just read Naive Weekly — Observations from the Internet Wilderness.
Last week this newsletter was sent to 690 people. Thirty are crazy enough to chip in every month/year to support me making time to write this newsletter: Nikolaj, Lars, Ditte, Jakob, Antal, Anders, Sascha, Cecilie, Søren, Dries, Tina, Gautier, Sarper, Maarten, Mystery x2, Joshua, Thomas, Mikkel, Aydo, Lukas, Hans, Vibe Johanne, Csongor, Dad, Yinka, Stine, Troels, William & Angela!
Photograph by Ana Santl.
<3
Kristoffer