Everyone's talking about taste
A moodboard
Have you noticed, everyone's talking about taste?
We’re worried that our specialness will be automated with AI, and taste has emerged as our last defense.
I don’t disagree, though I think we’re focused too much on the end result (taste) and not enough on the process (how one develops taste).
Taste is a byproduct.
An emergent property.
Taste comes from hunger.
Hunger for art and ideas that make us feel alive.
It comes from slowing down, paying attention and becoming more attuned to your senses.
From studying the little differences between similar things.
From being a student of nuance.
Why did I love that essay and not this one? What about that painting made me stop and stare?
Someone’s sense of taste also involves recognizing the gap between what they have made and what they intended to make.
To train our own taste, we must become cooks who aren’t scared to make food that may end up tasting terrible. To live in ‘the gap’ as Ira Glass put it.
In the comments…
What are your thoughts on developing taste?
Whose taste do you love?
How does the concept of a ‘guilty pleasure’ fit into having good taste?
In other news
How I Sublime with Keely Adler + Sublime & Chill
We’re hosting our first LIVE How I Sublime on Monday, June 24th from 12-1p EST and you’re invited to join free of charge (use the code: WHOA).
We’ll be interviewing brand strategist/cultural futurist at Dentsu/RADAR Keely Adler. Keely will share the recent ‘'aha' moment she had about how Sublime fits into her life, walk us through what she’s curating and how Sublime helps her organize her thoughts, and answer questions.
After our convo w Keely, we’ll transition into an hour (1-2p EST) of Sublime & Chill, a cozy time of ambient co-presence for us all to spend gardening our Sublime libraries.
And a quick reminder to feel free to dip in and out whenever — no pressure to stay the whole time!
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Sublimers out in the wild
- just launched The Office of Beloved Brands, the purpose of which is to “create emotionally resonant brands for products with purpose, AKA if you're making something that matters, we want to help the world really, really get it.”
- and the team at vector launched Bypassing The Invisible Hand on , a “collaborative zine that brings together 23 creators from around the world to share their aspirations for a future where creativity is liberated.”
- shook the world with , his new newsletter all about how Manifestos are magic spells:
Writing a manifesto for yourself, your community, or your startup can set in motion a chain of events that transforms your inner and outer worlds in powerful, often unexpected ways. In other words, manifesto writing is a bit like casting a magic spell. Approached with intention and heart—and yes, a bit of faith—a manifesto can open the door to new possibilities that wouldn't otherwise exist. It sounds a tad hyperbolic, perhaps. But I've experienced it myself enough times to know the magic firsthand. There's untapped alpha in manifestos for those who take the form seriously.
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Ray Dalio once sent an email to half of Bridgewater that said “Christina Ducruet doesn’t have taste.”Needless to say, I have thought a lot about this matter 😅. My favorite and most guiding reflection on taste and how it develops comes from Ira Glass, which I’m sure some have seen – https://youtu.be/91FQKciKfHI?si=t9uacHoXUBX2Xqjc
Absolutely !!!! Taste is just what you like and doing it / wearing it / watching it / reading it / diving into and developing it without looking outside of yourself for approval or esteem …. I think someone has incredible taste when i see them so freaking in their element it just shines through. Not sure if that made sense - just my two cents !