In our late-stage consumer capitalist society, weird stuff is starting happen. Haul videos, artisanal coffee mugs, that guy down the street from you who bought a sewing machine and aspires to be the next Levi Strauss. What’s up with all of this? Are we entering a new age of craftsmanship? An artisanal renaissance? Or is this just the latest consequence of soulless capitalism? In this episode, Kevin and I discuss a poignant article on the subject, and get quite the hankering for some artisanal mayonnaise. Have a listen!
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Show Notes
- You Are Not an Artisan – Ribbonfarm
- Grant Morrison – Wikipedia
- Kevin’s “Haul” video – YouTube
This Week’s Post-show Song Pimpage
“Marty Beller Mask” by They Might Be Giants
16/08/2013 at 8:32 am Permalink
What’s “fox and hedgehog” ?
17/08/2013 at 12:34 pm Permalink
This sums it up pretty well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hedgehog_and_the_Fox
I fell in love with the analogy after reading Nate Silver’s “The Signal and the Noise” recently. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Signal_and_the_Noise
Which classification do you follow, in your opinion?
21/08/2013 at 8:58 am Permalink
I don’t know …
Maybe Fox and Hedgehog ?
21/08/2013 at 9:14 am Permalink
Oh, pardon me, that was ambiguous. I mean for instance I classify myself as a Fox (at least I aspire to the ideal). Would you fall in the Fox or Hedgehog camp?
23/08/2013 at 10:41 am Permalink
Uh …
You made me uncertain …
24/08/2013 at 6:22 am Permalink
I am surely a Fox …
I always make same errors, even if that’s wrong …
Sometimes, I’m really stupid
31/08/2013 at 5:45 am Permalink
But, why fox is “ideal” ?
31/08/2013 at 12:29 pm Permalink
Not ideal in some absolute sense (as in, the “correct” way to be) but more like the Platonic ideal.
For instance, I prefer to act in ways that are adaptable. I.e. I hedge my bets, am more reactive than proactive, tend to weigh new evidence more attentively, and most importantly change my mind given changing facts. I don’t always live up this, doing very hedgehog-like things from time to time (hence not living up to the “ideal” Fox).
That is not at all to say this is the correct approach for all. Some people prefer to be grounded, centered, foundational, etc. In other words, they prefer to be Hedgehogs. Fine for them. I just find it a less defensible position for me than that of the Fox.
01/09/2013 at 6:47 am Permalink
Okay, thanks for answering .
I wish you a happy day =)
And sorry if I have made spelling error
(it’s correct ?)
02/09/2013 at 8:01 am Permalink
It’s correct! Thanks for the comments. ^_^
02/01/2015 at 12:46 pm Permalink
For real, I’m a Hedgehog.
I Think so.