Ty. I think what you're talking about is a real problem. I don't want to this medium to get pigeonholed as just a series of "takes." What could be a medium with a lot of beauty then becomes just people yelling in your inbox.
Especially over the last year, the "Substack take" has become a very distinct genre, half from convergent evolution, but the other half by choice, based on mimicking the "take-based" Substacks that have increasingly taken over. And it's exactly why I'm doing more pieces like this one, to push back on that.
I also really hope Substack itself (the company) figures out that devolving into a "take-based" platform would be, long run, really bad for its prospects.
Im new to substack, but my first thought when I got here was "everyone's writing hot takes on poetry, but where's all the real poetry?" So I totally see your point. But, where else are people supposed to be posting their takes? Should we leave it to established media companies and academics? I really do appreciate your sentiment. But the truth is people want to read other peoples takes. The ones they agree with and the ones they dont. And some people really need an oulet for that one random hot take they have. Whats the harm in that? Should they be treated negatively simply because the audience is mostly leaning towards reading shit posts and not poetry?
Been working on it for a while. If people like it I'll do more, as a series.
It turns out almost everything is interesting, when described to a child, as if for the first time. Bees are interesting, and so are black holes, and stubbornness, and eggs, and glasses, and first kisses. Even standing in line at Walmart is interesting.
this is just beautiful and incredibly refreshing Erik.
as a father of a 3 yo and another one due very soon (tomorrow), there's nothing more joyful and rewarding than exploring and re-exploring the world with them.
i have always appreciated your distinct perspective (why arent we making more Einsteins) and firm stand (no to AI), and this poetic piece just added a layer of soft beauty to hard analysis.
Also, you have just given yourself an infinite amount of work for the next decades. I can easily come up with a thousand words I would love to see explained in this way.
Love this. It reminds me of children’s picture book - Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers, but instead of a whirlwind tour, it’s a deep dive into a single piece of life. I’d love to see this turned into a series of illustrated children’s books. Might just need to soften the whale murder a bit, take a Pixar smoothing brush to it...
Once I was showing my four year old cousin a book about ancient Egypt. She was amazed by the pyramids, mummies, and mythology. After a while, she asked me "Is Egypt real?" and it was felt so cool to be able to tell her that it is. Explaining the world seems like such a wonderful part of parenting.
But this time, I have to disagree with you on two points.
"Stars are real. Money is real. Brazil is real."
"Stars are real": objective truth
"Money is real. Brazil is real": inter-subjective truth.
Money is not real. Money is an inter-subjective truth. Money is a piece of paper with a special tint on it (well, now, not even that, it is a couple of 1s and 0s transistors on some chip on a server in a rack in some datacenter, maybe located in Brazil). We, as a species, decided that a piece of paper would have some special value, and you can exchange it for something else.
Also, Brazil is not real, we decided that the right side of the piece of land we call South America would be called Brazil. And people living in "Brazil" would speak a specific language and have their own culture and identity.
So, as parents, we should teach kids about money and the country's history and names, but also we need to teach them why money and Brazil are not as real as the stars.
I take your point. Personally though, I think it's more of a spectrum, and it's fine to describe intersubjective truths about our world as "real," especially when the comparison is to fictional lore. Dollars seem more real to me than the Galleons in Harry Potter, and Brazil seems more real to me than Narnia.
Sometimes it can be hard to "see the world" again as you age. But I find that getting down to my son's level, and then looking at the world through his lends, re-opens that sense of wonder and amazement that is around us. We recently took them to the Cal Academy of Sciences, and when I got down to his level and looked up at the (already impressive) terrarium in the middle of the building, it made it all the more awe-inspiring.
I've seen others request that you serialize these posts. Please do.
I hope this will become a series. It feels like Substack is becoming dominated by "takes" -- this, in contrast, is an exploration. Rich and beautiful
Ty. I think what you're talking about is a real problem. I don't want to this medium to get pigeonholed as just a series of "takes." What could be a medium with a lot of beauty then becomes just people yelling in your inbox.
Especially over the last year, the "Substack take" has become a very distinct genre, half from convergent evolution, but the other half by choice, based on mimicking the "take-based" Substacks that have increasingly taken over. And it's exactly why I'm doing more pieces like this one, to push back on that.
I also really hope Substack itself (the company) figures out that devolving into a "take-based" platform would be, long run, really bad for its prospects.
All the videos, reels, timeline etc seem like a very quick shitification to me. Was much better with much less. Just few long takes.
Kind of a bad take...
Im new to substack, but my first thought when I got here was "everyone's writing hot takes on poetry, but where's all the real poetry?" So I totally see your point. But, where else are people supposed to be posting their takes? Should we leave it to established media companies and academics? I really do appreciate your sentiment. But the truth is people want to read other peoples takes. The ones they agree with and the ones they dont. And some people really need an oulet for that one random hot take they have. Whats the harm in that? Should they be treated negatively simply because the audience is mostly leaning towards reading shit posts and not poetry?
“Explorations” & “Takes” exist on a continuum…
Paracelsus said it best : “The dose maketh the poison.”
What is a 300-page philosophical treatise, after all, but a take, taken to the extreme ?
This is stunning! I want a whole book of this, a book for adults and children, with colour illustrations. :)
Check out “Autumn” by Karl Ove Knausgaard
Seconded! Would be an incredible gift
So many beautiful lines in this one! Very rich imagery.
Been working on it for a while. If people like it I'll do more, as a series.
It turns out almost everything is interesting, when described to a child, as if for the first time. Bees are interesting, and so are black holes, and stubbornness, and eggs, and glasses, and first kisses. Even standing in line at Walmart is interesting.
this is just beautiful and incredibly refreshing Erik.
as a father of a 3 yo and another one due very soon (tomorrow), there's nothing more joyful and rewarding than exploring and re-exploring the world with them.
i have always appreciated your distinct perspective (why arent we making more Einsteins) and firm stand (no to AI), and this poetic piece just added a layer of soft beauty to hard analysis.
Really appreciate those kind words. And good luck tomorrow (or when it happens)!
I can’t wait! These first entries are already worth my yearly subscription to the Intrinsic Perspective!
Also, you have just given yourself an infinite amount of work for the next decades. I can easily come up with a thousand words I would love to see explained in this way.
I was gonna say you killed it with the prose in this one. Very nice stuff!
“Thus, sometimes, to bathers on the seaside sand
A small boy will bring over something
Clutched in his hand.
Everything — from a pebble with a violet rim
To the dim, greenish part of a glass object —
Is festively brought over by him.”
"As is true of many things, you as a child have no need to thank them for this selfless act. The fact that you exist is thanks enough."
This whole piece is extraordinary, and as a fellow parent this line especially hit home.
As a new mother, this piece speaks to the excited joy I have to explore the world again through my daughter's eyes. Thank you for sharing!
Love this. It reminds me of children’s picture book - Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers, but instead of a whirlwind tour, it’s a deep dive into a single piece of life. I’d love to see this turned into a series of illustrated children’s books. Might just need to soften the whale murder a bit, take a Pixar smoothing brush to it...
Fabulous writing, sent me to the dictionary a few times which is great. Plan to share with the grandkids.
Once I was showing my four year old cousin a book about ancient Egypt. She was amazed by the pyramids, mummies, and mythology. After a while, she asked me "Is Egypt real?" and it was felt so cool to be able to tell her that it is. Explaining the world seems like such a wonderful part of parenting.
Beautiful, Erik!
I haven't listened to Jack and Diane in a while. Thanks for the great article, and the reminder to listen to that song.
As always, nice piece, I enjoyed reading it.
But this time, I have to disagree with you on two points.
"Stars are real. Money is real. Brazil is real."
"Stars are real": objective truth
"Money is real. Brazil is real": inter-subjective truth.
Money is not real. Money is an inter-subjective truth. Money is a piece of paper with a special tint on it (well, now, not even that, it is a couple of 1s and 0s transistors on some chip on a server in a rack in some datacenter, maybe located in Brazil). We, as a species, decided that a piece of paper would have some special value, and you can exchange it for something else.
Also, Brazil is not real, we decided that the right side of the piece of land we call South America would be called Brazil. And people living in "Brazil" would speak a specific language and have their own culture and identity.
So, as parents, we should teach kids about money and the country's history and names, but also we need to teach them why money and Brazil are not as real as the stars.
I take your point. Personally though, I think it's more of a spectrum, and it's fine to describe intersubjective truths about our world as "real," especially when the comparison is to fictional lore. Dollars seem more real to me than the Galleons in Harry Potter, and Brazil seems more real to me than Narnia.
Stars are real, you can visit Brazil, and money can help you buy things.
Real is so loaded... ;)
There is literally a book called "Money: The True Story of a Made Up Thing."
Never knew! Thats for the tip!
Reminds me of Karl Ove Knausgaard’s “Seasons” series. :)
Lyrical writing for children's serious questions, to read by whimsical adults. Recommended for all ages.
Read all of it, or read just a single section picked at random. All the oysters have pearls.
This is a book I will want to own in physical form.
Enjoy.
Sometimes it can be hard to "see the world" again as you age. But I find that getting down to my son's level, and then looking at the world through his lends, re-opens that sense of wonder and amazement that is around us. We recently took them to the Cal Academy of Sciences, and when I got down to his level and looked up at the (already impressive) terrarium in the middle of the building, it made it all the more awe-inspiring.
I've seen others request that you serialize these posts. Please do.
Lovely fun. : - )