💡🧐 Curiosities | Round 11
On power, virtue, NYC's artist lofts, the power of curiosity, Alexander the Great, and more
Welcome back to Comma, a conversation with weekly wisdom and wonder to catalyze transformation.
I’m back with round 11 of Curiosities - where I unearth and round up digestible gems of insight on the art of seeking, becoming, and building a life of significance.
I hope you enjoy.
If you do, press the little ❤️ button at the top left corner, share it with a few people who would also enjoy, and subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
Cheers,
Devin
[Podcast]
Robert Greene on Invest Like the Best
True virtue comes from awareness of your complete self.
Both your good side as well as your dark side.
A great conversation on social roles, power, mastery, and our Life’s Task.
Greene has had a big influence on me this year - particularly his book Mastery. I even did a podcast on what I learned, kicking off the Comma Book Club.
I wish I realized that so much of the return—of integrating the journey—is just being willing to be seen in whatever stage of the process you are in and inviting others to meet you there, instead of assuming they won’t understand and hiding because of that.
The integration wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. It mostly just required me to surrender, to accept being (at least temporarily) misunderstood as the price for being seen. And realizing that, the more I opened myself up to where I was, the more at home I felt, and the better job I did sharing the treasures I had found on my journey.
Some beautiful thoughts here on the process of change - of transformation - and what it is to (re-)engage with your world, and the people in it.
The willingness to be misunderstood as a cost of our transformation has been a challenging one for me to deal with, even as I’ve come to realize that this external barometer of acceptance is part of the problem.
Even as I see that one of the most integral parts of an authentic, self-authored life is a solid and secure internal compass, my tendency to outsource my worth to an external world runs deep - and I suspect I’m not alone.
This struggle of needing others and the world around me to affirm my worth and okay-ness is one I know well.
A cinematic look into the heart and soul of NYC’s artist lofts
Documentary filmmaker Joshua Charow spent years creating a book of photography covering the last of NYC’s original artist’s lofts protected by 1982’s Loft Law.
The law, enacted in 1982 (Article 7-C of the Multiple Dwelling Law), granted protection and rent stabilization to thousands of artists who were living illegally in commercial and manufacturing zoned lofts in neighborhoods like Soho, Tribeca, and the Bowery after the manufacturing industry predominantly left Manhattan.
The law helped revitalize some of today’s most vibrant downtown neighborhoods after they were left vacant and abandoned after manufacturing operations moved to less expensive locations throughout the country and the world.
[Video]
Tom Morgan on the power of curiosity
I find myself chuckling at myself at times when I have the answer to the problem I’m struggling with. This is one of those times.
Remember just a few lines earlier when I was speaking to my struggles with quieting the external noise and following my internal compass?
Well, this video holds what feels like the answer to the struggle.
Watch these six minutes on the deep interconnectedness of the world and the power of curiosity as a guiding force.
It just goes to show that knowing something and living it are two very different things.
[Podcast]
Dan Carlin from Hardcore History on Alexander the Great’s early years
One of my friends listens to the dulcet tones of Dan Carlin’s voice every night as he falls asleep.
While I don’t go that far, I do take a lot of inspiration from Carlin’s work. It really feels like he’s speaking to you one-on-one from across the table.
I think this dynamic is a really powerful one, and it’s one that I want to channel more of in Comma.
David Senra from the Founders podcast is another one that does a great job at this.
If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward it to a curious friend and tell them which idea they'd love.
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