Arman's Antics (#103)

Latest from the curious contrarian

Hola partner,

Coming to you live from Austin, Texas.

Here’s your weekly dose of Arman’s Antics — five things I’ve been exploring or pondering that will spark a thought, chuckle, tear (or a nasty combination of the three).

Let’s give it up for the 16 new subscribers receiving this for the first time (963 total). I don’t know why you’ve come. But I’m glad you’re here.

This edition is proud to be sponsored by your favorite influencer’s favorite green powder, AG1!

Use promo code: DontBuyThis at checkout (kidding, that stuff’s scammy).

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Essay I wrote this week

There is so much despair all around us. So I wanted to keep things light by focusing on death.

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Book I finished for the 4th time

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon.

I flip through this short book whenever I’m in a creative funk (at least once a year).

It’s packed with powerful tactics and reframes about creativity. Many of them stolen from legendary artists (hence the title).

Stealing from one source is called plagiarism.

Stealing from many is called art.

Here’s the description:

Nothing is original, so embrace influence, school yourself through the work of others, remix and reimagine to discover your own path. Follow interests wherever they take you—what feels like a hobby may turn into you life’s work. Forget the old cliché about writing what you know: Instead, write the book you want to read, make the movie you want to watch.

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The debate

My wife recommended forced us to tune in for the US presidential debate this week because we need to become “informed” citizens.

I assumed the chances of that happening were as good as the pope converting to Islam. Yet somehow, it was worse than I expected.

And it reminded me of this two minute Neil Postman clip where he points out how television has fundamentally changed political discourse.

Televised debates do not inform the public of anything. They are merely a form of amusement.

This has 249 views but deserves millions…

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Write a letter to the future

FutureMe is a genius concept.

It allows current you to write an email to future you (for free). But I used it for a different purpose that’s even better.

Past me wrote an email to my future wife and it popped up in her inbox on our one year anniversary which was a few days ago.

The best part?

I had no recollection of writing it.

It’s a cheat code to show how considerate you are.

Writing a letter to your future self is cool. Writing a letter to your future loved ones is divine.

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Random thought

If you don’t have 20 minutes to sit in silence, you probably need an hour.

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That’s it for the 103rd edition of Arman’s Antics.

I hope no one reads this, but if you do, please keep it to yourself.

And now back to your regularly scheduled nonstop scrolling.

Cheers,

Arman