Perfumes, politics, and the writing process
Postcard #4
Hello and welcome back to another edition of THE POSTCARD, Unregistered’s fortnightly roundup of recommendations.
Thoughts, tools, and treats
This week’s recommendations begin with two new fellow Substackers on my blogroll.
The Prism by Gurwinder Bhogal
As argued in my post about the long arc of digital writing, G’s writings on meta-knowledge skilfully combine science, societal, and personal relevance with inventive linguistic formats. Recommended!
Shalom Auslander's Fetal Position
Once you’ve started reading Shalom’s one-of-a-kind Substack, you will understand what „a unique voice“ is and that this writer needs no further introduction.
Perfume guidance
If you’re looking for the perfect perfume, Luca Turin is your guide. He’s a scientist by day, one hack of a writer by night, and few people know the world of scents as well as he does. One thing I learned from him is to look for a perfumer’s work rather than a particular brand when searching for a new perfume. My favorite creators include Alexis Dadier, Jean-Claude Ellena, Olivia Giaciobetti, and Lyn Harris.
Culture and politics
In a recent opinion piece, David Brooks observes a cultural shift in the US. An increasing number of people, he claims, are tired of „culture war psychodrama“ and tribalism. Brooks adds: „Some people dismiss all this as vibes. I don’t. This is culture. What sort of people do we want to be? What sort of values and manners do we want to see reflected in our national leaders? Who do we want shaping the nation’s social atmosphere?“ Fingers crossed, history proves him right.
On writing
Richard Y Chappell convincingly makes the case that philosophers should blog. Sam Kahn offers excellent writing advice. My two cents and Sam’s reply can be read in the comments. Meanwhile, Remy Bazerque reflects on working with an editor. Find my comment here.
Noteworthy
Meron Mendel: „Whether it's about the Middle East conflict or identity politics, we don't adopt preconceived views but develop our own way of seeing things. We even insist that we don't belong to a camp and outsource our judgment to that camp. We are a provocation because we are unpredictable when we position ourselves against the Gaza protest camps while at the same time speaking out in favor of a Palestinian state.“
Saba-Nur Cheema: „That confuses a lot of people. Because people often think in groups. The tendency to always look at what my peer group says about something, my followers on social media, or those I follow. I think that's wrong.“
—Meron Mendel and Saba-Nur Cheema, a Jewish-Muslim couple from Frankfurt (Germany), in an interview with the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine on September 7, 2024
A mystery link leading into the unknown
This time, you may find yourself in a house by the sea.
As always,
Dirk
P.S.: Feel free to send me pointers to articles, books, sites, pods, tools, and treats that could be interesting for this roundup. While I cannot promise to link them, I read and appreciate every hint.