A simply functional understanding of systems is insufficient; one needs to be able to think about histories and consequences too. Where did these systems come from, who designed them and what for, and which of these intentions still lurk
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“By its nature, the metropolis provides what otherwise could be given only by traveling; namely, the strange.”
― The Death and Life of Great American Cities
― The Death and Life of Great American Cities
“Machines are the concealed wishes of actants which have tamed forces so effectively that they no longer look like forces”
― The Pasteurization of France
― The Pasteurization of France
“We (1) capture what has our attention; (2) clarify what each item means and what to do about it; (3) organize the results, which presents the options we (4) reflect on, which we then choose to (5) engage with.”
― Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
― Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.”
― The Death and Life of Great American Cities
― The Death and Life of Great American Cities
“Ironically, jobs are actually easier to enjoy than free time, because like flow activities they have built-in goals, feedback rules, and challenges, all of which encourage one to become involved in one’s work, to concentrate and lose oneself in it. Free time, on the other hand, is unstructured, and requires much greater effort to be shaped into something that can be enjoyed.”
― Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
― Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Derek’s 2025 Year in Books
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