[TT 017] curated cuddles, nature externalities, sober bars, AI synesthesia, toast art
Howdy Thrivers,
This past week has been a study in the elasticity of time. The warp speed I felt last week was counterbalanced by a rich slowness in the ease of vacation mode. My wife and I traveled to Durango, CO where I ran a half marathon. We also visited old friends and new places. If you happen to be in town, the recently rebuilt Durango hot springs resort is wonderfully designed and well worth the entrance fee.
I never cease to be awe-stricken by the stunning diversity and grandeur of Colorado's landscapes. Perhaps the epic timeline of epic nature helps alleviate delusions of grandeur and significance, and the time urgency that's a symptom of both. Whatever the root cause, I frequently feel calmer and more at peace when I've spent time in the mountains.
With the clarity of crisp alpine air and spring fed water, on to this week's Thriving Thursday.
On the interconnected wellbeing of tender touch
There is growing evidence that, when humans connect, our bodies and minds begin to resonate and "sync up". Beyond well-researched (but poorly understood) mirror neurons, we also know empathy results in syncing skin conductivity as well as heart rates & breathing patterns.
That probably explains, at least partially, why touch is such a great tool for communication.
Interestingly, touch can be positive even for people with aversions grounded in attachment avoidance. Expressing an aversion to being touched can negatively impact wellbeing by missing out on the physiological and neuro-cognitive changes that touch inspires.
Of course, I advocate for respecting boundaries and individual preferences - not everyone wants to be touched (for genetic, traumatic, or other reasons) and that's just fine. Still, academic research is converging on the awareness that partner dancers have known for countless generations: touch is a brilliantly powerful tool for connecting mind, body, and spirit.
We're just now learning the mechanics of how that experiential quality takes shape.
On the economics of nature externalities
I've often written about environmental externalities (like concrete in TT005 or biocapacity debt in TT014).
Largely, I agree with Jeff Nobb's point that US food industry subsidies for mono-crops create negative downstream effects on our bodies and ecosystems. I'm not sure the solution is as simple as Jeff presents but I appreciate calling out the issue.
The Dasgupta Review takes this argument to the nth degree. The authors suggest that, until we update our financial models to incorporate natural world externalities, we will continue to poison our planet and run out of time.
This line of reasoning is a big part of why I like the triple bottom line approach to running a business or organization. There are trade-offs, certainly, but when businesses and governments capture the full impact to people, product, and planet, they are much more likely to stay sustainable and balance all three considerations.
I'm skeptically hopeful that this will be a worthwhile solution. Somehow, I doubt there will ever be a shift away from GDP as a government KPI, but we can certainly add a KPI to measure the economics of our nature. That alone would go a long way.
On the rise of sober bars
Durango is an awesome town, but it has a strong drinking culture. Drinking even small amounts can be unhealthy, so my wife and I (completely independently) are trying out sober for all of 2021.
Overall the experience has been wonderful in every way except one: missing the shared experience of a tasty beverage. Womp womp womp ...
That's where Awake, Denver's first alcohol-free bar, comes into play. I haven't tried it yet but It must be wonderful to have a place to go and socialize where half slurred speech isn’t reserved for those with physical ailments.
I'll definitely try this out!
On AI powered synesthesia
Google recently deployed a project titled Play a Kandinsk that allows participants to (perhaps) hear a painting the way Kandinsky.
This video series explains the making and theory behind this presentation. It offer 4 core prompts:
- 1) Explore Kandinsky's theories on color and sound and the relationship I'm bringing. new personal shapes,
- 2) Hear the composed version of the painting created with help from machine learning,
- 3) Discover the emotions Kandinsky associated with color and shape and 'play the painting'.
- 4) You can create and share your own musical mix of the painting, highlighting your chosen emotions as inspired by Kandinsky.
On the bipartisan artistry of toast
Yet another incredible food artist popped up on my feed. Pretty wild that this is all edible!!
Great job from Manami Sasaki. I just hope you don't get hungry looking at all this artistic food.
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Until next time,
~Henry