9 Comments

The "taste" lens is a good one. Hadn't thought about refining ones focus and perception that way, but the reason I like it is because it accounts for our innate sense of the quality of something.

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Have you read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? That's where I really understood what quality means.

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not in a loooong time. perhaps time for a review.

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Love your taste on what taste is! In your articulation, it seems like it's more about self-discovery of who you are? In that sense, taste isn't so much acquired but more a refinement as you discover what you really like versus what you don't care about or dislike?

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Yes, exactly. And those tastes can change over time.

I said acquired because I think your "portfolio" of tastes can be refined and each individual taste can be refined. So by "acquired" I mean a new focus (like a new activity) and by refine I mean finding or exploring various qualia about that focus.

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Yeah, I personally like this interpretation better. I somehow have a negative connotation when others talk about acquiring better tastes, it feels phony and snobbish

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like "refined tastes"? like upgrading your taste to "high society"?

yeah that's not what I mean at all - kinda the opposite. Finding a new taste for me is finding what I truly enjoy/am curious about. Not a mimetic desire. So something you're intrinsically drawn to. Like you originally said, it's self-discovery.

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Yes, I meant I like your definition/perspective on taste as you describe in your newsletter, as opposed to this more conventionally snobbish one

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Love this edition, Chris. "The failures in my life were a result of not pursuing taste". Really hits home.

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