MOVIE Her, 2013 Spike Jonze’s 2013 film, Her, tells a beautiful story about one man’s struggle with love and grief. Set in the near future (oh boy), Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) installs an advanced operating system named Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) with the capability of consciousness. After getting to know each other quickly, things take an unexpected turn as Theodore attempts to piece his life together following his imminent divorce. Her is an intense romantic drama with plenty of sci-fi intertwined. Fortunately, the futuristic element creates a beautiful set design. As the setting, wardrobe, and color palettes coincide exceptionally well. I loved the performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, and Amy Adams. Notably, Phoenix, who delivers one of the greatest, most sentimental protagonists I’ve ever seen. Maybe it’s the acute weakness and vulnerability Jonze includes into Theodore Twombly. Which, in turn, Phoenix executes flawlessly. The themes are abundant, yet it’s ultimately up to the individual for what sticks (or doesn’t). By the end, I found myself stuck on the following: singularity, blossom and decay, connection, and metaphysical/immaterial. Her captures what it means to be human (even with a sentient OS involved) and does so remarkably well. Simply put, it’s difficult not to find yourself reflecting after this film. |
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PODCAST Podcast: #442: Tribe of Mentors一Naval Ravikant, Susan Cain, and Yuval Noah Harari. Tim Ferriss pulls three profiles from the first chapter of his bestselling novel Tribe of Mentors. The first is Naval Ravikant, a successful entrepreneur and investor, he co-founded AngelList and was involved in numerous successful companies in early development (Twitter, Uber, FourSquare). Next is writer Susan Cain, who wrote the bestselling novel Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. Lastly, you hear responses from the historian, professor, and writer Yuval Noah Harari, who wrote the internationally bestselling novels Sapiens and Homo Deus. LINK: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tim-ferriss-show/id863897795?i=1000479140508 *Can also be found on various podcast platforms* MY TAKEAWAY: This podcast is a gold mine, thanks to Tim Ferriss’s brilliant questions (revealed at 11:10). Responses begin at 25 minutes, each answer read from a narrator of Ferriss choosing. The question I resonated best with was, “What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore?” Noah Harari (who is as qualified as anyone to speak on the future) responds with an answer (47:49) that sent goosebumps throughout my body and gave me an entirely new perspective on the decades to come. It’s intriguing to hear Naval’s thoughts on various topics as well. Take notes! Use this to help navigate the questions or skip to points that may interest you! |
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After Skool does a fantastic job of taking complex ideas or topics and drawing them out, allowing the audience to digest the audio easily. Philosopher, writer, and speaker Alan Watts is primarily credited for introducing Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism to the Western Hemisphere. At some level, this video evokes fear inside of me. The notion Watts describes, that one day—decades into my life — I say to myself, “My God, I’ve arrived, I’m there!”; without ever pursuing that “great thing”. The fear that I treat life as one immense “journey”, cheating it the entire way and merely living to retire. Rather than play-like, singing and dancing through it all, much like the analogy Watts gives! |
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ARTICLE SIDE HUSTLE: HIDJI WORLD By Gabriella Plotkin LINK: https://milk.xyz/feature/side-hustle-hidji-world/ MY TAKEAWAY: Hidji’s work is all over the internet, whether it’s apparent or not. From Playboi Carti’s prolific “Magnolia” music video or the accompanying videos to A$AP Rocky’s Testing, the New York artist’s work remains at the forefront of rap and hip/hop. Hidji works as AWGE’s leading director, editor, and visual artist, however, don’t let that draw your attention away from his incredible paintings. I enjoyed this interview because it’s brief and to the point, while also giving a glimpse of one of the most overlooked and talented creatives. A moment that stuck out to me was the quote I wanted to draw emphasis to below. “Don’t stop what you’re doing. It’s good to daydream, but just do it. The harder it gets it’s because you’re going somewhere and nobody else is doing it. . . Fast things happen that f*ck peoples heads up. They forget the three year rule. You have to be in your craft for three years, before you can get to that next place. You got to trust the process. What we do right now is not for today, it’s for next week. Whatever we did last week are the results for today– that’s why you’re here! Just keep working, believe in yourself because nobody else is going to believe in you.” To catch a glimpse of Hidji’s work, click here! |
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ALBUM
CASE STUDY 01, Daniel Caesar
A little over one year removed from its release, Daniel Caesar’s CASE STUDY 01 remains one of my favorite summertime albums. The Canadian singer and songwriter Ashton D. Simmonds sophomore album consists of ten tracks and runs 43 minutes. “Entropy” touches on the ever-changing disarray and chaos in Caesar’s life. He sings, “Thermodynamics, there’s no escape” drawing further attention to the literal meaning of entropy. It’s one of my favorite opening tracks, as the smooth vocals and guitar blend together exceptionally well. Caesar continues his scientific metaphors with “Cyanide,” relating the poison to the toxic relationship and emotions he describes. My favorite track, “Frontal Lobe Muzik” features spectacular vocals and production from Pharrell. Sonically, it’s fun and playful yet, the lyrics stem from fear due to memories of their pre-celebrity lifestyles and relationships. Daniel Caesar’s CASE STUDY 01 features catchy melodies and slow, effortless jams, perfect for a cruise around town. ENJOY! :) |
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Life is not designed to hand us success or satisfaction, but rather to present us with challenges that make us grow. Mastery is the mysterious process by which those challenges become progressively easier and more satisfying through practice. The key to that satisfaction is to reach the nirvana in which love of practice for its own sake (intrinsic) replaces the original goal (extrinsic) as our goal.” - Terry Laughlin |
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We’d love to hear any feedback from you guys. Feel free to reach out at oldpeoplebrand@gmail.com! Enjoy the rest of your week! |
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- Camden, from oldpeoplebrand |
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