Reflecting
Sometimes we neglect the HOW in favor of the WHAT
The how is the newsletter, the paragraphs, the font, the images, the flow of conversation, the tone of voice, the tension in the shoulders, the tilt of the head, pattern of breath.
The what is the content. The argument. The methodology.
Mirror
The mirror is just the what. There is no content only reflection. But in the act of contemplating the reflection (the how), the what is transformed. I read a commentary on Mirrors in Bergson yesterday. It was fantastic. I may do a rewrite of it. The idea was that the mirror was a kind of translation. But what if the mirror is an encryption or a decryption. What is the distinction between translations and cryptography.
This is a close up of the mirror in the money lender
DISTINCTION
Can we even talk about HOW vs WHAT?
Style vs Content
Aristotle talks about hylomorphism -that being is comprised of form and matter - style vs content - how vs what.
I was looking for hylomorphic art and duck duck go surfaced this painting by fellow New Inc alum Sougwen Chung - hylomorphism7.
Sougwen’s work is heavily influenced by technology and in collaboration with technology. And with technology there is often a feeling of hylomorphism. Tech companies want artists to create content for their platforms.
Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintanence is a book about hylomorphism and western ideology.
Gilbert Simondon is a 20th century french philosopher of technology who tries to break free of hylomorphism.
Hylomorphism is about separation - a rewrite of a rewrite is a separation. But it is not a separation of form and content, but of continued refinement of a work. A rewrite is like alchemy, where the elements are separated and purified.