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You have arrived at the web home of Noah Brier. This is mostly an archive of over a decade of blogging and other writing. You can read more about me or get in touch. If you want more recent writing of mine, most of that is at my BrXnd marketing x AI newsletter and Why Is This Interesting?, a daily email for the intellectually omnivorous.

19 Posts

history

Making a Place "Great Again"
June 24, 2016
Reflections on the Brexit vote and its parallel with Trump's campaign.
Unanticipated Effects
December 22, 2014
The printing press had unanticipated effects, leading to a surge in demand for spectacles and contributing to the scientific revolution.
The Most Quoted Man in News
September 10, 2013
A New Yorker video about a man who loves to see his name in print.
Curiosity Kills
August 08, 2013
The debate on curiosity and its impact on society.
Technology Advances Backwards
August 05, 2013
Umberto Eco's observation on how technology now advances backwards.
Technology Still Isn't Ruining Anything
July 15, 2013
A discussion on how technology isn't ruining everything it's claimed to be ruining.
The Brooklyn Plane Crash
July 14, 2013
The story of a 1960 New York mid-air collision over Staten Island and Park Slope.
Typewriting
February 16, 2013
David McCullough's love for typewriting and his deliberate writing process.
Aaron Swartz and the historical context of hacking
January 16, 2013
The historical context of hacking and cultural activism, inspired by Aaron Swartz's story.
Idiots & Taking the Long View
January 07, 2013
Daniel Mendelsohn discusses the cultural critic's role in the age of technology and the enduring significance of Marshall McLuhan's individual-focused perspective.
The Sports Disaster Plan
December 17, 2012
The NBA's contingency plan in case of a team losing all its players to a horrific accident.
How Superman came to wear his underwear on the outside
December 08, 2012
The origin of Superman's iconic outfit.
What Blog?
December 06, 2012
The concept of 'weblogs' being erased from collective memory.
NYC Christmas Trees
December 03, 2012
The unpermitted tradition of selling Christmas trees in NYC.
Oldsmobile Rocket 88 and Other Gibson Memories
May 28, 2012
William Gibson's childhood memories and early influences on science fiction.
Turkey Country
November 24, 2011
The reasoning behind Benjamin Franklin's fight for the turkey as the national bird.
Saving Corkboards
November 11, 2011
An article discussing the challenge of saving data over long periods, with a notable quote from science fiction writer Bruce Sterling about the instability of digital preservation.
World War II and Imagination
November 10, 2011
The impact of World War II on imagination and the lost art of big thinking.
The Past is Harder than the Future
October 31, 2011
An interview with William Gibson on the difficulty of imagining the past.
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Noah Brier | Thanks for reading. | Don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk.