The year in ideas
This past Sunday's New York Times Magazine was a great issue. The theme? A list of the most interesting ideas of the year as suggested by a slew of people in various industries. As such, it's not a definitive sorted list but just an alpha listing. Some hit, some miss, but all are fun to read. That's probably why I loved Waking Life, the movie. I just like to riff on ideas. Especially those of a contrarian nature.
I'll have to list a few of the more interesting ones when I get home. For example:
Why does Britney Spears appeal to so many people? She is the virgin whore, appealing to both women and men. She flaunts her sex appeal but then plays coy, claiming to be a virgin, to not comprehend the types of messages she sends with her revealing outfits and suggestive lyrics and dance gyrations.
The first revolution in golf ball design in years, coming to a golf shop near you in March 2002.
Evidence-based medicine, a new technique that has debunked lots of myths, such as the placebo effect.
The end of shoelaces. As invented by Nike.
The end of the police lineup as we know it.
Non-romantic dating, or speed dating.
The death of the X-files conspiracy trope.
[On a side note, can I please note that trope is a fabulous word, enormously under-utilized. If I can use just one new word this holiday season, let it be trope.]
Modeling reality with a computer, and, related to that idea, tracking murderers with software. I used this idea in my failed attempt at a 50,000 word novel in November. The father in my story becomes obsessed with modeling everything with computers and loses touch with his own family.
There's a whole list of these ideas on the NYT website, but they only keep this content up for free for a week, so if this whets your appetite, rush over and read them while you can, before this generic link becomes stale.
I'll have to list a few of the more interesting ones when I get home. For example:
Why does Britney Spears appeal to so many people? She is the virgin whore, appealing to both women and men. She flaunts her sex appeal but then plays coy, claiming to be a virgin, to not comprehend the types of messages she sends with her revealing outfits and suggestive lyrics and dance gyrations.
The first revolution in golf ball design in years, coming to a golf shop near you in March 2002.
Evidence-based medicine, a new technique that has debunked lots of myths, such as the placebo effect.
The end of shoelaces. As invented by Nike.
The end of the police lineup as we know it.
Non-romantic dating, or speed dating.
The death of the X-files conspiracy trope.
[On a side note, can I please note that trope is a fabulous word, enormously under-utilized. If I can use just one new word this holiday season, let it be trope.]
Modeling reality with a computer, and, related to that idea, tracking murderers with software. I used this idea in my failed attempt at a 50,000 word novel in November. The father in my story becomes obsessed with modeling everything with computers and loses touch with his own family.
There's a whole list of these ideas on the NYT website, but they only keep this content up for free for a week, so if this whets your appetite, rush over and read them while you can, before this generic link becomes stale.