Seeking Synthfeld
For the last week or so, I’ve been in a holding pattern. I have a baby coming any day now, but as anybody who has had a baby can tell you, they rarely arrive on schedule. That means I have time on my hands as I wait for the
Mr. Chatterbox, or, The Modern Prometheus
A few days ago, I posted about a personal project that I've been working on for the last few weeks: Mr. Chatterbox, a chatbot trained from scratch on Victorian-era literature. I have to admit, I was totally blown away (and a little frightened!) by the reception. Whenever
Theatre & Democracy: Chalamet Edition
First, I want to welcome everybody who has signed up for this newsletter due to my essay on MFA programs from last week, or from my recent article in The New Republic on JB Pritzker and Israel-Palestine policy. This newsletter is somewhat irregular. I only tend to post something
The Oracular Outsiders and the Homework Doers
For a few years after college, I had a friend I'll call Paul. Paul had a beard, long hair, and always wore a beatific expression. Paul was the center of a loose network of hipsters and Bohemians who would gather for 60's-style "Be-Ins,
Theatre and Democracy: Pt 2
Last week, I wrote about theatre and democracy, and the way the decline of one reflected the decline of the other. Today, I'm going to continue on that subject. In particular, I want to drill down on some of the economic struggles that theaters face, the overproduction of
Theatre and Democracy: Pt 1
I go to the theatre perhaps 5-7 times a year, less than I did at one point in my life, but more than most. Sometimes, I'll catch a show at the Krannert Center in Champaign, but more often than not I'll trek up to Chicago.
Are Chatbots Zombies?
Recently I've noticed a lot of discussion about the evils of AI systems—namely ChatGPT. This discussion has been ignited by the fact the ChatGPT keeps killing people. Rather, it keeps encouraging people to commit suicide. It also has a penchant for driving otherwise-sane people into spiritual
We're Not So Different, You and I
Recently, I've been paying attention to trolls and their politics. There have been trolls as long as the internet has existed, but it is only in the last 10 years that they have become politically aligned with the right, and only since Trump's second inauguration that
Rogers Park
“The Ark rocked. The waters were swirled. Troops poured into the City of Daughters.” -Agha Shahid Ali Nothing prepares you for the emotional toll of your country’s descent into fascism. The sun still rises in the morning, the birds still stop at the feeder, the green leaves still yellow
Introducing Estragon
Welcome to Estragon, a newsletter about society, politics, and art. This newsletter is my attempt to grapple with the social upheaval we've witnessed in America over the last decade—and I have had something of a front-row seat to the show. For the last three years, I