Content Cannon I
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Content Cannon Of The Week (OTW)
Blogs/Pods
I find myself being curious about a broad range of topics. And I’m not along in this. Most of us get caught up in interesting rabbit-holes which we explore in depth. In doing so, the label “polymath” starts floating around; either through self-labeling for just an explanatory adjective and sometimes for prestige, or others calling us polymaths due to the seemingly vast variety of topics we have expertise on.
My point is that we should not trust or glorify people on the basis of their apparent “Universal Genius”. Having a variety of interests is no more a sign of generalized intelligence than being able to walk and chew gum. And if someone does appear to have accomplishments in a variety of domains with fungible currency, their total status should not be a sum or multiple, but merely the status of their single most impressive feat.
The blog argues against the presence of the casual polymath and how the generalization to multiple disciples is faulty. An expert in one domain can master an unrelated skill, and be perceived as having general intelligence that can be extrapolated to another subject matter. If I’m good at data science, finance, and epidemiology, should you trust my opinions on politics as well?
So go read your SaaS/Meta-Science/Aerospace blog and revel in the genuine joy of intellectual curiosity. As Tyler Cowen would say, I’m just here to lower the status of polymaths.
Songs
Chance The Rapper
On this week’s song list is Chance the Rapper. Chance made ripples in the industry after his **Acid Rap** album that was hallucinatory revelations and “cigarette burns of his journey”. Acid Rap had both critical and popular acclaim. Chance wasn’t trying to be alternative. His work included his inspirations unbounded from elements of soul and gospel to blues-rock and jazz, and even house music.
The album propelled him into the rap stratosphere, and his gospel aura was featured on Kanye’s Ultra Light Beam from Life of Pablo gave him a buzz that seemed to have dominated his next project met with mixed reviews. The Coloring Book album started creating rifts between Chance and his core fanbase that was further pushed to a break-point with his latest album in 2019 The Big Day. The big day popularized the term “Chance fell-off”, referring to the stature and artistic he had shown with his initial releases. Part of the reason was fans felt the hunger Chance the Rapper had in forming his foundations, fan-base, and identity was gone.
Chance definitely grew up since 2013 and got a family now so that really effects the music, as well as his environment. He’s in a different state now. He is probably never gonna tap into that side of him again, at least not for a while… but who knows, music is forever changing, and artists are forever changing.
His fans have been begging for a rebirth for a while now, and it seems like he’s heard! Chance has been releasing singles over the past month ramping up for a new project. Similar to how he has the term “falling off” following him, the term “Chance is making a comeback” is making noise around the music scene again. I’m excited, and indeed there’s a freshness in these tracks that get’s me excited!
Enjoy - and watch the video as it’s an essential piece.
Other Findings
I was high when thinking of this, anyways, ways one spends their Sundays is an indication of where one is in life.