Beautifully crafted for us, thanks Alex. Am so pleased you noticed a consciousness shift trending, and can give us a renewed vision and desire to join in and play with our long lost or undiscovered creative skills. Bless!
Our creative skills and/or our expression of divinity has been deliberately suppressed with the intention of being cancelled altogether by the “anti-human” element currently controlling our world, of which that waste of space Lagarde is one. They want a “hive mind” of docile slaves, owning nothing and being vacant. Creativity/individually is this tribe’s antithesis, so let’s get creative and/or support the creative, and make individually great again.
It's especially striking that this paean to creativity is offered by an investment professional who has excelled in the world of turning everything into value and efficiency. Alex has been in the belly of the beast, yet somehow emerged whole!
Some of my very best friends are not university or college scholars, but oh the wisdom and common sense they ooze is a comforting blanket, against the educated fools, who fail to realize sometimes just plain life, especially an extremely difficult life opens doors to wisdom no school, or Professor could possibly teach you these worthwhile lessons. Not that I was wasting my life, but coming close to death,showed me the waste in agonizing or crying over inconsequential things, that change nothing in your path of life, puts a harsh mirror to your face to let you see what your future was meant to be
No more joy than holding this work of art, that maybe only you can appreciate, and realize I made this, I can do this and when it’s done it’s a rare piece because it’s the only one of its kind, you made
Nice article and interesting photos you've included. Alex, you often mention 15 minute cities as one of the pernicious things the elite try to promote. It saddens me because the 15mc plan comes from from New Urbanism, which aimed to bring traditional, human scale design back to town planning. Kunstler and Luongo had a chat about this a few months ago. The elites deformed the initial ideas, but we shouldn't give up on such ideas altogether.
Alex, your writing doesn't judt inform. It always leave me with a faith that a better, more fulfilling life is possible, even when things look very dark.
Imagine this. The majority of people with their own small plot of land, growing food from soil they know by name. Homes designed and shaped not by faceless developers and corporate architects, but by the hands and dreams of those who live in them. Real, breathing face-to-face connection chosen over the sterile glow of surveillance screens.
Local banks thriving on genuine entrepreneurial spirit, not strangled by globalist megabanks. Markets alive with goods made by craftsmen with pride in their work, not churned out in sweatshops for soulless conglomerates. Children raised with both proficiency and passion for the arts, immersed in genuine learning rather than indoctrinated in state-run factories of conformity.
In such a world, there would be no desperation driving us to storm the streets with pitchforks to reclaim pensions or assets devoured by the controlled demolition of the economy. The cartel of central bankers, technocrats, and corporate monopolists would have nothing to feed on—for their enslaving machine would wither from disuse.
This is the antidote to the mechanistic creep, the grey uniformity, the digital gulag of biometric surveillance and algorithmic control. The true revolution is not fought with riots in the streets, but with soil, song, craft, and community. It is the quiet but unyielding reclamation of life itself—human, rooted, creative, and free.
Imagine for a moment if God / Our Creator, if you believe in such as I do, were to have adopted the mercantilist corporate model of creation.
One where enshittification were the way He designed things in our natural world, rather than the magnificent natural place we actually live on. Consider the processes of geology, the climate, the species that have come and gone, the wonder in which we look up at the moon and the stars...the warmth we feel from our star. What if He had just said, 'never mind, I'll just go mass production mindset here and forget about beauty and resiliency'.
If He had done that, we would all be worse off for it as the planet would be just an ugly but hyper degrading rock floating in space. One that simply degrades quickly to a lifeless gray orb with no purpose.
Think about your purpose, our purpose, humanity's purpose.
Find God.
Introduce or reintroduce beauty into your life.
Meditate on your purpose and you will find it.
My guess is when you have found your purpose, you will view brutalist architecture of square boxes and ever crappier products and services shoved in our faces every day, with the same contempt I do.
Your learned and perceptive political analyses — pondered and crafted like these beautiful objects you highlight — are now supplemented by a step beyond. While it’s natural to think this is a logical step which arises from material comfort, it’s not. Just how many billionaires have left any evidence they have a soul?
To use the word “politician” is to imply a western-style democracy, in which case I agree with you. However, in countries such as China, people are inspired by being part of the rebuilding of the country and society — I’ve seen this first hand. Certainly the number of American politicians who think of anyone other than themselves is de minimis. Dr Ron Paul is the exception. Jimmy Carter is another.
Agree with my lapse in failing to take in other countries besides the west. But I can only comment on the system I know. But thank you for reminding me of that fact
I did not intend a criticism just a modification of your observation. In a recent interview, Nassim Taleb stated that the talented and principled young westerner today must seek opportunities beyond the borders. He has an affiliation with the University of Beirut, in his homeland, where he wants to teach. He effectively said he’s had financial success with his books and now wants to settle down “like a grandfather” to help the younger generation. A wonderful and noble endeavor.
Unlike your private equity partner who’s trying to figure out how to clear another trillion so he can “keep up with Elon”.
Did not take it as a criticism, just a much appreciated reminder to always be aware, the world is not the west. The west is not the west at this moment either. I know no one and I am retired , and my circle of friends and family feel like they live in a different country. Rules don’t matter for some, Canada has generally been a country that respected rules. Now those that do, feel like fools when so many ignore them and nothing happens. So while some struggle to try and make sense, others are feeling profound anger, an anger they never believed they would harbor. So no thank you for reminding me to always remember to take in other views before I comment
There is a freshness though to responding in the moment, it’s like that we are part of a conversation and it’s ok to put foot in mouth from time to time, you’re with friends.
I love origami. A piece of paper. You don’t add anything. You don’t take away anything. You just transform it with your hands. And the meditative process itself, the dance of your fingers is as important and rewarding as the resulting folded figure. Try it!
Thanks for this. I have long contemplated the actions of those who seem to resent beauty, whether it be architectural, musical, decorative, landscaping, draftsmanship, automobiles, shipbuilding . . . . I wonder how and if their brains function as though they were a different species. They seem to have appointed themselves to be destroyers of great cultural achievements. One example that illustrates this is the destruction of the Morris Canal. It was one of the wonders of the world, and those in power couldn't tolerate it. Please look it up and you will see why I chose that example.
Thinking of you in Croatia...beautiful country. I spent many days, weeks in Yugoslavia, late 60's through early 70's, while living and working in Rome. My spouse was of Slovenian origins and his family had moved to Australia when Tito vs Stalin caused Russians to be mis-treated in YU...
I spent unforgettable days with my spouse's relatives, spread around YU and even in Italy.
My favourite spot was Porec, in a little bay with an old Italian farm-house on one side of the bay and an old house, with Roman foundations on the other; that's where we lived by candle-light and no water supply except what we got in an original Roman supply system that ducted rain water from the roof of the house into stone hand-cut receptor which then dropped water into a well...It took a good hour on dirt-track by car from Porec town, with its byzantine church...
visited places like Plitvice Jezera where I had the best barbecue of my life, with chickens on top spit over lamb over pork over beef...all served on piece of paper...by wild-looking men.
I recall driving down the coast, from North to South, with the ocean on my right, looking down on endless carcasses of cars that had fallen down the cliff. Crazy drivers. Also saw a gypsy caravan, with bears, while crossing through the interior. Passed through Krain many times ;-)
When we divorced, my only regret was not going back to YU anymore...
So beautifully written. We need more of this as most of what is available in the USA is crapola. I have often wondered how we could have devolved to where we are today to include language, art, music, you name it. Not sure any of this is repairable because our history is made up by nonentities sermonizing terminological inexactitudes or downright falsifications. Disconnection is the only way ahead for those hoping to have strong, upright families.
Beautifully crafted for us, thanks Alex. Am so pleased you noticed a consciousness shift trending, and can give us a renewed vision and desire to join in and play with our long lost or undiscovered creative skills. Bless!
Our creative skills and/or our expression of divinity has been deliberately suppressed with the intention of being cancelled altogether by the “anti-human” element currently controlling our world, of which that waste of space Lagarde is one. They want a “hive mind” of docile slaves, owning nothing and being vacant. Creativity/individually is this tribe’s antithesis, so let’s get creative and/or support the creative, and make individually great again.
It's especially striking that this paean to creativity is offered by an investment professional who has excelled in the world of turning everything into value and efficiency. Alex has been in the belly of the beast, yet somehow emerged whole!
Some of my very best friends are not university or college scholars, but oh the wisdom and common sense they ooze is a comforting blanket, against the educated fools, who fail to realize sometimes just plain life, especially an extremely difficult life opens doors to wisdom no school, or Professor could possibly teach you these worthwhile lessons. Not that I was wasting my life, but coming close to death,showed me the waste in agonizing or crying over inconsequential things, that change nothing in your path of life, puts a harsh mirror to your face to let you see what your future was meant to be
Love your comment
No more joy than holding this work of art, that maybe only you can appreciate, and realize I made this, I can do this and when it’s done it’s a rare piece because it’s the only one of its kind, you made
Actually, you have just helped me see my old house renovation in a whole new light, thank you!
Beautiful piece you've written.
One of the very best article i have read in weeks. Thank you.
Nice article and interesting photos you've included. Alex, you often mention 15 minute cities as one of the pernicious things the elite try to promote. It saddens me because the 15mc plan comes from from New Urbanism, which aimed to bring traditional, human scale design back to town planning. Kunstler and Luongo had a chat about this a few months ago. The elites deformed the initial ideas, but we shouldn't give up on such ideas altogether.
If done in a healthy manner !
Yes! This New Urbanist perspective (which I share) gets overpowered by the ugly control fantasies of globalism.
I'm glad Rembrandt, Turner, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, CS Lewis, etc. did not cheat on their craft.
Thank you for naming; I love each one of these artists of original creations
Alex, your writing doesn't judt inform. It always leave me with a faith that a better, more fulfilling life is possible, even when things look very dark.
Imagine this. The majority of people with their own small plot of land, growing food from soil they know by name. Homes designed and shaped not by faceless developers and corporate architects, but by the hands and dreams of those who live in them. Real, breathing face-to-face connection chosen over the sterile glow of surveillance screens.
Local banks thriving on genuine entrepreneurial spirit, not strangled by globalist megabanks. Markets alive with goods made by craftsmen with pride in their work, not churned out in sweatshops for soulless conglomerates. Children raised with both proficiency and passion for the arts, immersed in genuine learning rather than indoctrinated in state-run factories of conformity.
In such a world, there would be no desperation driving us to storm the streets with pitchforks to reclaim pensions or assets devoured by the controlled demolition of the economy. The cartel of central bankers, technocrats, and corporate monopolists would have nothing to feed on—for their enslaving machine would wither from disuse.
This is the antidote to the mechanistic creep, the grey uniformity, the digital gulag of biometric surveillance and algorithmic control. The true revolution is not fought with riots in the streets, but with soil, song, craft, and community. It is the quiet but unyielding reclamation of life itself—human, rooted, creative, and free.
Agree 100%. When a government now has an AI senator, the world better wake up before they wake up one day sleeping beside a robot
Imagine for a moment if God / Our Creator, if you believe in such as I do, were to have adopted the mercantilist corporate model of creation.
One where enshittification were the way He designed things in our natural world, rather than the magnificent natural place we actually live on. Consider the processes of geology, the climate, the species that have come and gone, the wonder in which we look up at the moon and the stars...the warmth we feel from our star. What if He had just said, 'never mind, I'll just go mass production mindset here and forget about beauty and resiliency'.
If He had done that, we would all be worse off for it as the planet would be just an ugly but hyper degrading rock floating in space. One that simply degrades quickly to a lifeless gray orb with no purpose.
Think about your purpose, our purpose, humanity's purpose.
Find God.
Introduce or reintroduce beauty into your life.
Meditate on your purpose and you will find it.
My guess is when you have found your purpose, you will view brutalist architecture of square boxes and ever crappier products and services shoved in our faces every day, with the same contempt I do.
Your learned and perceptive political analyses — pondered and crafted like these beautiful objects you highlight — are now supplemented by a step beyond. While it’s natural to think this is a logical step which arises from material comfort, it’s not. Just how many billionaires have left any evidence they have a soul?
With admiration.
I often think if you are a believer in souls and have strong ethics, you can accept being a politician is not in your future
To use the word “politician” is to imply a western-style democracy, in which case I agree with you. However, in countries such as China, people are inspired by being part of the rebuilding of the country and society — I’ve seen this first hand. Certainly the number of American politicians who think of anyone other than themselves is de minimis. Dr Ron Paul is the exception. Jimmy Carter is another.
Agree with my lapse in failing to take in other countries besides the west. But I can only comment on the system I know. But thank you for reminding me of that fact
I did not intend a criticism just a modification of your observation. In a recent interview, Nassim Taleb stated that the talented and principled young westerner today must seek opportunities beyond the borders. He has an affiliation with the University of Beirut, in his homeland, where he wants to teach. He effectively said he’s had financial success with his books and now wants to settle down “like a grandfather” to help the younger generation. A wonderful and noble endeavor.
Unlike your private equity partner who’s trying to figure out how to clear another trillion so he can “keep up with Elon”.
Did not take it as a criticism, just a much appreciated reminder to always be aware, the world is not the west. The west is not the west at this moment either. I know no one and I am retired , and my circle of friends and family feel like they live in a different country. Rules don’t matter for some, Canada has generally been a country that respected rules. Now those that do, feel like fools when so many ignore them and nothing happens. So while some struggle to try and make sense, others are feeling profound anger, an anger they never believed they would harbor. So no thank you for reminding me to always remember to take in other views before I comment
There is a freshness though to responding in the moment, it’s like that we are part of a conversation and it’s ok to put foot in mouth from time to time, you’re with friends.
I love origami. A piece of paper. You don’t add anything. You don’t take away anything. You just transform it with your hands. And the meditative process itself, the dance of your fingers is as important and rewarding as the resulting folded figure. Try it!
https://www.origamispirit.com
Thanks for this. I have long contemplated the actions of those who seem to resent beauty, whether it be architectural, musical, decorative, landscaping, draftsmanship, automobiles, shipbuilding . . . . I wonder how and if their brains function as though they were a different species. They seem to have appointed themselves to be destroyers of great cultural achievements. One example that illustrates this is the destruction of the Morris Canal. It was one of the wonders of the world, and those in power couldn't tolerate it. Please look it up and you will see why I chose that example.
Thinking of you in Croatia...beautiful country. I spent many days, weeks in Yugoslavia, late 60's through early 70's, while living and working in Rome. My spouse was of Slovenian origins and his family had moved to Australia when Tito vs Stalin caused Russians to be mis-treated in YU...
I spent unforgettable days with my spouse's relatives, spread around YU and even in Italy.
My favourite spot was Porec, in a little bay with an old Italian farm-house on one side of the bay and an old house, with Roman foundations on the other; that's where we lived by candle-light and no water supply except what we got in an original Roman supply system that ducted rain water from the roof of the house into stone hand-cut receptor which then dropped water into a well...It took a good hour on dirt-track by car from Porec town, with its byzantine church...
visited places like Plitvice Jezera where I had the best barbecue of my life, with chickens on top spit over lamb over pork over beef...all served on piece of paper...by wild-looking men.
I recall driving down the coast, from North to South, with the ocean on my right, looking down on endless carcasses of cars that had fallen down the cliff. Crazy drivers. Also saw a gypsy caravan, with bears, while crossing through the interior. Passed through Krain many times ;-)
When we divorced, my only regret was not going back to YU anymore...
So beautifully written. We need more of this as most of what is available in the USA is crapola. I have often wondered how we could have devolved to where we are today to include language, art, music, you name it. Not sure any of this is repairable because our history is made up by nonentities sermonizing terminological inexactitudes or downright falsifications. Disconnection is the only way ahead for those hoping to have strong, upright families.
great Article Alex !
w/ "the Right Lens" beauty is everywhere
seems the Far East is leading the way.. idk ;)
Thank you Mr. Krainer! More fine work. I wanted a tell you that you FCKing killed it a week or two ago in the Matt Ehrat (sp) video, lol!
He was tremendous
Today I received no less than two articles recognizing and remembering beauty as a virtue.
Thank you for your article. I recommend that you look for Craig Wright's Substack article, which is also graceful. You might become friends.