Quote Post

When asked (at some imaginary dinner party) for my favourite quote my prepared response is Wilde:

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation”

Wry hey? Not really. Just pretenious.

I’ve got back into ffffound again and have been drawn to the recent mass of quotes made pretty that have been popping up all over the place.

Here are a few of my favourites.

a real design nerd one

and my absolute favourite

find them all on ffffound

Tattoo tester

I’ve been thinking long and hard about getting a tattoo. Josh Beech may have spurred me on a bit.  I do this every couple of years but this time I’m pretty sure of what I want now.  Although I haven’t found the right font, I know what I want written.  It’ll be in French. Get me. 

But, most tattoos I’ve seen on other people look shit*.  That’s probably because I don’t like tattoo art.  However, instead of tattooing myself in helvetica or some other design wankery font, I thought I might make my own. And test it with this.

trouble is this doesn’t exist. But it’s a lovely concept bootifully executed.

More ooo pretty stuff here

*my opinion obv

The wisdom of crowds

I met a man at interesting2008 that is interested in the wisdom of crowds.  I’m definitely interested in collective intelligence, especially when it comes to web stuff. This is why I love ffffound.  I love how there is no communication between the users yet everyone maintains a similar standard for their posts.  Here’s my ffffound to so you can judge whether I make the grade.  I’ve blogged about it not suffering from tragedy of the commons before and it’s still remaining glorious eye-candy.  Have a look if you’ve got 5 minutes. I’ve also got one invite if anyone wants one.  I’ll judge on some arbitrary basis of merit (tea making, Dr Who nerdery perhaps)

On the other end of the collective intelligence spectrum is the vicious hive mind of that cesspit of the internet /b/ (no link, you’ll have to find that particular perverse playground by yourself I’m afraid).  This is perhaps collective stupidity but it’s a fine example of how all the individuals follow the rules and rarely deviate despite there being no leader given that everyone is anonymous.

I’m rambling now as I’m killing time waiting for my brilliant friend Max to arrive.  I think I want to learn more about the wisdom of crowds.  There seems to be a lot of books out there that I’ll probably get around to reading sometime.

Question though: if crowds are so wise then why do people keep on ploughing into the train carriage doors when you’re trying to get out?  Is that because the hive mind think: too late loser, you should have packed up your knitting earlier to leave this train?  Or because commuters are arses?

As my friend says: none of us is as mean as all of us.

More on this later.  First I must drink.