Topologies 2023 in Review

As the year comes to a close I’ve been reading some really good 2023 Recaps on substack so I decided to write one of my own.

First of all, I want to thank everyone who has subscribed and taken the time to read one of these newsletters that hits your inbox this year. Given the influx of articles, posts, video and other media that are available, I am a truly appreciative any time someone opens one of these articles.

This will be my second year writing on substack. Over the course of this year I’ve tried to send a post at least once a month. Since time and attention are a high premium, I’ve tried to condense the size of the newsletters, avoid repetition, and produce something original while continuing with the underlying theme of Topologies. The result, I hope, has been something worth reading.

End of year articles usually contain lists of favorites for the year and highlights so check out mine below. Since this is a newsletter these are all literary related.

Thanks again for reading and wishing everyone a healthy and happy 2024!

My favorite books I read in 2023

• Gallic Wars, Julius Caesar - A book about Julius Caesar’s military conquests through Gaul penned directly by Caesar himself. While Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations gets much attention as a great literary work by an Emperor, Caesar’s Gallic Wars is pure eloquence. Written in third person, we not only meet the Druids for the first time, but he writes admiringly of Gauls as freedom loving tribes who could write Greek but kept their own language oral to preserve memory.

• Plumed Serpents, DH Lawrence - A love story that takes place in Mexico in the 1930’s and goes deep inside Aztec mentality through the relationship between an Irish widow and a Mexican reactionary looking to restore the old beliefs of Aztec religion through the rebirth of Quetzlecoatl.

• New Science, Giambattista Vico - A book as strange and unique now as it was when it was first published. This was an early work on sociology when the sciences were becoming the predominant field of study and discourse in the Enlightenment. It offers insights into Roman law and thought as well as a penetrating interpretation of Homer that would be supported hundreds of years later. A great book on the continuing value of the classics as well as the foundation of our own legal system.

My favorite Substack I authored

• City of Tokens - This was written at the start of the year when NFTs and cryptocurrencies were still making headlines. It was inspired by a book by the French archaeologist J.P. Vernant and how symbols and coins in the Ancient Greek world had a dramatic impact on Greek philosophy through the introduction of abstract thought.

My favorite Substack pieces from other authors

• The Tale of the Machine - A summary of Paul Kingsnorth’s work on Substack over the past few years. A one time environmentalist turned Orthodox Christian, he has written some penetrating essays on the advance of technology, what he calls “the Machine.” Not without controversy, his writing is engaging and fluid and will leave you thinking whether you agree with him or not.

• Anthem for a Forgotten Generation - Justin Smith-Ruiu is a professor of philosophy who has written for NY Times, Harpers and other publications. This article on Gen X is filled with all the wit, humor and intellectual puzzles that characterize his writings.

• Taylor Swift Does Not Exist - If you want to read for the sake of reading, Sam Kriss is a good place to start. He takes prose to another level and is a reminder that writing is a craft. Check out his article on Taylor Swift.

  NOTE: I don’t necessarily agree or disagree with any of these writers, I just find they write in a way that I really admire.

2023 Drafts that couldn’t get off the ground

There were several articles that I started but for various reasons could not complete or decided not send. A synopsis of each of those are below. I may revisit, revise and send in 2024.

• Oaks and Elders - An article on visiting an old oak tree and how seeing that tree changed my experience of looking at younger trees that dominate most of the forests in my hometown. This lead me to think about living in a society that did not have any elder people, like the movie Logan’s Run.

• Pater Familias - An article on the Roman practice of being the head priest in one’s own home. This was going to be a follow up article to the one on the Roman practice of augury. Much of the ritual in the Pater Familias would be transferred out of the home to the priest in the Catholic Church with the adoption of Christianity. The religiosity of Roman domestic life is easily overlooked but photos of Roman houses preserved in Pompeii show how Roman houses always had an altar built in which was a central part of their domestic life.

• Plumed Serpents - An article on the importance of the morning star in Mesoamerica, how the Mayans tracked Venus’ unique patterns in the sky, and how this framed much of their relationship to their cosmos.

What to expect in 2024

I should probably adopt a regular cadence of writing. Let’s shoot for bi-monthly and have these sent on Friday mornings.

• Artwork Fridays - I plan to continue writing these pieces and have them come out periodically. My goal is to have each examine a work of art that There are several artworks that I found via Instagram or some other medium that made an impression on me this year. Writing these will be a continued focus.

• Innerstice - I published a book on the theory and principles of Innerstice. I plan to write a few more articles inspired by practices/insights related to the book. These include anecdotes and stories within the following topics:

  • Painting/Photography/Landscape

  • Music based on modes

  • Practical and fun applications of geometry

  • Reconnecting with the stars

• Paid Subscriptions - Substack has a unique model that is designed to favor paid subscriptions. Instead of getting revenue from advertisers it allows content creators to monetize directly with their audience. I turned on the paid subscription but I will continue to make my posts free of charge in 2024 because, for me, a free model allows me to write freer.