Brie Wolfson: Robert Noyce, Burial's Untrue, MOPs and Sociopaths, Bukowski, Taylor Swift
Our curator this week is Brie Wolfson (@zebriez). Brie is CMO at Positive Sum Ventures and leads employee experience at Cursor. She previously helped bring Stripe Press to life at Stripe and launched Figma for Education at Figma. She's also a two-time novelist.
Please enjoy these words that have mattered to Brie.
Brie's Picks
Tinkerings of Robert Noyce
I cannot write a better intro than Tom Wolfe did for Esquire's December edition in 1983 when he wrote, "America is today in the midst of a great technological revolution. With the advent of the silicon chip, information processing, communications, and the national economy have been strikingly altered. The new technology is changing how we live, how we work, how we think. The revolution didn't just happen; it was engineered by a small number of people, principally Middle Americans, whose horizons were as unlimited as the Iowa sky. collectively, they engineered Tomorrow. Foremost among them is Robert Noyce."
The way "Bob" had his team work might seem familiar to us Silicon Valley operators now–flat org structures, open floor plans, meetings that anyone can speak up in, distributed decision-making–but in 1983 a new radical way of working was emerging at Fairchild Semiconductor. And I cannot imagine a better person to tell the tale than Tom Wolfe. [BW]
The Making of Burial's Untrue
It wasn't until a friend showed me this short YouTube profile that Burial's Untrue went from some random dubstep song that used to get stuck in my head in 2007 to an abject work of art. If you want a stunning portrait of the creative process, an artist's commitment to craft, and how tools (and their constraints) amplify creativity, in an unexpected place, this is it. [BW]
This Is For Katie
I've written something, somewhere, about nearly every formative life experience. The one that I find the hardest to write about is playing soccer. Nothing that comes out feels wholly true. But this letter from one Stanford Women's Soccer player to another really hit home. [BW]
Geeks, MOPs, and sociopaths in subculture evolution
Ever wonder why things can't actually stay cool for long? Once you read this, you won't be able to unsee this phenomenon everywhere. This essay is one of the most astute commentaries on culture I've ever encountered. And it's hilarious (and also sad) at the same time. [BW]
You and Your Research
I probably re-read this essay twice a year. A different passage captures my attention each time. But I always end the piece with an extra fire in the belly about the pursuit of great work. [BW]
Charles Bukowski's Rules on Writing
I'll share some just to wet the pallet: It's ok to rely on magic. Be honest with your fellow writers. Rejection is good for the soul. [BW]
Taylor Swift (Acquired's Version)
This one blends two of my great passions in life–corporate histories and pop culture. It's an homage to one of the savviest artists, community builders, and business women of our time, through the lens of two very savvy analysts (and excellent storytellers), and I just gobbled it right up. [BW]
Spotlight on Brie's Work
Notes on Taste
Taste is one of those hard-to-define "you know it when you see it" concepts that's nevertheless central to all creative pursuits. This is a fantastic little essay that captures the spirit and dimensionality of taste without reducing it to a simplistic definition.
What I Miss About Working at Stripe
Part paean to the virtues of giving a sh*t at work, part nostalgia for Stripe and the culture it represents, this essay struck a nerve on Twitter, Hacker News, etc. when it was published last year. Work-as-vocation isn't for everyone, but it can be a heady thing if you're lucky to find it.
Rosie Colored Glasses
Brie's first novel. "What a wonderful, emotional ride! It's like the Ordinary People of the 21st century...such an achievement!" —Robyn Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author