Habit, Ritual, Performance
The word “ritual” is derived from the word “rite,” which refers to a religious ceremony of some kind.
Which makes sense, if you consider that a ritual is typically a somewhat dogmatic undertaking: it’s the precise, step-by-step process of making coffee in the morning, or the way we cycle through a particular workout regimen.
There’s often something quite pleasant about performing a ritual, in that it’s familiar, unchanging, and leads to a known, consistent outcome.
In a world that is often anything but predictable, reliable, and known, that simple coherence can be gratifying.
The term “habit” has a similar etymology: it’s derived from the term used for clothing worn by members of religious orders, and in its modern usage refers to a routine performed in the same, orthodox way, over and over again.
There’s value to be found in habits, too, as repetition—even mundane, boring repetition—can help us grow, learn, and flourish. It can help us master skills and understand things that are difficult to grasp. And this is true even if the tasks we repeat are decidedly unremarkable, except for that repetition.
I like to use the word “performance” alongside these two other terms, when thinking about the things I do regularly and procedurally, because of the conceptual variation it implies within the context of consistent practice and long-term goals.
To perform means to achieve a specific outcome, but it has less to say about how that outcome is achieved.
The word is actually predicated on the idea of “bringing something to form,” or “bringing some outcome into being,” which implies an accomplishment, but not a strict path one must walk to make that desired result a reality.
This may be a consequence of the word’s modern association with “performing arts,” but there’s always been a hint of improvisation in the act of performing, to me, which means being forced to think through how I get from point A to point B on a more regular basis, and thus having the opportunity to try new things and more regularly both fail and succeed in interesting, educational ways.
None of which is meant to imply that habits or rituals are less valuable than performances: on the contrary, all three are incredibly useful, healthy things to have in one’s life, especially when they’re introduced intentionally and thoughtfully.
It’s just that they’re more valuable, I would argue, as part of a diversified lifestyle structure that includes changeable, shape-shifting elements, alongside more predictable exercises and routines.
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Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Updates
This week on Brain Lenses I published an essay about a brain thing we’re prone to doing called Agent Detection, and a podcast episode about Abstraction.
This week’s episode of Let’s Know Things is about vitamins, disease, and the supplement industry.
A quick ask: if you’re enjoying either or both of these podcasts, consider leaving a quick review wherever you listen to them—those things help more than you might think :)
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I’m still futzing around with different approaches to the Curiosity Gadget concept, and I’m also playing with a few methods of delivering/distributing interactive fiction, which has been fun.
I’ve been using Authorcise every day for a few weeks now, as in its current form it’s basically a more-convenient way of performing a daily writing exercise I’ve been enjoying for years: a quick writing sprint that uses a prompt to randomize my topics.
My next step is to add login capabilities—something I’ve been hesitant to do, because I like lightweight tools that don’t require any potential privacy-related issues. But providing the option should allow users to store their writings online, rather than having to save their work to their device each time they finish, which I think will be worth the trouble of setting all that up in a secure manner.
Also: if there’s a software-based tool that you’ve always wished existed, drop me a line and tell me about it. I’m still very new at software-things, but long-term, I think building out a collection of simple, useful tools would be squarely within my wheelhouse.
Community
Stop by the forum if you’re keen to respond to the weekly prompt, or just want to share/chat/lurk: NeverNotCurious.com/forum
This week’s prompt is to share a happy moment, upside, or positive aspect of the often quite negative things that’ve been happening, of late.
Interesting & Useful
Some neat things worth checking out:
An Interview with Britain’s First Woman to Solo-Explore the World by Motorbike—she made her journey 40 years ago, and now lives in a converted water tower; a remarkable person
Golden Nuggets of Information—this is a reddit thread, so be aware that there are a few trolls alongside all the fascinating facts
The Virtual Economy—an interesting and beautifully presented overview
Roadliners—a short documentary about the people who freehand-draw the lettering on streets
How to Build a Nintendo Switch from Scratch—strangely satisfying how-to video
The 1970s Roadtrip Photography That Shaped How We Take Photos, Today—beautiful, simple travel photography
Barcelona, Spain.
Outro
I’ve been jumping rope as part of my daily workout routine for the past few months. It’s not something I’ve ever taken too seriously in the past, but it’s actually a pretty solid stand-in for running, if you do it with some intention and consistency, and it gets me out of the house in a safe manner, doesn’t require expensive equipment (I spent $8 on my rope), and is apparently lower-impact but higher-efficiency than many other cardiovascular exercises, which is nice.
Alongside that physical change-up, I’ve reintroduced an old habit that I found valuable back when I was living in Memphis: each week, I watch at least one new film, play at least one new game, and listen to at least one new album or artist.
The other day I watched A Man From Earth and enjoyed it. I recently started playing the newest Witcher game, which is amazingly well-made and well-written—though I do wonder if I’ll be able to put in enough time to finish it, based on how sprawling the game world seems to be.
I’m still on the lookout for a new artist and/or album to listen to this week, if you have any suggestions (note: I’ve already partaken in Fetch the Bolt Cutters, and like pretty much everyone else, I loved it).
How’s your week progressing? How’s your pandemic progressing?
Have any realizations or revelations, recently? Make any important decisions or come to any new conclusions?
What’s life like where you’re living? What’s the near-future looking like, thereabouts?
I respond to every email I get, so feel free to drop me a line and tell me about something important or mundane, answer a question or spin a yarn.
If things are going well, that’s wonderful, but if they suck or are tenuous or stressful, that’s okay, too. There’s a lot of uncertainty and reasons to be gloomy, so no judgement if you just want to vent to a stranger from the internet.
You can also say hello via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or astronaut-laden spacecraft.
If you’re finding some value in what I’m doing here, consider supporting my work by becoming a patron of my writing, buying a book, or becoming a supporter of Let’s Know Things or Brain Lenses. You can also buy me a coffee if you’d like.