Making of Prince of Persia

Author:: Jordan Mechner Tags:#media/book creative process

• themes:: * Summary::
• notes::
  • “an effect in search of a Game” ^_L1Oatt07
    • source
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    • aesthetics need to be tied back to reality in a way that normal people understand, where they can see a form of the true beauty that’s just enough to draw them in. They don’t need to experience the full aesthetic masterpiece and most probably can’t. The key is to scaffold it in a way that anyone can get to that breaking point of seeing the glimmer of value — the golden shimmer in the dirt otherwise it’ll just look like a pile of dirt
      • best founders build almost for aesthetic reasons, usually involves new technology, first question is what are you working on — teases out what the real thing is ^_nuuG8W-e
      • aesthetics — any ability to distinguish between better or worse state cant come down to something rational ^p04NkYH0G
      • scaffolding
      • on aesthetics, what makes people like cheap, imitation clothes vs. the real deal?
        • is it when you are a novice and can’t make deeper connections beyond the surface ones understood by all of society?
          • at some level of mastery, you’re able to appreciate the volume of skill ^e59gx8BsT
        • imitation artifacts get at the idea of something but because they don’t contain the true masterpiece waiting to be revealed
          • they are just a ball of dirt with hints of gold while the real deal is a golden bust covered with dirt — you just have to know how to make the connections and excavate the meaning and beauty
          • effect of capitalism forcing people to take their aesthetic pleasures and convert it into not only something that people can understand but something that people will buy. The act of scaffolding back from the ultimate aesthetic paradise into something for everyone is not for the altruistic reason of helping more people to take the steps up the ladder of understanding but in a way that corrupts the pure aesthetic purpose for pursuit of material goods
            • this is the bane of marketing and why people are more drawn to anti-marketing now since something beautiful and meaningful is lost when you try to market something
  • the dampening of curiosity that is caused by being tunneled into project for the sake of efficiecny ^sxPTZkiQC
  • rituals and habits are like time travel portals
    • journaling and doing laundry brings him back before all his accomplishments
    • always marked by the transition to different period of life
  • SF has a certain unattainable beauty

    • San Francisco on certain days has that special, piercing beauty that’s almost painful, because it arouses a hunger it can never satisfy.

  • how people trust you is big sign to watch for
    • that’s why asking favors is huge for building relationships
    • observe how much people around you trust you, that’s how well you’re perceived and admired permanent

    • Somehow, I’ve acquired that magic quality, credibility. As long as they continue to trust me and believe in me, this job is a dream. If they ever start to doubt me, it could become a nightmare

  • life can change so fast
    • one moment it’s an idea, the next you’re in a foreign country about to start a new chapter
  • things line up but your head needs to also be in it — branching paths of life
  • Being a bum is not my nature personality ^edb7b2

    • I mean, I’m enjoying learning how to be a bum, but it’s not really my nature. I’m happiest when I’m in the midst of things — struggling, forging alliances, and overcoming problems, and damnit, making something. ^rQb5z6TYk

    • No wonder I have this nagging sense of meaninglessness. I’m not writing. I’ve been noodling around with this ghost story, but it’s not enough. I was built to work every day, not just now and then

  • your life is your life. Stop acting like you’re preparing to live and just live

    • Here I am, as free as it’s possible for anyone to be and I’m hodling back, like I’m waiting for my life to start. This is my life. It’s not a preparation for anything — it’s the thing itself. I have got to remember that

  • being bored of your life and wanting to experience different

    • I wish I could be like Patrick just for a little while… so that people would come to me just because I’m cool and it makes them feel more alive just to be with me, and not because of anything I’ve done, or might accomplish in the future.

    • I wish I had nothing to lose.

    • nothing to lose is freeing, but also you lose out on all the permanent artifacts you’ve created. The expectation set up is not great but you’ve created something!