Introducing: Maps & Mirrors
Essays on our quest for meaning in a disruptive world
Hello, Substack.
Thank you for visiting!
This newsletter is a way for me to write my way through our moment.
My day job places me at the intersection of work and technology, and the stories we tell about them.
My interest in philosophy and background in ministry keep me thinking about the meaning of it all.
I imagine the content here won’t be for everyone. But if you’re curious about the latest developments in technology and work culture, and you aren’t afraid to ask questions about their impact on human flourishing, then this might be for you.
This Substack contains essays on our quest for meaning in a disruptive world.
Why this title?
Walt Mueller has described cultural artifacts as both maps and mirrors.
Mirrors
Mirrors are reflective. They show us ourselves. Sometimes we look in the mirror and discover food in our teeth or hair out of place. Sometimes we’re pleasantly surprised.
Everything we make—from art to digital products to organizations—reveals something about us.
We’re surrounded by mirrors. And not just because we stare at devices with selfie cams.
Cultural artifacts reveal the stories we believe and the values we hold.
We invest money, resources, and social power in some things and not others.
What companies are growing? Which ideas are gaining funding? What policies are prioritized?
These display what we value.
And value isn’t only a dollar amount. We pay attention. What is keeping us scrolling and streaming? Which storylines demand dwell time?
Maps
Maps are directive. They show us where to go.
Our cultural narratives map out life. They tell us what we should care about. They make claims about where to spend our energy and what to ignore or despise.
Every day we confront not just the “is” of the latest trends but the “ought” that’s implied in them.
From headlines to how-to’s, we are constantly directed.
Disruption
Despite the direction, we can feel lost.
It’s a disruptive world.
The tech startup space loves the concept of disruption. Right now, the development of generative AI promises to disrupt work and life as we know it.
Disruption is often framed as a positive opportunity. But disruption also brings discomfort.
We live, in the words of W.H. Auden, in the “Age of Anxiety.”
The past twenty years in particular have presented more rapid technological and social change than any previous period in history.
We’re caught in a cycle of fascination with the new and a collective nostalgia for life patterns that have passed away.
And we are a lonely people. Existing among seemingly infinite connections has not made us feel more connected.
Idealogical tribes have replaced traditional communities.
Anger and angst dominate the social newsfeeds.
In a time primed with the opportunity to serve others, we are prone to fragility and self-protection.
Meaning
Another feature of disruption is disenchantment.
In A Secular Age, the philosopher Charles Taylor says that the modern West attempts to explain everything from within an “immanent frame.” Everything has only a “here-and-now” reference point. Scientific and technological progress is enough to account for every aspect of the human experience. There’s a glass ceiling on reality (actually, it’s made of plastic) that seals out the transcendent.
But silicon doesn’t have quite the same effect as signs and wonders.
The world has lost its magic.
We are surrounded by more stories than ever, but we lack a Grand Story.
But we can’t help but try to make sense of it all.
This newsletter will explore our current stories about work and technology. We’ll consider the implications they have for human flourishing.
We might even find ourselves on the ancient path of wisdom.
But warning: it’s an enchanted path.
Thanks for subscribing and joining the conversation!
Evan
So good! I'm really excited that you're doing this.