Views from Crestmont Drive

• Christmas presents, consumerism, and Adam Lee’s take on minimalism;
• The idea of ‘beauty’ in the universe, as another component of science fiction’s “consilience”;
• First take on the new Peter Gabriel album.

Like many people as we get older, when Christmas comes around and people (well, my partner) ask what I want to for Christmas, I’m inclined to say “nothing.” I don’t need more stuff. No more kitchen gadgets. My car is fine. My computer set-up is fine. I have enough shoes. Shirts and socks and underwear, well, maybe, these things do wear out and get frayed. But not every year. I can go for an entire year without buying much of anything for myself — except books. Actually, this past year I did replace my laptop (see here), right about on schedule considering my history of a new computer roughly every six years. And bought a new mouse. But my monitors, my desktop radio/CD-player, they’re just fine, and close to a decade old.

As for books, I buy as many books as I want, throughout the year, so at the end of the year don’t really “need” any. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t appreciate the thought, but no one in my family (or group of friends who would give me a Christmas present) is particularly interested in books, let alone would have any idea what would pique my interest. It’s been ages, ages, since I was a teenager and actually put book titles on my “Christmas wish list” that circulated among my family as suggestions for potential gifts. I did get some significant books that way, among them Carl Sagan’s THE COSMIC CONNECTION. Way back in 1974/

With all this in mind, here is an Adam Lee essay from a few days ago. His experience reflects mine to a degree.

OnlySky, Adam Lee, 5 Dec 2023: How to be happy with less: A minimalist holiday manifesto

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