Overheard

David Gunn, former director of the NYC Transit Authority, tells of his strategy for ridding the subway of its infamous (and ubiquitous) graffiti in 1989.

Gianpiero Petriglieri, professor at INSEAD, reminds us that the peripatetic lifestyle must be reconciled with demonstrated commitment to a community in order to qualify as legitimate leadership.

David Lynch tell a different story—one characterized by curious awareness and exploratory action.

Kevin Kelly, co-founder of Wired, espouses technological determinism—the perspective that certain technologies have inherent qualities that are destined to become increasingly manifest, evoking a technological entropy of sorts.

Christian Sandvig studies how the details of such algorithmic operations are selectively disclosed to shape the public’s relationship to these services.

David Brooks acknowledges that all of us, as human beings, strive to be morally fulfilled.

In the wake numerous “too big to fail” crises (2008, GM, the entire banking system, etc.), the lifespan of companies has once again been called into question.

We like Pico Iyer’s concept of “Nowhere” and share his fantasy of unplugging.

It is a common fallacy to believe that the link between decisions and outcomes is causally direct.