Embracing complexity: Lessons from the Victorians

Thursday, August 15 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

436 E 11th St New York, New York

Join Diane Josefowicz (novelist, historian, and Managing Editor of The Victorian Web) and Noah Landow (CEO at Macktez) for an informal conversation between an expert on the history of science and the founder of a technology consulting firm.

All of us in modern society grapple with understanding complexities and managing complex systems. Diane brings a knowledge of historic, scientific approaches to navigating earlier incarnations of this same complexity. Together, they’ll discuss what the Victorians can teach us through their visions of an electromagnetic microworld, their charmingly complex language of flowers, loquacious letter writing (such prolific use of commas, em dashes, &c), love of densely textured architecture, and joyously decorated aesthetics.

Join us at the Macktez office, after work, over light snacks and sips, for an exploratory conversation and to hear interesting perspectives on how Victorian approaches offer lessons for us to embrace and be inspired by complexity. Bounce from Ruskin’s perspectives on Venetian architecture and aesthetics, through Kent Bloomer’s work on ornament, stopping off for a sidebar on Ted Chiang’s charming novella “Seventy-Two Letters.” Tucked into these full, rich, complex, ideas are salient ways to learn more about our current condition.