Be a curator
Taste is also curation, and your taste is your superpower in the times of AI in edition 43rd
Hola everyone! The last two weeks have been quite busy. I was negotiating a new client work; it’s a Moratage startup in the US. Let’s see if converts 🤞🏼
Secondly, my friend Rahul and I are obsessed with great typography. As a product designer or maker, you should, too, as 80% of design is about good typography. And good design means CONVERSION 💰 we are starting a newsletter all about Fonts; subscribe here (early access for my subscribers as always :) )
Lastly, I’m thinking of starting a small-knit community for generalists, yes, people like you :) If you are interested in joining, reply to this email. Here’s a sneak peek at the name; what do you think? 👀
Now, let’s dive in to our essay..
You don't make a great museum by putting all the art in the world into a single room. That's a warehouse. What makes a museum great is the stuff that's not on the walls. Someone says no.
A curator is involved, making conscious decisions about what should stay and what should go. There's an editing process. There's a lot more stuff off the walls than on the walls. The best is a sub-sub-subset of all the possibilities.
It's the stuff you leave out that matters. So constantly look for things to remove, simplify, and streamline.
Be a curator. Stick to what's truly essential. Pare things down until you're left with only the most important stuff. Then do it again. You can always add stuff back in later if you need to.
- Jason fried (rework)
My newsletter is mostly about curation. I started this newsletter to share what I learned about product, design, and indie making. Also, I read a lot, I mean a lot (20+ books a year, 100+ essays), so I thought, why not share the best of my reads with people on the internet?
That’s how this newsletter was started six months back, and now 1000+ people read it. You also write back with kind messages, questions and we have nurtured a beautiful relationship 🤗
It seems I have good taste for new tools, essays/blogs; my friend often asks me where I discover such cool stuff. So, in the coming editions, I’ll share hidden gems I discover on the internet. I’m betting on my curations and taste, as should you.
In the time of AI, where anyone can execute easily, your taste is the leverage.
I can imagine that in a few years, AI tools will be able to deliver outputs efficiently, and your role will be that of a curator.
Taste is also curation
It is the ability to look at a wide scope of possibilities and choose with focus. In a world where Netflix launches hundreds of shows with questionable quality every month, film studio A24 has built their own brand based on supporting fewer movies that have a higher chance of (commercial and artistic) success. Taste, as a skill, is not exclusive to creators.
Here’s another interesting story of why taste matters:
Zingerman's is one of America's best-known delis. And it got that way because its owners think of themselves as curators. They're not just filling their shelves. They're curating them.
There's a reason for every olive oil the team at Zingerman's sells: They believe each one is great. Usually, they've known the supplier for years. They've visited and picked olives with them. That's why they can vouch for each oil's authentic, full-bodied flavor.
For example, look how the owner of Zingerman's describes Pasolivo Olive Oil on the company Web site:
I tasted this oil for the first time years ago, on a random recommendation and sample. There are plenty of oils that come in nice bottles with very endearing stories to tell--this was no exception--but most simply aren't that great. By contrast Pasolivo got my attention as soon as I tasted it. It's powerful, full and fruity. Everything I like in an oil, without any drawbacks. It still stands as one of America's best oils, on par with the great rustic oils of Tuscany. Strongly recommended.*
The owner actually tried the oil and chooses to carry it based on its taste. It's not about packaging, marketing, or price. It's about quality. He tried it and knew his store had to carry it. That's the approach you should take too.
Reply to this email if you need help moving forward with your idea. I read and reply to every email.
Let’s go 🚀
— Shivam
Hey I dig the name of the new community Shivam! I consider myself a generalist.
Curstion is a great way for jack-of-all-trades to give value to the world.