João Sevilhano
@joaosevilhano.bsky.social
Co-founded Way Beyond, leading strategy and innovation. My work bridges psychology and organizational development through meaningful conversation. Also founded the useful uselessness, were I write in English.
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João Sevilhano
@joaosevilhano.bsky.social
· May 27
the useful uselessness
Speculations, ideas and absurdities about the stupidity of "normality", by João Sevilhano
useful-uselessness.com
Here’s the useful uselessness, a place for speculations, ideas and absurdities about the stupidity of "normality".
useful-uselessness.com
useful-uselessness.com
Understanding transforms experience into possession. The moment you know what something means, it stops being able to mean anything else.
New interlude: “before understanding”
useful-uselessness.com/before-under...
New interlude: “before understanding”
useful-uselessness.com/before-under...
December 20, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Understanding transforms experience into possession. The moment you know what something means, it stops being able to mean anything else.
New interlude: “before understanding”
useful-uselessness.com/before-under...
New interlude: “before understanding”
useful-uselessness.com/before-under...
The first collaboration of the useful uselessness is here!
A professor assigns essays to 400 students. He receives 400 variations of the same text. They weren't forced to use AI. They chose the hive — while writing about authentic selfhood.
useful-uselessness.com/four-hundred...
A professor assigns essays to 400 students. He receives 400 variations of the same text. They weren't forced to use AI. They chose the hive — while writing about authentic selfhood.
useful-uselessness.com/four-hundred...
December 6, 2025 at 9:45 AM
The first collaboration of the useful uselessness is here!
A professor assigns essays to 400 students. He receives 400 variations of the same text. They weren't forced to use AI. They chose the hive — while writing about authentic selfhood.
useful-uselessness.com/four-hundred...
A professor assigns essays to 400 students. He receives 400 variations of the same text. They weren't forced to use AI. They chose the hive — while writing about authentic selfhood.
useful-uselessness.com/four-hundred...
Reposted by João Sevilhano
Reposted by João Sevilhano
Reposted by João Sevilhano
Reposted by João Sevilhano
I forgot to publish last Saturday. Not forgot and felt guilty—forgot entirely.
The creative outlet I built to escape productivity had become another productivity measure.
We can't escape the loop, only forget to keep it running.
useful-uselessness.com/the-saturday...
The creative outlet I built to escape productivity had become another productivity measure.
We can't escape the loop, only forget to keep it running.
useful-uselessness.com/the-saturday...
November 29, 2025 at 9:30 AM
I forgot to publish last Saturday. Not forgot and felt guilty—forgot entirely.
The creative outlet I built to escape productivity had become another productivity measure.
We can't escape the loop, only forget to keep it running.
useful-uselessness.com/the-saturday...
The creative outlet I built to escape productivity had become another productivity measure.
We can't escape the loop, only forget to keep it running.
useful-uselessness.com/the-saturday...
Just published: a continuation of last week’s ‘enthusiasm of uncertainty,’ born from Saturday morning breakfast duties. On the difference between defensive anxiety (will it end?) and generative uncertainty (how will it continue?).
useful-uselessness.com/ordinary-mys...
useful-uselessness.com/ordinary-mys...
November 15, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Just published: a continuation of last week’s ‘enthusiasm of uncertainty,’ born from Saturday morning breakfast duties. On the difference between defensive anxiety (will it end?) and generative uncertainty (how will it continue?).
useful-uselessness.com/ordinary-mys...
useful-uselessness.com/ordinary-mys...
Watch a child learning chess, a surfer dropping into a wave—and you'll see that enthusiasm isn't despite uncertainty. It is uncertainty, experienced from the inside. New essay on the future we can't predict (and shouldn't want to). useful-uselessness.com/the-enthusia...
November 8, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Watch a child learning chess, a surfer dropping into a wave—and you'll see that enthusiasm isn't despite uncertainty. It is uncertainty, experienced from the inside. New essay on the future we can't predict (and shouldn't want to). useful-uselessness.com/the-enthusia...
Another musing about one of my favorite topics: conversation.
I may be repeating myself, but, somehow it felt fresh writing it.
useful-uselessness.com/the-physics-...
I may be repeating myself, but, somehow it felt fresh writing it.
useful-uselessness.com/the-physics-...
November 1, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Another musing about one of my favorite topics: conversation.
I may be repeating myself, but, somehow it felt fresh writing it.
useful-uselessness.com/the-physics-...
I may be repeating myself, but, somehow it felt fresh writing it.
useful-uselessness.com/the-physics-...
I remember my analyst telling me "death can only be experienced by the living". He mentioned this a number of times, throughout out the years.
I always loved that phrase. Probably given my love for oxymorons. Here's a rambling that came from that expression.
useful-uselessness.com/small-deaths
I always loved that phrase. Probably given my love for oxymorons. Here's a rambling that came from that expression.
useful-uselessness.com/small-deaths
October 25, 2025 at 8:40 AM
I remember my analyst telling me "death can only be experienced by the living". He mentioned this a number of times, throughout out the years.
I always loved that phrase. Probably given my love for oxymorons. Here's a rambling that came from that expression.
useful-uselessness.com/small-deaths
I always loved that phrase. Probably given my love for oxymorons. Here's a rambling that came from that expression.
useful-uselessness.com/small-deaths
October 24, 2025 at 6:58 PM
"I'm so sorry for your loss. Here's a more human and sincere version of my previous response." A therapist forgot to delete ChatGPT's caption before sending condolences.
The revolution won't be psychologized. And it certainly won't be technological.
useful-uselessness.com/the-revoluti...
The revolution won't be psychologized. And it certainly won't be technological.
useful-uselessness.com/the-revoluti...
October 4, 2025 at 8:30 AM
"I'm so sorry for your loss. Here's a more human and sincere version of my previous response." A therapist forgot to delete ChatGPT's caption before sending condolences.
The revolution won't be psychologized. And it certainly won't be technological.
useful-uselessness.com/the-revoluti...
The revolution won't be psychologized. And it certainly won't be technological.
useful-uselessness.com/the-revoluti...
I discovered a foolproof method for detecting bullshit and self-help snake oil: if it makes sense while doing jumping jacks, it's probably not profound.
The aerobics test will change how you see LinkedIn and Instagram motivational posts forever.
useful-uselessness.com/self-help-an...
The aerobics test will change how you see LinkedIn and Instagram motivational posts forever.
useful-uselessness.com/self-help-an...
September 27, 2025 at 8:36 AM
I discovered a foolproof method for detecting bullshit and self-help snake oil: if it makes sense while doing jumping jacks, it's probably not profound.
The aerobics test will change how you see LinkedIn and Instagram motivational posts forever.
useful-uselessness.com/self-help-an...
The aerobics test will change how you see LinkedIn and Instagram motivational posts forever.
useful-uselessness.com/self-help-an...
Started summer reading about a dead man’s memoirs. Ended up collecting flies with a Swedish entomologist, slowing down with Kundera, and learning to shut up from Rebecca Solnit. Sometimes the most useless books teach you the most.
useful-uselessness.com/a-summer-of-...
useful-uselessness.com/a-summer-of-...
September 20, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Started summer reading about a dead man’s memoirs. Ended up collecting flies with a Swedish entomologist, slowing down with Kundera, and learning to shut up from Rebecca Solnit. Sometimes the most useless books teach you the most.
useful-uselessness.com/a-summer-of-...
useful-uselessness.com/a-summer-of-...
Another “interlude”, meaning short piece . This time on the possibility and the eventual advantages of not knowing.
useful-uselessness.com/the-fatigue-...
useful-uselessness.com/the-fatigue-...
September 13, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Another “interlude”, meaning short piece . This time on the possibility and the eventual advantages of not knowing.
useful-uselessness.com/the-fatigue-...
useful-uselessness.com/the-fatigue-...
August 30, 2025 at 10:12 AM
August 23, 2025 at 9:47 AM
On the "bullshit economy"...
The attention economy doesn’t merely benefit from bullshit: it structurally depends on it.
useful-uselessness.com/the-bullshit...
The attention economy doesn’t merely benefit from bullshit: it structurally depends on it.
useful-uselessness.com/the-bullshit...
August 16, 2025 at 10:11 AM
On the "bullshit economy"...
The attention economy doesn’t merely benefit from bullshit: it structurally depends on it.
useful-uselessness.com/the-bullshit...
The attention economy doesn’t merely benefit from bullshit: it structurally depends on it.
useful-uselessness.com/the-bullshit...
In my imaginary desk, there's a compartment for unsent emails and unspoken replies. Some are stored out of caution, fear, submission, or wisdom. Each silence they create is distinct, and it's important to recognize their unique sounds.
useful-uselessness.com/the-weight-o...
useful-uselessness.com/the-weight-o...
August 9, 2025 at 10:10 AM
In my imaginary desk, there's a compartment for unsent emails and unspoken replies. Some are stored out of caution, fear, submission, or wisdom. Each silence they create is distinct, and it's important to recognize their unique sounds.
useful-uselessness.com/the-weight-o...
useful-uselessness.com/the-weight-o...
Very happy to publish my second original essay in this platform.
On the pathology of fake knowing and why admitting ignorance might save us all.
Brace yourself! This is a long one.
useful-uselessness.com/the-certaint...
On the pathology of fake knowing and why admitting ignorance might save us all.
Brace yourself! This is a long one.
useful-uselessness.com/the-certaint...
August 2, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Very happy to publish my second original essay in this platform.
On the pathology of fake knowing and why admitting ignorance might save us all.
Brace yourself! This is a long one.
useful-uselessness.com/the-certaint...
On the pathology of fake knowing and why admitting ignorance might save us all.
Brace yourself! This is a long one.
useful-uselessness.com/the-certaint...
What are questions for, beyond making us search for answers? What is it with planes, that can provide a space for existential questioning? Is it being near to “transcendence”? Maybe it’s all just sleep deprivation, claustrophobia induced rambling.
useful-uselessness.com/on-boredom-o...
useful-uselessness.com/on-boredom-o...
July 26, 2025 at 10:24 AM
What are questions for, beyond making us search for answers? What is it with planes, that can provide a space for existential questioning? Is it being near to “transcendence”? Maybe it’s all just sleep deprivation, claustrophobia induced rambling.
useful-uselessness.com/on-boredom-o...
useful-uselessness.com/on-boredom-o...
We’ve moved beyond post-truth into something more insidious: post-depth.
In this new landscape, wisdom becomes a product, complexity gets packaged into consumable portions, and profundity itself transforms into a surface performance.
useful-uselessness.com/post-depth-t...
In this new landscape, wisdom becomes a product, complexity gets packaged into consumable portions, and profundity itself transforms into a surface performance.
useful-uselessness.com/post-depth-t...
July 19, 2025 at 9:53 AM
We’ve moved beyond post-truth into something more insidious: post-depth.
In this new landscape, wisdom becomes a product, complexity gets packaged into consumable portions, and profundity itself transforms into a surface performance.
useful-uselessness.com/post-depth-t...
In this new landscape, wisdom becomes a product, complexity gets packaged into consumable portions, and profundity itself transforms into a surface performance.
useful-uselessness.com/post-depth-t...