My meditation teacher said something that stopped me cold: “We fall in love with the idea of a person, and then we fight so hard to keep it alive.”

From lovers to spouses, from employers to parental approval, we search for ourselves in others' eyes—creating perhaps the most elaborate illusion ever sustained: that validation exists outside the self that seeks it.

From Apple's glass cathedrals to unboxing rituals and tech prophets, we replaced religious behavioral patterns with product worship without acknowledging it—creating perhaps the first truly global faith.

What if we banned all advertising? Not regulate it—abolish it. This proposal would transform manipulation machines, and maybe save democracy itself. A thought experiment worth considering.

When you replace a vacuum robot's proprietary brain with open-source firmware, you are not just modifying a device—you are making a statement about ownership and control. Sometimes the smartest choice is to make devices dumber.

How a trip in 2012 transformed my relationship with photography—from staged performances to capturing genuine moments that matter, for engagement rather than validation.