Stephen Fry is a quintessential “new modern.” He is comfortable in conversation with figures from the past, even as he embraces the latest modes of discussion. An actor, author, and public figure, Fry speaks in this interview about his literary and philosophical inspirations…

It almost sounds as though Brian Eno has been reading Ted Gioia.  Here’s Eno on “the death of uncool”:

We’re living in a stylistic tropics. There’s a whole generation of people able to access almost anything from almost anywhere, and they don’t have the same localised stylistic sense that my generation grew up with. It’s all alive, all “now,” in an ever-expanding present, be it Hildegard of Bingen or a Bollywood soundtrack. The idea that something is uncool because it’s old or foreign has left the collective consciousness.

I think this is good news.

Read more from Brian Eno at Prospect.

The end of "cool"?

Has coolness runs its course?  Are we living in a post-”cool” culture?

Musician and writer Ted Gioia talks about his new book, The Birth and Death of the Cool in episode 102 of The New Modern podcast.  You can listen using the embedded player above or via iTunes.  Please consider leaving a review and subscribing (for free) to future New Modern podcasts in the iTunes store.

Renowned for his important books about music, especially his History of Jazz, Ted Gioia is a prolific culture writer and literary critic.

Scott Timberg, the Los Angeles writer (and a pretty cool guy), recently posted a Q&A with Gioia on his new book.  Though many will find much to disagree with in Gioia’s arguments, there’s a unquestionably a new fashion for authenticity and sincerity.

Whether that spirit marks the death of “cool” in the sense that Ted Gioia means it, remains to be seen.  Listen to our interview, read the book, and decide for yourself.

[Watch this space for additional links and a full transcript.]

Huffduff it [huh?]

Episode 101 of The New Modern podcast is an interview with Tyler Cowen about his fascinating new book Create Your Own Economy: The Path to Prosperity in a Disordered World.

In addition to his renown as a professor of economics at George Mason University, Tyler Cowen is familiar to many habitual web surfers through his always absorbing blog Marginal Revolution.

A behavioral economist, Tyler is also deeply interested in culture, technology, and the arts.  His latest book combines all these subjects in one absorbing read.

Create Your Own Economy: The Path to Prosperity in a Disordered World is loaded with provocative ideas and surprising claims.  I still haven’t wrapped my mind around a number of Cowen’s big ideas and insights, but (like it or not) I think he has identified some profound truths about our increasingly fragmented culture. 

If, after listening to the podcast, you’d like to learn more about Tyler Cowen and the ideas he advances in Create Your Own Economy, I recommend you take a look at some of these links.

• Cowen’s video dialogue with the whip-smart Will Wilkinson at Bloggingheads.tv;
• The Marginal Revolution blog [if you use an RSS reader, you should definitely subscribe to the Marginal Revolution RSS feed];
• Tyler Cowen’s personal website points to all his books and writings [including his renowned guide to the best ethnic restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area];
• Imperial is the 1,300 page William T. Vollman book that Tyler mentions he has been reading;
• given the book and our discussion, you should be sure to check out Tyler Cowen’s Twitter feed.
• and, finally, you might enjoy viewing Tyler’s somewhat subversive TEDx talk about the dangerous allure of stories:

* * *

There’s so much in this book, and so many provocative ideas, I doubt anyone other than Tyler Cowen would nod in absolute agreement on every page.  I’d really like to hear from readers and listeners…  What do you think?

• Is autism just another form of “neurodiversity”?  Should web surfers aspire to be more like autistics?
• Is the concept of a core curriculum entirely dated?
• Should we retire some of the increasingly antique-seeming forms of art and knowledge?
• Are today’s young people a “Dumbest Generation” or are they more culturally literate than their iPhone-deprived grandparents?
• Is storytelling a terrible way to share knowledge?

I’d love to see your reactions to these questions–and any others raised by the podcast or the book–in the comments section below…

If so moved, you can buy the book–and ensure that The New Modern receives a minute kick-back–if you order through Powell’s or Amazon.