Evan Nesterak
Evan Nesterak is the Editor-in-Chief of Behavioral Scientist.
Happening Friday: Conversation with Jane McGonigal (Agenda + Zoom Link)
On Friday, we'll host the second live event of the Techno-Visions Book Club. We'll be joined by futurist Jane McGonigal to discuss the themes of the future in Player Piano and explore questions about imagining and building possible futures more broadly. * The event will start at
Reminder: Techno-Visions Conversation with Jane McGonigal Now September 13
Recording: A Techno-Visions Conversation with Barry Schwartz
The Human Nature We Create
This Thursday, we’ll speak with psychologist Barry Schwartz about why we work. One topic we’ll explore is how our ideas about human nature, whether true or false, can shape the workplaces we create, an idea Barry has explored throughout his career. Below is an introduction to the idea
Schedule Announced: Expert Conversations Series
We are pleased to announce the dates and times for the Techno-Visions Expert Conversations Series. To help illuminate questions and ideas inspired by Player Piano, we'll host two live conversations and one pre-recorded conversation. We'll speak with Barry Schwartz and Jane McGonigal live. The live conversations
Happy Birthday Player Piano
Techno-Visions: Expert Conversation Series
Early on in Player Piano, Paul crosses the river into Homestead to buy a “bottle of Irish” for Finnerty. While waiting for the bartender to retrieve the whiskey, Paul suffers through an awkward and embarrassing exchange with two gentlemen at the bar. There is Rudy Hertz, a retired machinist full
The Difference Between ‘Know-How’ and ‘Know-What’
Why did Kurt Vonnegut choose the title Player Piano? Although I first picked up the book 15 or 20 years ago, I never gave the question much thought. There are a couple of scenes with a player piano in the bar in Homestead, but they seem to serve a supporting
Old School Cool: Kurt Vonnegut in the 1970s (A Brief Documentary)
“It’s just the most marvelous practical joke,” Kurt Vonnegut says about writing. “Because imagine just making little marks on paper and having somebody cry. The damn fool will really weep, or get frightened. I just think it’s hilarious to do something to somebody with a piece of paper.
The Spark File: Add Your Connections, Questions, and Ideas Throughout the Summer
This weekend, I received a handful of emails from members who wanted to share a thought or an article or a question that connected to Player Piano and the Techno-Visions theme. It was great to find them in my inbox, but I wondered, wouldn't other members like to
Player Piano: Over the Years, Around the World
Early on in Player Piano, star engineer and insufferable malcontent, Ed Finnerty delivers one of Vonnegut’s more memorable lines; a line of his that people still like to quote today. “I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over,” Finnerty tells protagonist Paul