Fragmentary

Fragmentary, by Nick Harkaway, explores a wide range of topics from AI ethics, climate change, and personal reflections to societal issues and the evolving world of literature and games. It offers a mix of critical analysis, personal anecdotes, and speculative thoughts on current and future trends.

Artificial Intelligence Climate Change Personal Reflections Societal Issues Literature and Writing Games and Gaming Technology and Society Political Commentary

The hottest Substack posts of Fragmentary

And their main takeaways

Heading into 2024

412 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
📚 Literature Writing Novels Editing Website Publishing
  1. Nick Harkaway has a busy year ahead with writing projects and personal commitments.
  2. He plans to sort out his website, considering switching from Substack due to ethical concerns.
  3. Despite the workload, Nick expresses positivity and excitement for the year ahead.

Fire and Scale

471 implied HN points • 26 Jul 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Resource Management
  1. A recent fire required significant resources to contain.
  2. The fire highlights the need for serious measures to address global heating.
  3. The author emphasizes the potential consequences of not taking action on climate change.

Wrong Twice A Day

491 implied HN points • 04 Jul 23
📚 Literature Language Grammar Writing
  1. Pedantry in language can be a vice, but also adds to the evolution of language.
  2. Using terms like "12pm" for lunchtime can lead to confusion due to lack of clarity.
  3. The 12-hour clock system can be confusing; switching to a 24-hour system may be simpler.
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The Writer's Voices

550 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
📚 Literature Voice Writing Style Genre Authenticity Technology
  1. Finding your authentic voice as a writer is essential for expressing human experience.
  2. Genre should not limit creative expression; authenticity in writing can exist in various forms.
  3. A writer's voice can be multifaceted, evolving, and should reflect their truths and stories.

State of the Nation

550 implied HN points • 22 May 23
📚 Literature Politics Writing Themes Reviews
  1. The author feels calm after book publication
  2. The political situation is described as chaotic and filled with nonsense fatigue
  3. The author dreams of living in a wood-frame passive house by a lake or sea, but worries about dramatic weather events

Reflections in a Puddle

491 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Society Culture Language
  1. Interacting with ChatGPT highlights its limitations and lack of true artificial intelligence.
  2. The hype around large language models as AI may be misleading; they are more like well-executed information tools.
  3. Adding new technologies has societal consequences that should be considered and policies set accordingly.

Type

353 implied HN points • 13 Jun 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Typography Fonts eBooks Design
  1. Typography is important and can reveal a lot about a person.
  2. Different materials and mediums can impact the styling and design of typography.
  3. Typography can have a significant impact on readability and accessibility, particularly for individuals with dyslexia.

Dog vs Void

412 implied HN points • 13 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Pets TV shows Social media Self-care Literature
  1. The author got a dog named Blue in 2021, who has an existential attitude.
  2. The Hindi adaptation of The Night Manager is a significant first in international book adaptations.
  3. The author shared thoughts on Twitter and emphasized the importance of self-care.