Sissiphys’s Adventures

Sissiphys's Adventures explores the intersections of psychology, art, and the existential through a lens of creative learning, improvisation, and the breaking of conventional patterns. It emphasizes the importance of embracing imperfection, engaging in playful exploration, and fostering social connections and empathy to navigate the absurdity of existence.

Psychology Creativity and Innovation Art and Interpretation Existential Philosophy Social Interactions and Empathy Improvisation and Play Personal Growth and Development

The hottest Substack posts of Sissiphys’s Adventures

And their main takeaways

Origins of Creative Joy

78 implied HN points • 08 Jun 21
  1. Focus on recognizing and playing with patterns for creative learning.
  2. Embrace imperfections and mistakes as opportunities for playful exploration and growth.
  3. Cultivate a relaxed mind to broaden awareness and allow creativity to flow freely without judgment.
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Nonsense as a Path to Meaning

58 implied HN points • 18 Jun 21
  1. As creatures of habits, we often fall into repetitive patterns that limit our perception.
  2. To break old habits and find creativity, try engaging in nonproductive, abstract activities without expectations.
  3. Engage in nonsense talk or actions to free yourself from overthinking and open up to new patterns of creativity.

The Self and Other Fairy Tales - Your Brain on Stories

39 implied HN points • 01 Jul 21
  1. As a species, our survival depends on social bonding and empathy.
  2. Our sense of self is constructed through social interactions and role models.
  3. Reading novels and engaging with stories improves our ability to understand others' feelings and perspectives.

The Healing Inspiration of Personal Ceremonies

19 implied HN points • 05 Apr 22
  1. Analogies and metaphors are powerful tools for learning and communication.
  2. Embodying qualities and vibes of idols through visualization can be empowering.
  3. Creating personal ceremonies and embracing spontaneity can shift agency and foster creativity.

The Psychology of Effortless Flow

19 implied HN points • 16 Jan 22
  1. Trusting our subconscious skills enables us to perform tasks effortlessly and to the best of our ability.
  2. Micromanaging actions and overthinking can hamper our performance by interfering with our natural instincts.
  3. Using metaphors, analogies, and role-play can help us stay in a state of flow and enhance our performance by directing attention and keeping cognitive processes flexible.

Games - Agency as Art

19 implied HN points • 20 Nov 21
  1. Games provide a unique approach for exploring consciousness through interactive art.
  2. Rules in games help us experience different agencies created by others.
  3. Narratives and rules in games shape our experiences, guide our meaning-making, and foster social bonds.

Find The Game

19 implied HN points • 07 Oct 21
  1. Every moment is full of perceptions to explore.
  2. Finding the game in daily life means being curious about patterns.
  3. Play with your habits and break patterns to stay unboreable.

One fear to rule them all?

19 implied HN points • 22 Sep 21
  1. Our consciousness rises when our predictions fail and we have to update our automatic subconscious algorithms.
  2. Improvisation is about being okay with not knowing what you're doing, embracing the unpredictable nature of art.
  3. Finding the balance between flow and control is key for playful learning and adapting to our environment.

How Improvisation & OCD affect the brain

19 implied HN points • 03 Aug 21
  1. In OCD, the brain's error detection is hyperactive, causing repetitive rituals.
  2. Improvisation involves deactivation of brain areas for better substitution ability.
  3. Skilled improvisers can quickly distinguish and substitute musical chords.

"Don't try your Best!" - Why does Overthinking sabotage our creativity & performance?

19 implied HN points • 26 Jul 21
  1. Overthinking can sabotage creativity and performance by activating the inner critic and inhibiting idea creation.
  2. Flow state relies on implicit memory and decreases self-awareness and inhibition.
  3. Acting without thinking can help build trust in intuition, leading to more relaxed responses and embracing collaboration.

Truth And Other Fairy Tales

1 HN point • 02 Apr 22
  1. In art, what matters more is subjective experience than verifiable facts
  2. Our perception of reality is constructed in our minds through mental models
  3. Art and narratives create context and meaning, influencing how we understand the world and each other

The crutches

0 implied HN points • 24 Sep 21
  1. The story describes a person who was cured of lameness by a great physician
  2. The physician broke the person's crutches, leading to a miraculous cure
  3. Despite being cured, the person still experiences some temporary difficulty walking after seeing wood