Oblique Strategies: Brian Eno’s Prompts for Overcoming Creative Block
1–10 of 14 posts
Re: Oblique Strategies: Brian Eno’s Prompts for Overcoming Creative Block
#2It seems a mistake to see these as tarot cards or the I Ching, etc. They are a way to short circuit paralysis due to over-thinking.
I wrote a little Python script to return a random one to stdout... too trivial to even post.
I like the reference to Bowie's "Heros" album in particular the song "Sense of Doubt" which is a great instrumental. I love that album and that song.
These are useful little aphorisms for when you are stuck. This article has a little background.
Re: Oblique Strategies: Brian Eno’s Prompts for Overcoming Creative Block
#3Eno, Bowie, et al also used it during the sessions for Low and Radiohead used it during the sessions for Kid A/Amnesiac. Its also related tangentially to Burroughs cut-up technique. Sources are the 33 1/3 book series on Low and Wikipedia, though I don't have links handy.
Really interesting to me. I like its paradoxical practicality. I'm sure it could be used for many different kinds of creative endeavors. Perhaps even software.
Re: Oblique Strategies: Brian Eno’s Prompts for Overcoming Creative Block
#4It seems a mistake to see these as tarot cards or the I Ching, etc. They are a way to short circuit paralysis due to over-thinking. I wrote a little Python script to return a random one to stdout... too trivial to even post. I like the reference to Bowie's "Heros" album in particular the song "Sense of Doubt" which is a great instrumental. I love that album and that song. These are useful little aphorisms for when yo…
I'd love to use that Python script, mind pasting it up somewhere?
Re: Oblique Strategies: Brian Eno’s Prompts for Overcoming Creative Block
#5Eno, Bowie, et al also used it during the sessions for Low and Radiohead used it during the sessions for Kid A/Amnesiac. Its also related tangentially to Burroughs cut-up technique. Sources are the 33 1/3 book series on Low and Wikipedia, though I don't have links handy. Really interesting to me. I like its paradoxical practicality. I'm sure it could be used for many different kinds of creative endeavors. Perhaps eve…
I use them for software. Generally they are a prompt for a five minute time-boxed stream of consciousness writing session about the problem I am trying to solve.
Re: Oblique Strategies: Brian Eno’s Prompts for Overcoming Creative Block
#6Eno, Bowie, et al also used it during the sessions for Low and Radiohead used it during the sessions for Kid A/Amnesiac. Its also related tangentially to Burroughs cut-up technique. Sources are the 33 1/3 book series on Low and Wikipedia, though I don't have links handy. Really interesting to me. I like its paradoxical practicality. I'm sure it could be used for many different kinds of creative endeavors. Perhaps eve…
The Oblique Strategies cards get a mention in this cartoon about Bowie and Eno recording Low:
Re: Oblique Strategies: Brian Eno’s Prompts for Overcoming Creative Block
#7It seems a mistake to see these as tarot cards or the I Ching, etc. They are a way to short circuit paralysis due to over-thinking. I wrote a little Python script to return a random one to stdout... too trivial to even post. I like the reference to Bowie's "Heros" album in particular the song "Sense of Doubt" which is a great instrumental. I love that album and that song. These are useful little aphorisms for when yo…
I'd love to use that Python script, mind pasting it up somewhere?
Re: Oblique Strategies: Brian Eno’s Prompts for Overcoming Creative Block
#8Eno, Bowie, et al also used it during the sessions for Low and Radiohead used it during the sessions for Kid A/Amnesiac. Its also related tangentially to Burroughs cut-up technique. Sources are the 33 1/3 book series on Low and Wikipedia, though I don't have links handy. Really interesting to me. I like its paradoxical practicality. I'm sure it could be used for many different kinds of creative endeavors. Perhaps eve…
The Oblique Strategies cards get a mention in this cartoon about Bowie and Eno recording Low: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FODvjYoVEi8
I love the fact that cartoon exists.
Re: Oblique Strategies: Brian Eno’s Prompts for Overcoming Creative Block
#9It seems a mistake to see these as tarot cards or the I Ching, etc. They are a way to short circuit paralysis due to over-thinking. I wrote a little Python script to return a random one to stdout... too trivial to even post. I like the reference to Bowie's "Heros" album in particular the song "Sense of Doubt" which is a great instrumental. I love that album and that song. These are useful little aphorisms for when yo…
Huh. I think a big point of things like tarot cards and the I Ching is exactly to short-circuit rational processes and let people come up with answers intuitively.