Kyle Chayka: Musings on Minimalism

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Today’s guest is Kyle Chayka, a writer living in Brooklyn, whose written for The New Republic, New York Times Magazine and Bloomberg Businessweek. He’s writing a book about minimalism in various cultural fields including fashion, art, and architecture. 

This conversation is an exploration of how the internet is transforming society — for better and for worse.

I reached out to Kyle after reading his essay, Welcome to AirSpace, where he argues that Silicon Valley is spreading the same sterile, aesthetic across the world. It seems like everywhere you go — from New York, to Sydney, to Bali — you see similar Airbnb’s, coffee shops, and restaurants. 

We also talk about Kyle’s time in Beijing, the co-evolution of fashion and internet culture, and the present, past, and future of minimalism.

I admire Kyle’s ability to recognize the changing social landscape with critical cynicism. But Kyle balances that perspective with an understanding of the power of markets and capitalism as a force for progress. I hope you enjoy this conversation.

Show Topics

1:30 - Coffee Shop Deja-Vu

5:04 - Aesthetics

7:41 - Beauty

9:06 - Aesthetics in Architecture

11:58 - Medieval Art

14:15 - Melding of Cultures

15:42 - Fashion

17:27 - Urban VS Rural

19:13 - Digital Nomads

21:03 - Long-Term Effect of the Digital Nomad

22:24 Social Media & Instagram Culture

25:49 - Brian Eno's Ambient Music

27:59 - Being Sold an Identity

28:45 - Looking Instagram Good

32:09 - Curated Second Hand

34:05 - Living in the Future

35:55 - Why Does the Future Look so Grim?

37:00 - Bail on Grim

37:53 - What did we Even do?

40:09 - Consumer - Brand Relationships

43:12 - Soul Cycle

43:41 - China

49:30 - Rotten Tomatoes

50:26 - What is Taste?

50:51 - Good Critics

52:09 - Byproduct of the Internet

53:16 - Art Combined

54:18 - Minimalism

58:36 - Fashion

59:41 - Platforms

60:37 - Subscription Clothes

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