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Dope Excerpts

Dope Excerpts

By Adam R Garcia

Dope Excerpts is a simple idea, a podcast where your host Adam reads selected texts to you from his bookshelves in Los Angeles. Insightful, inspiring and informative pieces of books, essays, poems and original work are delivered and briefly discussed as a way to showcase poignant ideas and share. Thanks for listening.
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Currently playing episode

Dope Excerpts — Ep 04 / Einstein's Dreams

Dope ExcerptsMay 08, 2019

00:00
08:29
Dope Excerpts — Ep 14 / Neologitron Interview

Dope Excerpts — Ep 14 / Neologitron Interview

It's been a hot minute, but I'm more than excited to share this one with you. Not a book excerpt (sorry), but a conversation / interview about a project I created called NEOLOGITRON. This project uses AI to generate neologisms - new words - along with their definitions and an illustration, that all focus on ideas of speculative futures. You can check the project on instagram.com/neologitron

The interview itself is an thrilling conversation between me and my AI collaborator, trying to break the black box open a bit and understand how it generates words linguistically, how it deals with bias in the data it pulls, how it understands the aesthetic function of illustrating a concept, and I even ask it to suggest some books to read. It's a pleasant convo.

Don't be mad that this ain't an actual book excerpt. I'd argue it's better. Hugs. Love, Adam

Apr 04, 202337:42
Dope Excerpts — Ep 13 / Glossary

Dope Excerpts — Ep 13 / Glossary

For this Excerpt, instead of a book or a text, I re-recorded a lecture that I gave to graduating seniors from Portland State University's School of Art+Design program in May of 2022 (where I used to teach a Senior Thesis course in Design and Collaboration). It's a Glossary of words that I use to frame my approach to life, and wanted to be able to equip the students with a bit of that thinking as they head out of academia. In the original lecture there are simple visuals of the words, and musician Elliot Ross / Moongriffin supported by playing ambient synths in the background to add a vibe. For the sake of this recording, it's just the words. Thank you to Kate Bingaman-Burt for inviting me to speak, and all the students that I had the opportunity to have conversations with. Hope y'all enjoy. 

May 15, 202221:41
Dope Excerpts — Ep 12 / Dialectic of Pop (Table of Contents Special)

Dope Excerpts — Ep 12 / Dialectic of Pop (Table of Contents Special)

It's been a while, and I miss the heck out of you. For episode 12 I'm playing with the structure of the pod and sharing some insight on Agnés Gayraud's "Dialectic of Pop," via its incredible table of contents.Thanks for listening.

Feb 26, 202210:26
Dope Excerpts — Ep11 / Raised in Captivity

Dope Excerpts — Ep11 / Raised in Captivity

Today I'm reading the titular short story from Chuck Klosterman's new collection of "Fictional Nonfiction" — Raised in Captivity. Big shout out to Mr. Klosterman who so kindly responded to me sliding in his DMs to ask for permission. Oh, and sorry for the egregious mispronunciation of "taupe." It was the heat of the moment and I fumbled, okay? Enjoy.

Jul 29, 201915:32
Dope Excerpts — Ep 10 / Bread & Circuses

Dope Excerpts — Ep 10 / Bread & Circuses

In episode 10 of Dope Excerpts, I'm sharing an article from one of my favorite mags, New Philosopher, called "Bread and Circuses." It's about attention, and media, and sport, and politics and oh heck just check it out.

Jun 25, 201910:40
Dope Excerpts — Ep 09 / A Sideways Look at Time

Dope Excerpts — Ep 09 / A Sideways Look at Time

A one-shot super-read of Jay Griffith's book "A Sideways Look at Time." This book is a mesmerizing mix of information on our perception and experience of time, delivered poetically in Jay's whimsical writing style. A conceptual follow-up to Episode 04, and a fun one to read. Thanks for listening.
Jun 06, 201913:31
Dope Excerpts — Ep 8 / The Inevitable "Becoming"

Dope Excerpts — Ep 8 / The Inevitable "Becoming"

A dope excerpt of Kevin Kelly's best-seller "The Inevitable," from the chapter on "Becoming." This book looks at 12 technological forces that are shaping our present and future as humankind, and I found it's first section one of the most interesting. Excited to hear what you think.

May 28, 201908:53
Dope Excerpts — Ep 7 / William Gibson "Up The Line"

Dope Excerpts — Ep 7 / William Gibson "Up The Line"

Hey y'all. Here is reading of a talk that William Gibson gave on media, the future, storytelling and how we adapt to changes in our media environment. It's a long-one, but a goodie. Also, towards the very end I did something a little weird with the editing and there's a transition that feels a little cut short, but hey. I'm learning. Thanks for listening.

May 19, 201923:58
Dope Excerpts — A Quick Note

Dope Excerpts — A Quick Note

Oh, hey. A quick note about some sound issues, how you can get me feedback, leave voice messages and continue supporting this here little show. I appreciate you, and thanks for listening.

May 16, 201902:05
Dope Excerpts — Ep 06 / "Story" by Robert McKee

Dope Excerpts — Ep 06 / "Story" by Robert McKee

Today we're reading a section of the book "Story" by Robert McKee on character and characterization, and reflecting on how the hard choices that we make in our lives define us. Sounds heavier than it is, don't worry. Thanks for listening.

May 16, 201911:16
Dope Excerpts — Ep 05 / My Own Devices

Dope Excerpts — Ep 05 / My Own Devices

In this episode, I'll be reading a chapter from Dessa's book "My Own Devices." This is the longest read yet, and I know there are some little mess-ups on my part in the read, but hey, I'm just some guy trying his best, okay? Dessa is a rapper and writer from Minneapolis, and I couldn't recommend this book more. Cop it. And thanks for listening.
May 11, 201914:31
Dope Excerpts — Ep 04 / Einstein's Dreams

Dope Excerpts — Ep 04 / Einstein's Dreams

In this episode, I'm reading a bit of physicist Alan Lightman's phenomenal book "Einstein's Dreams." Each of the books 30 vignettes is a sort of speculative fable, exploring time through the eyes of a young Albert Einstein. Thanks for listening.
May 08, 201908:29
Dope Excerpts — Ep03 / Cabinet "The Power of Naming"

Dope Excerpts — Ep03 / Cabinet "The Power of Naming"

In this episode, I'm reading an essay called "The Power of Naming" by Cecilia Sjöholm, from the "Knowledge" issue of Cabinet Magazine. There's a lot of Genesis and God-talk up in here, and I'm not a religious human but it serves to make a point. 

May 04, 201909:05
Dope Excerpts — Ep02 / Politics of Design

Dope Excerpts — Ep02 / Politics of Design

In this episode, I read a bit from the amazing Politics of Design, by Ruben Pater. Specifically, this excerpt explores the history of Blackletter typography, Nazism and typography, and design and privilege. No small subjects, also, your host awkwardly ends the podcast with "see you soon... bye" which doesn't make sense as it's a podcast and not a phone call with his aunt. He's trying, okay?

May 04, 201908:24
Dope Excerpts — Ep01 / Borges

Dope Excerpts — Ep01 / Borges

In this lil' episode of Dope Excerpts, I read a bit of Borges, and reflect on the ideas of mirrors and prisms as aesthetic lenses by which to view ourselves in the world.

May 04, 201904:55