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This is your bi-monthly update from the Bento Society. Thanks for subscribing! This issue includes the February events calendar, book recommendations, and a final call to learn how to be a Bentoist.

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This moment used to be the future

This week the Smithsonian unveiled a new sculpture by Alicia Eggert with very Bento vibes.

Long Now Foundation @longnow

The Smithsonian has acquired a light sculpture by @AliciaEggert that is based on a quote from Long Now co-founder @stewartbrand's The Clock of The Long Now: blog.longnow.org/02021/02/03/sm…

February 3rd 2021

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A great reminder that every moment is worthy of wonder.

It’s also a great excuse to learn more about the work of Alicia Eggert, the excellent Long Now Foundation (a Bento Society role model), and its founder Stewart Brand, as long-term a thinker as they come.

February calendar

This month’s Bento Society calendar includes weekly events, the launch of new group experiences on How to be a Bentoist, and the debut of a new event called Community Skillshare.

• The Weekly Bento | Sundays at 9am PST (RSVP)

• The Retro Bento | Fridays at 12pm PST (RSVP)

• How to be a Bentoist | Starting Feb 10 (Details)

• Community Skillshare (share a skill you know, learn a skill from others) | Feb 25 4pm PST (RSVP)

Last call: How to be a Bentoist

The new Bento Society experience “How to be a Bentoist” kicks off this Wednesday, Feb 10th, with a few slots left. The experience explores value-setting, decision-making, and increasing your self-awareness. Learn more here.

What I’m reading right now

The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee — An incredible book about how racism has undermined public investment in the United States. Extremely well-reported, written, and highly recommended. We’ll hear from Heather on an upcoming Ideaspace podcast. 

The Fires — How a Computer Formula, Big Ideas, and the Best of Intentions Burned Down New York City by Joe Flood — A wild book about fires in the Bronx and how data can lead us astray. 

Democratic by Design by Gabriel Metcalf — An inspiring and first-hand exploration of alternative organizational structures like co-ops.

Community snapshot

My favorite community post this week came from Bento member Nicole Villa, who compared how we undervalue ourselves to a meme about how homes are valued.

Thanks for sharing Nicole. To join the forums, become a member of the Bento Society.

Peace and love,

Yancey
The Bento Society

The Bento Society explores the frontiers of what’s valuable and in our self-interest. It hosts weekly events for its global members and supports projects aligned with its mission.

Become a member of the Bento Society