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The Olivetti Valentine typewriter

July 6th, 2020

An icon of 1960s pop-art design, the Olivetti Valentine typewriter was designed by Italian architect Ettore Sottsass and British designer Perry Ellis for the Italian company, Olivetti.

Sottsass covered the typewriter in red “so as not to remind anyone of monotonous working hours.” Its iconic red color was a precursor to the iMac, a machine that also differentiated itself from other computer products by offering a panoply of vibrant colors.

The late great music icon David Bowie was known to have one of the Olivetti Valentine typewriters in his own private collection.

The typewriter debuted on 14 February 1969, hence the name ‘Valentine’ and also existed in a neutral gray color as seen below.

Photo: Twitter/dean_frey

via twitter
Craving light

January 14th, 2019

Never bored, always on, perpetually entertained. That describes the 21st-century in a nutshell.

We medicate all our boredom, stresses, and frustrations to external stimuli on a tiny screen. All an Instagram like does is produce a temporary shot of dopamine. All Facebook does is serve our voyeuristic inclinations and spike envy. Does this behavior sound healthy to you?

I’m not imploring you that you throw your phone into the ocean, at least just yet. Having the internet in our pocket is the best thing ever. Just ask David Bowie.

But the long-term consequences of feed-based culture are not only narcissism but also feigned action. One can’t start an important and impactful revolution through a sedentary nor solitary lifestyle. We have to use our legs to go places, to stretch our perspective, and unplug ourselves from the tyranny of virtual attention.

If you are immune to boredom there is nothing you cannot accomplish.
David Foster Wallace

Humans crave light, albeit more artificial these days. If we could just pay attention to real life beyond the rectangular glow and stare into sunsets and bright moons instead, perhaps we’d feel even more connected to our conscious selves.

The Olivetti Valentine typewriter

Craving light