Hi, I’m Silvi Simberg.

I’ve loved to write for a very long time. Since I’ve no serious credentials, so I write in all seriousness what I think and experience through fantasy or science fiction. Anything I like, I can confess or express through Eysin and her universe. Other times I do that on Twitter. I also used to write essays here, but lately, I’ve kept my stamina for the next book volume, or to read something. 

Designer

I also love to solve design problems. It gives a special feeling – the process as well as holding the result in my hands. I can’t wait for more challenges to apply what I’ve learned from brilliant minds like Rory Sutherland, Robert Cialdini, Scott Adams, Jordan Peterson, Nassim Taleb, Luke Burgis, Rene Girard – marketing, behaviour, persuasion, psyche in chaos, psyche in clarity, desires, mimesis. Sometimes it hurts to see what dumb solutions are being pushed out for severe and solvable problems. 

I’m not that passionate about graphic design, although I am deeply familiar with the essentials and can craft with a few programs. I’ve flirted with 3D and digital painting, but I can’t get it to hook. And I haven’t really had an opportunity to use these crafts somewhere. But I try to keep up and slowly educate myself anyway – a nice corporate perk from where I work, lessons on typography, web design, logo making and so on right there, made by professionals, in Linked in Learning. 

I do like taking photos, but I’ve never invested in gear. So, I can’t call myself a photographer – regardless – nature has an inspiring look, especially on her more photogenic days. Something has inspired me a collector of encyclopedias. 

Privately

Happy to be a wife and a mother. This man changed my life. It’s going well. 

Trivia:

PC or MAC? Never had apple products. I have the cheapest Chinese phone with the best camera. 

Bouba or Kiki? How about BLOING?

Girly? Nah, a potato on most days. But I can dress up for special occasions. I’ve found it takes deep habits to be cultivated, and mine are underdeveloped. 

Favourite economical model? Well, I’m not the entrepreneurial type, and capitalism is rough on artists… 

Religion? Currently looking into the Electric Universe. There is something greater, a higher intelligence than us and even our sum – for sure. 

Favourite book? I only recently started reading, so I haven’t accumulated that many favourites, but here goes:

Incerto – Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Please, DO read the whole series. By now I have read the series 2.5 times. It is a lot of material to go through, but it is so refreshing!

You’ll be surprised how much in your life is and has been tied to “risk”. Therefore, understanding “risk” will help you make better decisions in your life – you will learn to use mental tools to secure a better future. And you will come to understand your mistakes made in the past better than you did until then – Nassim (although I would never dare to address him like that in person (I would bow my head and limit my words to “thank you” – his masterpiece of a book series is sage stuff.

What is anti-fragile? It’s your BONES! It made me see how I’ve not been such a dumb and terrible person all this while, stumbling around in life like some clueless idiot. 

And it’s a good philosophy, too. This book has everything – and it doesn’t get even a little bit magical in the bad sense. It’s so down to Earth. And the planet deserves to have more people who understand the message of this philosophy – and find their way to a creed – an unspoken pact among humanity – we really DO have only this one planet. 

Spin offs

I do hope that the “localism” movement that the book only too slightly refers to, takes off. A kind of a retvrn thing – but also a synthesis of something old, ageless – but hand-in-hand with the good, useful bits of technology that we have. 

What has made this book even better for me was the fact that the author is quite active on Twitter, he’s quite approachable if you don’t annoy him with stupid questions too much! He has fashioned himself an information-processing superhero – he loves to bust statistical bullshittery.

He with a few friends started a course now many years ago, which has had the effect of a large distinct social circle on Twitter – people who have attended RWRI, are fans of the books, or know Nassim through other means – he has been to quite some interesting places in his life, I guess – but I must say, the people I have met in that circle – WOW, people. 

How to fail at almost everything and still win big – Scott Adams

The 2016 US elections changed the world in some very strange aspects. Scott Adams had started his own internet show and commented on the news, and elections daily. I didn’t watch him daily, but I happened to see one of his political videos when everyone and their dogs were so surprised that Hillary Clinton did not become the next president. And you know, Scott Adams is a hypnotist, commenting on other hypnotists.

And while the political and news commentary was entertaining to watch (it made me feel smarter than other people, I guess), the most powerful episodes he did was when he went outside the news/politics domains. Topics that are personal and real – how to get on in life – some practical tricks. 

He’s also the author of the Dilbert comics + ALSO quite approachable on Twitter. Occasionally he is asking for stories from fans, and one of mine even got through! I felt complimented!

What Scott Adams teaches isn’t hypnotism per se, it’s persuasion. He also refers to several other books which expand in more specific domains – court cases, sales… It was with his book that I picked up reading again. He made references to other things to read, and I did – Robert Cialdini, and Kahneman (which eventually led me to Black Swan and Nassim Taleb). 

But the most powerful persuasion technique I learned only later – how? What? Check out Chris Voss’ masterclass on negotiation tactics.

12 Rules for Life – Jordan Peterson

Other than the political inclinations that the book offers, it had something valuable for me. I’d picked up that book right about the time I was looking to get romantically involved with some other human being. This book is a fireworks, a kind of festival and a congratulation on trying to make my life better. He offers a set of pre-cooked mindsets that should help you set your life in order should you need it. 

Sadly, people who don’t need it tend to see only the political inclinations of the book and are completely ignorant of the valuable work Dr. Peterson is doing with his work. But I give it to you – he is controversial, at times – and he’s certainly not for everybody. 

Left the book link out on purpose, can’t be arsed to explain why. 

Wanting – Luke Burgis

Mimesis is the gravity of society and culture. Like RISK – something that pervades as much in our lives should be beneficial to understand. Why do we want what we want? Our idols and our rivals. This book also directed me to read Rene Girard – the one Luke learned it all from.

The implications of these societal inclinations are quite something – this book and the concept of mimesis brought a sort of clarity to the mind. And of course, as with all the books that I enjoy – confirmed my suspicions.

Learn Writing

I’d also like to offer a special nod t two brilliant ladies who taught through their courses and writings on how to write a nove:

Jessica Brody with her adaption of “save the cat” structure.

Lisa Cron with “wired for story” course and book.

Contact me

Come, I’m super active on Twitter;

And for whatever reason, if you must, let’s connect over LinkedIn

Facebook sucks. 

Otherwise, if you want to get in touch, you can write a nice letter and send it to:
silvisimberg /at/ outlook /dot/ com