Laurel Schwulst is a versatile designer, artist, educator, and technologist passionate about the intersection of humanity and technology. She shares her journey from a 90s upbringing shaped by digital curiosity to advocating for 'HTML Energy.' Topics include using web development for personal expression, the celebration of HTML Day, and the vision of reimagining the internet as a public good. Laurel emphasizes creating a more educational and mindful web that fosters community and enhances human connection.
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Quick takeaways
Laurel Schwolst emphasizes the importance of personal websites as tools for individual expression and community engagement online.
The concept of HTML energy promotes a revitalization of the internet, focusing on community and public good over corporate interests.
Deep dives
The Intersection of Technology and Creativity
Laurel Schwolst embraces a multidimensional role in her work, navigating between design, art, education, and technology. She reflects on her early exposure to the internet, which fueled her desire to create online spaces for self-expression and community building. By reminiscing about her childhood experiences with websites like horseland.com, Schwolst illustrates how she began to view the internet as a canvas for world-building and creativity. This formative approach continues to influence her perspective on the internet as a platform for individuals to mold and express their unique identities.
Empowering Personal Expression through Education
Schwolst emphasizes the significance of personal websites as essential tools for sharing one's individual ideas and ecosystems. Through her initiative, Fruitful School, she aims to teach others how to create meaningful websites that reflect their interests and passions, rather than just presenting a polished portfolio. This educational focus fosters a sense of agency among learners, encouraging them to articulate their thoughts and connect with like-minded individuals in the vast online landscape. By lowering barriers to web creation, Schwolst advocates for a more accessible and personalized approach to digital expression.
HTML Energy and the Vision of a Public Internet
The concept of HTML energy, introduced by Schwolst and her collaborator, seeks to revitalize the foundational essence of the internet as a communal and accessible platform. They organize events like HTML Day to unite individuals in writing HTML, fostering connections among those who share a desire for a more enriching online experience. This movement envisions transitioning the internet towards a model that prioritizes public good, moving away from corporate interests and addictive designs. Schwolst discusses the potential of creating a 'PBS of the internet,' focusing on nurturing, thoughtful platforms that enhance individuals' connections to themselves and their communities.
Welcome to The Orthogonal Bet, an ongoing mini-series that explores the unconventional ideas and delightful patterns that shape our world. Hosted by Samuel Arbesman.
In this episode, Sam speaks with Laurel Schwulst. Laurel operates within many roles: designer, artist, educator, and technologist. She explores—among other things—the intersection of the human, the computational, and the wonderful. Sam wanted to talk to Laurel because of this intersection and particularly because of how Laurel thinks about the internet. As part of this, she helps to run HTML Day and its celebrations, promotes what is referred to as “HTML Energy,” and is even thinking deeply about what it would mean to create a PBS of the Internet. In other words, the Internet and the web are delightful and special for Laurel, and she wants more of that energy to exist in the world.