Welcome to Verstreuen—meaning “to scatter”—where I unpack the ideas I’ve collected this week in my 🗃️ Zettelkasten, “note box,” personal knowledge management system. Here, I’ll share the highlights, insights, and stories I find interesting—and think you will too!

_{Forwarded this email? Subscribe for more}

This Week’s Highlights

This week, I rounded out 90 new entries to my Zettelkasten for February—out of all the insights, these three stood out to share with you:

…… Three techniques to create value out of thin air

…… How Google taught an AI to remember important details

…… The definition of modern luxury

An Exploration of Value

Over the past few years, the phrase "just give value" has dominated my for-you-page, presented as a universal solution for networking, starting a business, and even building meaningful relationships.

But what exactly is this value that we're encouraged to give so freely?

Philosopher Robert S. Hartman, in The Structure of Value: Foundations of Scientific Axiology, provides a structured way to approach this question. He argues that value is not arbitrary—it follows a pattern. Something is good when it fulfills the ideal criteria of its category.

• A good knife is sharp, balanced, and durable because these qualities define the essence of an ideal knife.

• A good business strategy is one that aligns with the needs and expectations of a market.

But value is not one-dimensional. It shifts depending on what is being measured. Hartman categorizes value into three dimensions:

1. Extrinsic Value (Function) → Does it work well? (Sharp knife)

2. Systemic Value (Structure) → Does it make sense? (mathematically sound formula)

3. Intrinsic Value (Meaning) → Does it feel special? (Cherished gift or belief)

These dimensions show that value isn’t about giving more—it’s about offering the right thing in the right way.

Turning Value Into a Strategy

Strategy Secrets outlined three techniques for generating value “out of thin air”:

1. Context Shift (Change the context) – Reposition something to compete in an unexpected space.

2. Unexpected Value (Import new ideas) – Import value from one domain into another.

3. Contrarian Value (Break the rules) – Do the opposite of competitors to create a new form of value.

Each of these techniques aligns directly with Hartman’s framework:

Context Shift → Extrinsic Value (Redefining the Functional Ideal)

Context shifting works by measuring something against a different functional ideal than it was originally designed for. Instead of competing within its expected category, it aligns with a new standard of "goodness" in a different space.

Example: Halo Top repositioned low-calorie ice cream as a post-workout snack rather than just a dessert.

Instead of being judged against "indulgent desserts" (where richness and decadence are valued), it was measured against "healthy post-workout foods" (where protein content and low sugar are valued).

→ How to apply it: If your product isn’t resonating, ask: What new context could make this the ideal solution?

Unexpected Value → Systemic Value (Importing a New Ideal from Another Category)

This technique introduces a structural change in value perception by borrowing an ideal from another domain and applying it to a new space where it previously didn’t exist. This changes the "rules" of how something is judged.

Example: Lush applied the concept of "freshness" from food to cosmetics.

Instead of beauty products being judged against "long shelf life and chemical stability," they were measured against "fresh, perishable, natural ingredients"—a standard imported from the food industry.

→ How to apply it: If an industry feels stagnant, ask: What ideals are common elsewhere but absent here?

Contrarian Value → Intrinsic Value (Challenging the Industry’s Ideal Itself)

Instead of aligning with the dominant industry standard, contrarian value works by rejecting it in favor of a different, overlooked ideal. This challenges what people assume is valuable.

Example: Nintendo reduced console power with the Switch to focus on portability instead of performance.

Instead of competing in the "powerful gaming console" category (where the ideal is high processing power and graphics), Nintendo aligned with the "portable, social gaming experience" category (where the ideal is convenience, flexibility, and unique gameplay).

→ How to apply it: If you're in a crowded space, ask: What industry ideal can I reject to create a new form of value?

The Essence of True Value

Whether in business, relationships, or creative work, value is not just about giving more—it’s about realigning something with a meaningful ideal in a relevant context.

When people say, "just give value," they often mean to offer something useful. But true value is not about abundance—it’s about precision. The best products, services, and ideas don’t necessarily offer more features, content, or effort—they offer the right kind of value, aligned with the right expectations.

The most profound value comes from aligning not just with any ideal, but with the right ideal at the right time.

So rather than asking, How can I give value? perhaps the better question is:

What ideal does this moment demand? Because if you’re playing by the wrong ideal, it doesn’t matter how much ‘value’ you give—it won’t be recognized.

**🗃️**

Google’s Artificial Memory

Our brains evolved to remember what keeps us alive. Dopamine—the brain’s "feel-good" chemical—drives us to seek out and retain crucial survival information. In The Molecule of More, Daniel Lieberman explains how dopamine not only fuels our desire to explore but also strengthens memory.

Imagine an ancestor wandering the savanna. One morning, she discovers a bush bursting with ripe, nutritious berries — a sight that immediately triggers her dopamine system. This burst of dopamine serves two essential functions: it creates an emotional high that reinforces the experience, and it encodes the memory of the location for future reference. Dopamine, in essence, acts as an internal highlighter, marking events that are critical for survival. As Lieberman explains in The Molecule of More, this system evolved to push us toward opportunities that might sustain life.

Google’s memory system operates similarly. Instead of storing everything, it selectively remembers important moments based on a "surprise" metric, much like how our brains highlight unexpected rewards.

How It Works:

• Surprise and Reward:
  When something exceeds our expectations, dopamine spikes—from a calm 3–5 pulses per second to 20–30 when excited. Google’s system similarly flags standout moments with an increased surprise score, prioritizing events that break the usual pattern.

• Learning from History and Context:
  Just as repeated dopamine signals help our ancestors remember which berry bushes were reliable, Google’s system tracks past events and adjusts its criteria based on changing circumstances.

• Handling Unmet Expectations:
  When an expected reward doesn’t show up, dopamine drops to zero, signaling us to disregard that memory. Similarly, Google’s system downregulates data that doesn’t hit its surprise threshold.

By mimicking these dopamine-driven processes, Google’s memory system captures and stores only what truly matters. This efficient approach mirrors our brain’s natural way of filtering and prioritizing life-saving information and exemplifies how nature’s design can inform and inspire cutting-edge innovations in the modern world.

Continue Reading:

**🗃️**

The Changing Shape of Luxury

Luxury has always been about scarcity.

Once, being well-fed signaled status—proof that you could afford what others couldn’t. Now, when food is abundant, wealth is measured in health and discipline.

The same shift is happening with information. For most of history, knowledge was locked away—only the wealthy had access to books, private tutors, and formal education. The printing press disrupted that and the internet obliterated the remaining barriers. Now, information isn’t scarce—it’s inescapable. We don’t struggle to find it, we struggle to filter it. The challenge is no longer access—it’s Intention.

That's why modern luxury isn't about more. It's about intentional living.

In a world where anyone can be endlessly stimulated, the rarest privilege is the ability to choose what deserves your attention. Dopamine is cheap. Focus is expensive. The wealthiest people today aren’t the ones consuming the most—they’re the ones who can step away.

Luxury is now about control—over your time, your attention, and what actually deserves your energy. Modern value isn’t in accumulation; it’s in curation.

Throughout history, luxury shifts with scarcity. What was once a privilege becomes common, and what was once overlooked becomes aspirational.

And right now? In an age of excess, the ultimate luxury is less—intentionally choosing what remains.

**🗃️**

Closing Thoughts

At its core, this week’s ideas highlight a simple but powerful truth: value isn’t about more—it’s about focus.

• A product doesn’t need more features; it needs the right positioning to create value. (what’s worth doing)

• A memory system doesn’t need to store everything; it needs to filter for what truly matters.(what’s worth remembering)

• A luxurious life isn’t about excess; it’s about Intention choosing clarity over noise. (what’s worth prioritizing)

We’re surrounded by distractions, infinite choices, and the pressure to do more. But true value isn’t in accumulation—it’s in elimination. The ability to focus, to filter, and to align with what truly matters is what separates noise from meaning, busyness from impact, and distraction from progress.

So rather than asking, How can I add more?, perhaps the better question is:

What is worth my attention?

Because in the end, what you focus on is what shapes your life.

Thanks for reading Verstreuen

Thanks for taking the time to explore and reflect on my notes with me. If any ideas particularly resonated or challenged you, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

👋 Until next week.

-GH

What did you think of this edition? 📩
We’d love to know how this week’s Verstreuen landed for you!

Click to rate:
⭐ 1 - Not for me
⭐⭐ 2 - Could be better
⭐⭐⭐ 3 - Pretty good
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 - Really enjoyed it
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 - Loved it!