Hi 👋 I’m Jay Springett
A writer, podcaster, and strategist
I do a lot of things and have a lot going on. But! I have expertise in the design and managing techno-social systems, web3 protocols, and world building. My work is about creating hybrid environments, figuring out governance & coordination mechanisms, experimenting with permissive IPs, and nurturing power fandoms that can bring worlds to life.
All these interests combine in the emerging field of world running. I am currently writing my first book ‘The Web Was a Side Quest‘.
I am currently consulting on: IRL immersive spaces, Autonomous Worlds on L2 chains, the history of MUDs and early multi-user codespaces, I will be teaching a week at The New Centre’s upcoming workshop seminar on Theory Fiction, and my world theory essay ‘Movement Between Models’ written for the 2022 Incredible Machines Conference will be published in print soon.
I have been called an ‘Unlockable Character‘ before. Some sort of NPC you didn’t realise that could join your party and/or enter your world until we speak. My background in corporate consulting, tech operations, and philosophy of the arts means I have a particular set of skills and perspectives that are valuable to people. If you’re searching for someone who can bring a fresh perspective and a diverse skillset to your world, reach out and let’s explore our dialogue tree.
Since 2018 I have been the host of
Permanently Moved
A personal podcast, 301 seconds in length
I’ve been involved with the speculative genre of Solarpunk since its early origins
My short story ‘In The Storm, A Fire’ was long listed for the 2020 BSFA Award for Short Fiction. I have also been an admin solarpunks.net since 2014.
I play bass guitar in a ‘slow & sad’ country band called Forest Bed
Described variously as ‘celtic cowboy’ and music for ‘the comedown after the hoedown’.
In a former life I was a concert grade flautist + piccolo player.
EP coming soon!
I speak regularly at conferences and events all around the world
I’ve spoken about technology, the future, and regenerative cultures at events such as: Sonar+D (ES), Unsound Festival (PL), Fiber Festival (NL), Theorising the Web (US), and Transmediale (DE).
Currently
- 🔊 Host: Permanently Moved
- 🔊 Host: Experience.Computer
- 📝 Writing: The Web Was a Side Quest
- 📝 Writing: The Mother of All Chains
- 📝 Writing: Cultural Fracking
- ⌨️ Writing: worldrunning.guide
- 🌕 Contributor-at-large Ignota Books
- ⌨️ Long-time admin @ Solarpunks.net
- 👤 Advisor to several orgs: Novara Media, Common Knowledge, Ignota Books, and more.
Recently
- 🖥️ Co-Pilot: Come Internet With Me
- 🌳 Land as a Platform
- 📕 Future Art Ecosystems (FAE1)
- 👥 Founding member guild.is
- 🎨 Possibly an artist without art
Previously
- 🏢 Ten years paying dues in HR tech and talent strategy start-ups.
- 👨💼 Strong opinions on BizOps & PMOs
- 🎨 Initiator: #stacktivism
- ✏️ Co-designer: simple critical infrastructure maps icon set
- ➕ More miscellany here
I also make a zine called Start Select Reset
Start Select Reset Zine (SSRZ) is a physical newsletter posted via snail mail 4 times a year.
If you would like one too, subscribe.
Contact
- Read about how I use the web and where you can follow me
- Contact me about working together (or for any reason really)*
- Become a paid subscriber and support my work
*No, I will not send you a résumé.
Event & Speaker Bio
One-line version
Jay Springett is a strategist, writer, and host of the 301 second long podcast Permanently Moved. He is currently working on his first book ‘The Web Was a Side Quest’. He has been an admin on solarpunks.net since 2014 and writes online at thejaymo.net.
One-Paragraph version
Jay Springett is a strategist and writer. Jay’s deep background in corporate tech consulting and the philosophy of arts fused in the late twenty-tens around the concept of worldrunning. He is interested in the design, administration and flourishing of worlds of all kinds. Jay has been the admin on solarpunks.net since 2014, was a founding member of the decentralised creative exchange guild.is and is a Fellow of Royal Society of Arts. He has been the the host of the 301 second long podcast Permanently Moved since 2018 and writes online at thejaymo.net.
Long Version
Jay Springett is a consultant strategist and writer with a background in corporate tech consulting and the philosophy of arts. He works with individuals and organisations to create cohesive worlds, hybrid environments that foster a culture through the interaction of people, place, and technologies.
He is recognised as an articulate voice in the emerging speculative genre of Solarpunk, a movement that seeks to answer and embody the question, “what does a sustainable civilisation look like, and how can we get there?” He has described Solarpunk as a memetic engine – a tool to power the ‘refuturing’ of our collective imagination. His Solarpunk short story ‘In The Storm, A Fire’ was long listed for the BSFA Award for Short Fiction and Chanticleer International Book Awards Short Story Award Semifinalist.
Jay is currently working on his first book, “The Web Was a Side Quest” a book that explores: the history of worlds, Dungeon and Dragons, the so called metaverse and will speculate that this might be what computers are actually for. In 2019 Jay Springett was selected as one of WeAreEurope’s 64 Faces of Europe. He is a Fellow of Royal Society of Arts, a founding member of the decentralised creative exchange guild.is and a member of the Global Regeneration CoLab.
Jay is currently an instructor at The New Centre and has guest lectured on many University Courses. He speaks regularly about the future, technology and regenerative culture at events such as Unsound Festival (PL), Sonar+D (ES), Fiber Festival (NL), Theorising the Web (US), and Transmediale (DE).
Originally from the most south easterly point in England, Jay now lives south of the Thames in Zone 6 London. He spends his time mostly behind a laptop screen but sometimes can be found behind a bass guitar in the slow sad country band Forest Bed. Jay describes himself as an artist without art and has been writing online under the handle @thejaymo since 2001.
