“Do Nothing for as Long as Possible”

February 28th, 2006

If you’ve followed Brian Eno’s career in even a cursory manner, you’ve probably come across references to an arcane deck of cards known as the Oblique Strategies. These cards, which bear the subtitle “Over One Hundred Worthwhile Dilemmas,” featured gnomic sayings such as “Don’t avoid what is easy” and “Honor thy error as a hidden intention,” which Eno used to suggest solutions whenever he got into a creative jam. The Oblique Strategies, which first appeared in concrete form in a limited edition of 500 in 1975, were co-created by Eno and the artist Peter Schmidt. The first set was followed by two more limited editions in 1978 and 1979, each of which added new cards to the deck. Schmidt passed away in 1980 and Eno opted to retire the project for a while.

Over the years the Oblique Strategies have earned a reputation for being a fascinating way to unclog a musical or artistic block, but their scarcity has driven the price of the first three editions up over $150, if you can find them. Happily, there are now a few ways to access the Strategies. One is to visit Gregory Taylor’s website, which includes the text of all three editions as well as a privately printed fourth edition. If you use a Mac, there is great widget you can add to your dashboard. Perhaps the best way, though, is to order the new, fifth edition from Brian Eno’s website in England.-MJS

Entry Filed under: Books