Persuaded me to listen seriously to Kate Bush.

Motivated me to read Paul’s Letter to the Romans - again, seriously.

Induced me to order Badiou’s Being and Event from Amazon.

Reassured me that there are still people out there who enjoy reading and thinking - some of whom are no longer in their early twenties - and that it is possible to go on being such a person without having to take vows of academic poverty.

Suggested to me that the ethics of the Free Software movement may be practically applicable beyond the domain of computer code: that the construction of a much broader intellectual commons is in progress, and that there is a widespread (if not particularly demographically dense) desire to participate in such a commons.

Politicised me to a degree I would have considered inconceivable not very long ago.

Relieved my boredom and intellectual loneliness, and given me hope.