I’ve been thinking about why I created this blog, and why I continue to write. This is what I’ve come up with.
Writing encourages me to continue to develop thoughts, instead of having them, posting them in their infancy and abandoning them. I find that this negative pattern of behavior is encouraged by microblogging platforms like Twitter, BlueSky, Mastodon, etc. I place a strong emphasis on growth of ideas on this site. I want to encourage myself to have ideas, develop them, challenge them, and refine them.
Thinking in public further encourages me to develop my ideas, and, I hope, serves as an example of a healthier way of thinking to others. Making mistakes in the open is a great way to learn.
I want to contribute to the personal web. I’m going to steal this from my friend Emily Horsman, who says
I miss the corners of the internet where you’d Google some niche thing and one person with a blog had already written about it. You’d go look at it and they’d have shown their homework and given it to you without watching two minutes of video first or showing you a bunch of ads. These corners still exist and it’s still possible and I’d like to be a part of it — sharing knowledge under the premise of “from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs.”
I believe that the dissemination of knowledge is incredibly important. I want to contribute openly to the human project of understanding our environment and the world around us.
My friends read this, and as someone who is bad at managing social bandwidth and maintaining connection over long distances, my friends being able to read about what I’m up to and thinking is hugely beneficial. Hi friends :).
If you’re interested in trying to help remake the internet in the image of people, not corporations, here are some starting off points.