Writing into the quiet

2025-09-08-02

There's a conversation [fn:1] about whether blogging is lonely and I wanted to reflect on that from the perspective of 24ish years of sharing notes on my idiosyncratic interests. Blog conversations remind me of the Great Conversation between book authors[fn:2] sometimes with centuries in between. In contrast, blogs. are quick, open, convivial.

When it comes to developing ideas, I like public writing more than the ephemeral cacophony of in-person conversations, social media @replies or private e-mails.

My notes are often for my present understanding and sometimes for my future selves. If they resonate with others: bonus!

I think this might be a useful way to think about it.

Write out of self-interest. Leave the door open for serendipity

Then it's not about "No one's liking or commenting" or even "Why can't I find other people like me"

It's more like: I'll keep exploring and taking notes, because it's fun. Maybe I'll bump into others and swap notes someday. Who knows?

[fn:1] Do blogs need to be so lonely? - The History of the Web

[fn:2] I picked up this idea from Adler and van Doren's How to Read a Book and the idea of syntopical reading.