Writing more with 5-minute reads...

​​Who in their right mind would start blogging in 2024?

Better yet, who would read a blog? In a world of Artificial Intelligence, YouTube videos, and TikTok Reels, why read, why write? Well, maybe there aren’t any good answers. I don’t know many individuals who would choose to read something. But, I think I’m missing something: depth. 

I live in a world where technology can ‘create’ thousands of words in seconds, create realistic videos in seconds, and expose me to dozens, if not hundreds of people, in seconds (assuming the average length of an Instagram Reel is 5-7 seconds long, and I end up continuing to scroll 🙃). I was on dating apps for a season, and I’m ‘meeting’ and ‘judging’ potential life-partners in seconds by swiping left or right, and then repeating the same thing with the next person. 

Somehow, I’m encountering more and more ‘content,’ but I’m saturated with so much of it that it becomes white noise—indistinguishable from something else. And so, I’m wanting to write, because I’m wanting to exist for more than 10 second-increments. 

If I’m honest, I don’t think I’ll get many readers in a world of viewers—which actually relieves some of the perfectionistic pressure I normally apply to myself. For example, when I write an academic paper, a song, or a poem, my inner-perfectionist agonizes over every little detail. It takes forever to finish anything, and, because it takes forever, I never start working on it (typical procrastinator). If I assume no one will read these words, however, I’m free to not be perfect. 

I’m not sure if you believe in souls, or the human spirit, or the psyche, but I do believe that every human has a part of themselves that longs to be seen, understood, valued, and engaged. There's a part of us that we know is real and exists, and yet, can go unnoticed and ignored, and if enough time goes by, we wonder if that part of us still exists. In my opinion, this is the part of our society that is growing invisible and ill. This is the part of me that is growing ill. Writing and reading might help parts of us exist that can't be captured with a camera.

Once upon a time, or perhaps in a distant location far away from where I'm writing this, getting to know each other required attention spans for longer than 10 seconds. Do we not all have a desire (even if suppressed) to feel known? Maybe one day we can recover the art of learning how to engage someone beyond superficialities and presenting ourselves with endless filters and digital refinement. Maybe, one day, we can live in a society that knows how to cultivate digital trustworthiness.

Which is why, if you have stayed with me this far, dear reader, I’m grateful. Attention spans are probably the most sought after thing in our world. I used to be able to watch a Netflix show without an advertisement, and now, I have to watch 2-3  ads while already paying for a Netflix subscription—I don’t even know when, or how this happened.  

Here’s what I’m committing myself to doing. I’m going to be writing some more, and, with little pressure of perfection. Unlike my academic work, I won’t necessarily have a thesis, a series of points to argue, and a conclusion to summarize everything neatly. I’m trying to practice being human in a society that is becoming more artificial with every passing month. 

What I do promise, though, is to expose a little more of what’s going on within my soul. Ideally, I’d love for you to try and do the same. My hope is that these are no more than 5-minute reads. For your time, I’ll try to not bore you. Realize that this is an attempt to engage, however. So feel free to comment. I’ll read your reply and respond. Thanks for stopping by. 

—René