Writing

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Writing is hard. You’re condensing your thoughts into more general concepts that can (hopefully) be understood by others. It’s equivalent to compressing a giant file (your mind) into some smaller artifact (some scribbles on a page).

Writing is valuable. It’s how we can give the gift of knowledge to the future. One can learn some concept and teach it to others with no investment other than the time spent compressing that knowledge.

Writing is introspective and philosophical. Writing delves into the nature of knowledge. What’s worth sharing with others?

The process of writing is good practice for thinking. It forces you to focus on communicating clearly. It makes you think about language and how to effectively convey concepts. It makes you consider if your examples are truly clear and engaging, or just a distraction not adding any value.

I’m really bad at writing. My thoughts are chaotic and disorganized and hard to communicate. Praciting writing gives me the chance to hone what I’ve been thinking about, and work “muscles” to help me communicate more clearly.

Recent posts from blogs that I like

Commemorating the bicentenary of the death of Jacques-Louis David 2: Revolutionary

Among the leaders of the French Revolution, he was almost guillotined alongside Robespierre, but got on well with Napoleon, and was even offered the post of court painter to King Louis XVIII.

via The Eclectic Light Company

Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animals (2025)

It’s my last day of writing for the year, so I’m going to try keep this one quick – it was knocked out over three hours, so I hope you can forgive me if it’s a bit clumsier than my usual writing. For some strange reason, one of the few clear memories I have from growing up in Malaysia is a particula...

via Ludicity

How Rob Pike got spammed with an AI slop "act of kindness"

via Simon Willison