Purpose v?

Since I might be posting here more often, it feels like a good time to revisit why this blog exists in the first place. What’s its purpose now? What was it before?

If I weren’t so lazy, I’d go back and reread the various “purpose” posts I’ve written over the years. But since I am that lazy, I’ll just point to the most recent one. I know there’s at least one more out there, so we’ll call this Purpose Post v3 (at minimum).

At its core, the original purpose still holds: I use this space to express myself—to work through ideas and emotions in a semi-accountable, public way. There’s a fair amount of hubris baked into that, of course. It assumes that people will read what I write, engage with it, and maybe even call me out when I get something wrong or miss the mark. (Yes, I recognize that claiming only a moderate amount of hubris is probably its own form of hubris.)

It also assumes that people will be interested enough to respond in good faith. And while the internet isn’t always generous with that kind of engagement, I’m going to keep operating under the assumption that it’s possible. I still believe we all have the capacity to tap into the better angels of our nature—myself included.

In addition to that foundational purpose, I want to write more fully and honestly about what I’m thinking and feeling. In the past, some posts here have been raw, but many were curated—carefully edited to reflect the version of myself I wanted to show. I avoided certain topics. I held back on others. That editing wasn’t the cause of the disconnect between who I was projecting and who I was becoming, but it was definitely a symptom.

I’m not letting that kind of rift develop again. One small way I can stay accountable to that promise is by showing up here as my full, unfiltered self.

It’s also worth saying what this blog isn’t for. It’s not a place for open letters to people in my life, past or present. If I have something to say to someone, I’ll say it directly. If I’ve learned anything in the last few months, it’s this: direct and honest communication is best. No one should feel called out or subtweeted by anything I write here—if I stick to that commitment, this space will remain what it’s meant to be.

With that, a new chapter of posts can begin. Or not. We’ll see what needs saying—and what refuses to stay quiet.