Over time I’ve become reasonably competent at anticipating how people will react to my writing. Not with perfect accuracy, of course, but generally within some loose perimeters. These predictions are separate from my own judgements, and shouldn’t imply that I’m chasing a particular effect. But they always come to my mind after I finish a piece and think, without trying, about how it will land. Sometimes I’m right, sometimes I’m wrong, but it is the most intriguing when I’m more negative than the result—when I expect apathy, or aversion, but the piece ends up as more popular than normal.
Maximization, this month, fits in that category. Although I only learned this lesson from some personal conversations and my emails, as nearly all readers react in secret. But it is curious for me to consider why this issue struck some readers more than I expected. I actually wrote the issue earlier in the year, and was mostly pleased with the result, for my own purposes and for my own sensibility, but I was reluctant to click send. If you don’t enjoy Desk Notes, then you probably won’t believe me, but I do have a self-imposed hurdle for sending an issue, and most of what I write isn’t sent. Although if you don’t enjoy Desk Notes, I don’t know why you even read this paragraph.
So I’m left to recalibrate, to examine my own assumptions, to wonder what I might have missed, and that’s always a good moment. Although the hurdle that I mentioned earlier is based on my own standards, it is still useful to hear reactions, and to observe how something that I write fits into our messy, haphazard, convoluted, and basically unpredictable world. So, thank you.
Here’s a little review of all my essays from September, which will bring you, I do hope, at least a few new thoughts.
Issue 182 — Always Improving (🔒 Paid Subscribers)
The artist should strive to have an upward trajectory, to always learn and develop and enhance the work, while also recognizing that there’s no destination to reach, because a destination implies a completion—which is the very negation of an artistic project.
Issue 183 — Those Who Can't Teach
Although I will never underestimate the power of stupidity to reach unimagined vistas, the saying “those who can’t do, teach” must be the stupidest of all clichés.
Issue 184 — Maximization (🔒 Paid Subscribers)
The goal is efficiency and speed and optimization and your humanity is determined by your ability to transform your life into statistics.
Issue 185 — Perfectly Imperfect
The truth is that I prefer a little complexity, even a little dysfunction, whether that’s just a bit of traffic, or a slightly delayed plane, any situation where there’s some friction, where the pieces don’t quite fit together.
Issue 186 — Speaking with an Accent (🔒 Paid Subscribers)
You’re either from right here, or you’re from over there, and we’ll know the answer once you speak. Just open your mouth a smidge, nothing more is required, for a test of your fluency.
Issue 187 — The Shaping of Character
Understanding an individual human no longer requires any cumbersome nuance—we have categories and your selection of preferences will determine your character.
Issue 188 — Tests of Fluency (🔒 Paid Subscribers)
Fluency is certainly the most tedious word in language learning.
Issue 189 — A Purpose to Creativity
Perhaps you want to be creative. Perhaps you want to express yourself. Perhaps you want to take what’s intrinsic and unique in your life and reveal it to the world.
And if you would like to support my writing, the best way is with an upgraded subscription. Desk Notes is a reader-supported publication with both free and paid subscriptions. Thank you, as always, for reading.