My name is David, welcome to my new blog. I’m starting this as a personal project for several reasons:
First, I realized in the run-up to and immediate aftermath of the 2024 U.S. presidential election that I spend way too much time writing out my opinions on the internet. This happens across a variety of platforms, and yet none of it felt constructive or useful long-term. A blog gives me a place to do this writing more thoughtfully and constructively.
Second, I’ve been inspired by a spate of writers, including Anil Dash, Gita Jackson, and others to make halting steps away from centralized social media and towards a freer, more personalized internet. Corporate control of the internet has made it less democratic, effective, and fun. Blogs, blog-rings, personal websites, and independent news/social media are part of a broader vision for a decentralized and open internet.
This is congruent with the vision of the internet espoused by some of my personal heroes. In particular, Aaron Swartz died in the fight for an open internet, and hundreds of others have faced either incarceration, death, or censorship to make and protect the idea of the internet as an egalitarian, progressive space. With the internet largely consolidated to three or four big websites owned by awful billionaires, this kind of project feels more necessary than ever.
Third, as we approach a new year, I’m hopeful that this can become a means of building community and making the web a more fun and interactive place. I’ll endeavor to link to and discuss the work of others that I appreciate and admire, and it’s my hope that the folks who read this (all two to four of you!) will share things with me too. Together, we can turn this into something beautiful.
I appreciate you going on this journey with me.