Been working on it for a while. If people like it I'll do more, as a series.
It turns out almost everything is interesting, when described to a child, as if for the first time. Bees are interesting, and so are black holes, and stubbornness, and eggs, and glasses, and first kisses. Even standing in line at Walmart is interesting.
Also, you have just given yourself an infinite amount of work for the next decades. I can easily come up with a thousand words I would love to see explained in this way.
Ty. I think what you're talking about is a real problem. I don't want to this medium to get pigeonholed as just a series of "takes." What could be a medium with a lot of beauty then becomes just people yelling in your inbox.
Especially over the last year, the "Substack take" has become a very distinct genre, half from convergent evolution, but the other half by choice, based on mimicking the "take-based" Substacks that have increasingly taken over. And it's exactly why I'm doing more pieces like this one, to push back on that.
I also really hope Substack itself (the company) figures out that devolving into a "take-based" platform would be, long run, really bad for its prospects.
So many beautiful lines in this one! Very rich imagery.
Been working on it for a while. If people like it I'll do more, as a series.
It turns out almost everything is interesting, when described to a child, as if for the first time. Bees are interesting, and so are black holes, and stubbornness, and eggs, and glasses, and first kisses. Even standing in line at Walmart is interesting.
I can’t wait! These first entries are already worth my yearly subscription to the Intrinsic Perspective!
Also, you have just given yourself an infinite amount of work for the next decades. I can easily come up with a thousand words I would love to see explained in this way.
I was gonna say you killed it with the prose in this one. Very nice stuff!
This is stunning! I want a whole book of this, a book for adults and children, with colour illustrations. :)
Seconded! Would be an incredible gift
I hope this will become a series. It feels like Substack is becoming dominated by "takes" -- this, in contrast, is an exploration. Rich and beautiful
Ty. I think what you're talking about is a real problem. I don't want to this medium to get pigeonholed as just a series of "takes." What could be a medium with a lot of beauty then becomes just people yelling in your inbox.
Especially over the last year, the "Substack take" has become a very distinct genre, half from convergent evolution, but the other half by choice, based on mimicking the "take-based" Substacks that have increasingly taken over. And it's exactly why I'm doing more pieces like this one, to push back on that.
I also really hope Substack itself (the company) figures out that devolving into a "take-based" platform would be, long run, really bad for its prospects.
"As is true of many things, you as a child have no need to thank them for this selfless act. The fact that you exist is thanks enough."
This whole piece is extraordinary, and as a fellow parent this line especially hit home.
As a new mother, this piece speaks to the excited joy I have to explore the world again through my daughter's eyes. Thank you for sharing!
Beautiful, Erik!
I haven't listened to Jack and Diane in a while. Thanks for the great article, and the reminder to listen to that song.
Delightfully told true stories!