Letters of Wreck

Recently, over the last year or so, I've dabbled in blogging: sharing my opinions with the billions on the internet who are looking for something to help pass the time before it's porn-time again. The problem with blogging, though, is that even if one's opinions are grand or accurate or well written, that doesn't mean they'll necessarily be read. You know this. I know this. Sad day. And there is no easy way to generate a readership. Yes, word of mouth, digital mouth, the mouth of your mother who doesn't quite understand your interests or why you're pursuing them, but supports you anyways. Readers are finicky and difficult. We are finicky and difficult. Especially in an age when there is so much to read/hear/see that I just don't want to read what the random lit. guy from San Fran posted about... again! So I became depressed. And then killed myself.

Actually, I didn't. Surprise! (Take that, Berryman!)

Really though, I started to think about why I was pursuing blogging when I really didn't care to read most anyone else's blogs. (Yes, I'm a hypocrite. Which is why I blog.) I spent more time posting and replying to Facebook links than fully reading what articles had to say. But then I started to consider WHY I was compelled to do so. THE SECRET OF FACEBOOK is that it doesn't have to really do much for its users beyond provide a platform on which the users can function. They do all the work. They post because they want their friends to comment. Middle Schoolers unabashedly streamline the process to solely get likes. Revenue generation based on the exploitation of wanting to be heard and liked. This. Is. Fucking. Genius. I'm not really aching for readership because I want to be famous or make money through blogging (yes, of course this would be nice). I'm aching for readership because I want to share and debate my opinions with others, as well as have them share theirs with me. That's where you come in. You are the others. See, I consider myself intelligent. Thus, I should and do have something to say. I want to be heard. I want to hear you, but talk slightly louder. Then you do the same. That's why I like academia. I assume, to some degree, you like academia for that reason as well. You love what you're pursuing because you (1) love your interest, (2) love the critical community surrounding the interest, and (3) want to add to it.

SO, I propose a pursuit of some kind in which we, us three, you two and me, KNOWINGLY do something not for monetary reparations, but for psychological ones. I'm not talking charity. I'm not that kind to others. I am still talking about blogging or a website, SOME SPACE in which we can post and share our opinions, pursuits, interests, etc. with each other. As a readership, the rest of the world doesn't matter. If you haven't figured it out, I don't care much for the general populous' opinions. They are stupid, and blind, and removed from anything intellectually stimulating or challenging. (Where the fuck is Holden Caulfield when I need him?!) What I care about and, I assume, you care about are the opinions of each other. Pretty much every time we've gotten together or get together, we talk about our pursuits and our desired pursuits. I want to take a step to solidify our commitment to that concept.

What if we made a blog/website? And each week one of us HAD TO post an article on it. AND being the supportive friends that we are, we would respond to it (critically, humorously, supportively, have-you-considered-this-perspective-ly). It could even be comment-centric. What a nice, intellectual stimulus. And we could be heard by one another. It potentially alleviates most of the anxieties I have about being a writer/artist/academic/enthusiast, as it is so difficult to maintain honest pursuits without the support of those who are honestly interested as well. Of course, I honestly wonder if that'd be too much to ask of each other. We're busy. I mean, you all are busy. I'm currently a jobless piece of shit. This could be why all this is manifesting itself the way it is. However, I do know that we all, us three, as friends, have come to very similar conclusions about the state of academia, the state of the artistic world, and the state of the actual world. And we. are. frustrated.

I'm not saying that we need to post anything that's perfect or necessarily grounded in a ton of research or academic theory. I know, if only we could record our diatribes when we get together and debate. Then again, that's sort of what I'm wanting to capture. The intelligent banter. A place where you can briefly post your thoughts on a movie or director. Where you can critically vent about the state of education. A place where you can pitch an idea about a story. A place where you can ask us to read an article you found online, then read yours, then have us let you know what we think. Yes, Joey, this COULD be a place to try out some foodie writing or to write more (or less) critically about food. You know you want to. Yes, Ryan, this COULD be where you post comic artwork or any artwork or a part of a story you've mysteriously found the time to write. Yes, this could solely be a place to house intelligent banter. This could be a place where we just bullshit concepts... because that's what we do! We are bullshitters! And we're so damn good at it.

For an email, I know this is long. I apologize. For a critical inspection into contemporary anxieties, it's drivel. But as a blog post/article, it could be our first. It has the potential to open avenues and outlets of thoughts about our projects, our desires, our fleeting moments of inquiry.

Let me know if you're willing to do the same, because we're damn able.