A post about blogging

Now that several generations of social networks have come and gone, and messaging apps catch you even in parking lots, I rarely see personal blogs in the form of personal websites anymore. There's no shortage of ways to publish content online, and there are far simpler options with far easier access to an audience. So why do some people still build their own sites for this, pay for hosting, and some even put more effort into their design and development than into commercial apps?

I won't speak for everyone, but for me it's simple: on social media, your content doesn't belong to you. Posting there is like renovating a rented apartment: sooner or later you'll move out, and the landlord will be left with the new renovation, not you. Some people even manage to build entire houses on rented land. Social media works the same way: everything you publish there becomes part of that platform, and you can't fully control it.

This isn't about everyone needing to delete their Twitter accounts and hand money to WordPress developers. There's a huge group of people for whom social media is the perfect tool, giving them the ability to share their thoughts, earn money, and promote themselves or their products. But I believe that for those who create, who make content not so much for the hype but for the content itself, for those who feel constrained by a one-size-fits-all format, and for those who would like their thoughts to outlive them, there's no better option than having your own cozy digital space that fully reflects your personal vision.

Digital gardens

Many things find a second life when someone gives them a new trendy name. Digital gardens are one of those things. There's nothing new about broadcasting your vision, your ideas, and just your notes in a format free from any platform-imposed limitations - as web interfaces. But I like this name because of how well it describes the essence: in the endless jungle of the internet, you slowly cultivate your own corner that reflects your personal worldview, free from others' opinions.

I consider my blog to be one of these gardens. Not because it's all pretty and blooming, but rather because of the shared meditative nature of both activities.

Format

I only have a vague picture of my garden's format and structure - it takes shape in the moment rather than being planned in advance. For the most part, it will probably be thoughts, reviews, and articles on topics close to me. But importantly, I wouldn't want to limit myself to a classic news feed format, churning out post after post. Instead, I'd like to update the content as it evolves along with me and my views. Even this basic post may be updated in the future. I like Steph Ango's concept of Evergreen notes, just in a broader sense.

Besides that, I hope this site will eventually get more interactive interfaces than just text and standard media. Sometimes interaction is what conveys the point best.

And finally, it's worth mentioning AI, which is penetrating the internet that spawned it at incredible speed. I'm neither its opponent nor its ambassador. I like delegating routine tasks to LLMs and other neural networks, but I don't like outsourcing my thoughts. So the texts and ideas in this blog will be my own work, while certain visualizations and translations may be done by GPUs.

That's where we'll start.