Your words are wasted
A spontaneous decision led me to start my blog, driven by the desire to share experiences, thoughts, and expertise. Reflecting on the importance of owning your space on the web and the role of AI, I believe documenting our journey today will benefit both our future selves and others.
Introduction
I stumbled upon this post by Scott quite accidentally, and on another day, I might have just passed by. However, it was the title and its essence that caught my attention.
Your words are wasted - Scott Hanselman
Lately, I've found myself retelling essentially the same story to different people. When it happens for the first time, there are many emotions and epithets, but by the last repetition, there's hardly anything left.
I'll leave the link immediately, as I might forget.
I don't repeat, I don't repeat it twice, it twice.
Due to various circumstances, my closest circle doesn't gather for beer on Fridays because everyone is grown up and busy with their lives. We meet individually when it's convenient. It's never the case that I can gather at least three people and tell something to them all at once.
Making things worse is the fact that some people use one messenger, others use another, some have social media, and some don't. So, there's no platform where everyone feels comfortable to gather in a common chat or where everyone not only is present but also views the content you publish.
My friends are great people. Among themselves, they only know each other a little, and that's through me. Complicating everything further is the fact that everyone has different interests. People who know me well can easily name five or more of my hobbies, such as cars, bicycles, music, programming, collecting, and so on... // By the way, we need to take inventory of all hobbies.
So, it's not always interesting for them to chat or listen to very distant topics, but personal stories are much better received. However, I'm very talkative, and everyone gets what I'm "obsessed" with at that particular time.
It becomes sad because the emotions I have in the first days, which I want to share, diminish with each retelling. The details become more blurred, and the story itself becomes shorter. Also, seeing the interest of certain people sometimes boils down to a common phrase like "I went to the garage, nothing important."
Of course, I'm not sorry about it, but I feel somewhere inside me that this process of communication should happen somehow differently.
Here's how I see it
Right now, I have this idea:
- Positive emotions should be shared quickly.
- And your experience should be documented in something like social media posts or other platforms.
So, where you want to convey your experience, or save details for friends, acquaintances, and especially for yourself, for the long term - you should write it down. Take photos, film, and describe.
Everything that stems from your emotional state should be conveyed in person, not in messengers or social networks. Important things get lost in satellite signals and wires in big data centers between your phone and your friend. Your smile is not conveyed by a photo, and the depth of your sadness is not emphasized by any Emoji.
As described in the article, there are many questions about the accessibility of your data and its longevity on other platforms, and that has always concerned me too.
I used to be a fan of selfies, both with and without reason, but something has changed now. However, I still support the idea that you should collect beautiful moments for yourself. Some things are also worth being described - at the very least, your thoughts and your personal blog are probably the best place for this. It's not only for yourself but also for your future self. // I tried to wrap it nicely, not sure if it came out clear
Scott's article essentially suggests that you should start your own blogs and write about what you understand.
Blog anyway. Everyone is an expert at something. Blogging is worthwhile just as a diary or journal is worthwhile, except with a blog you can google it later." - Scott Hanselman / August 19, 2012 11:48
And I also want to support this idea. If you have a desire to share your experience, find new environments based on interests, and grow, then why not do it in your cozy corner, where friends and not only friends can get to know you better, and you yourself will use your own experience and knowledge in the future.
About Artificial Intelligence
I'd like to touch on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) just a little here, and here's why - we are currently on the verge of mass adoption of AI in our daily lives.
I'll remain skeptical and won't sing praises of it as everyone else does. We still have to test it ourselves.
One thing I know for sure, because I've been interested in this for a long time, is that you can tame AI and turn it into a pocket assistant. The self-hosted theme has been enriched precisely by artificial intelligence. Enthusiasts from all over the world are deploying private and fully isolated AIs at home for various tasks and on different hardware they have at hand.
Mostly, people try to adapt it for smart homes, and I see great progress in this direction. Another use case is precisely the pocket assistant, which has access to your notes, blog, and database. Well, more often, this is done not for home but for business, but what's the difference?
When people run AI on Raspberry Pi, which is affordable hardware, and when they have already integrated it with a business database, it's only a matter of time before you or I will be using it from our watches or smartphones. // wanted to write "phone," but looked at the landline on my desk and realized it won't handle it
Here's no need to go far. Almost the first link on YouTube. There's no need to prove anything.
To maximize the benefits in the future, not just from artificial intelligence, which will already provide benefits, but from oneself, it is important to think and document one's experiences today.
This is not a call to action; it's just food for thought.
Own your words.
Owning your words is not just about the right to your intellectual property, nor about the accessibility or possibility of sharing your experiences with friends. It's about the ability to use them for the benefit of your future self.
Own your space on the Web, and pay for it. Extra effort, but otherwise you’re a sharecropper. - Tim Bray
Sharing your thoughts and content on platforms and websites beyond your control doesn't even make you a co-owner. When Tim Bray wrote his phrase in 2012, he didn't know that by 2024, starting your own blog would be cheaper than having a cup of coffee. And I can prove it with my own example.
I have experienced situations where all your creations disappear along with the website. But the website/blog you create yourself will work for you in both direct and figurative senses.
My own opinion began with feeling tired of retelling stories to friends, but also weary of transferring my posts between different platforms. As an example, my car blog is now seeking shelter for the fourth time. Much of the content will never return.
The phrase "Your words are wasted" exactly touched upon the feeling I had, wondering if I could convey my thoughts, if they would be heard, and if they would be understood correctly and fully.
I can't predict the future, but I want to believe that the words I write in this blog will benefit not only me but also someone else. Let AI learn from my experience and retell when necessary, concisely and accurately. // It almost sounds like a testament.
The decision to start my blog was spontaneous. I stumbled upon Scott Hanselman's blog by chance. I became interested in self-hosting and networks out of boredom. It seems to me, is everything going as it should?
