14 Comments

This article is definitely one to reread and spread around to friends and colleagues. Thank you, Alvaro. You're right about the society these media are developing. We think in sprints rather than marathons. Our conversations trip over the surface of ideas, especially here in the U.S. because we're all so scared of triggering someone's beliefs. (It's the 'karma running over someone's dogma' syndrome.)

As for my own writings, I feel lucky if someone reads them at all, and even luckier when someone comments on it. That's why I save my posts to a word document to print-and-bind for my descendants. Maybe they'd get a kick out of reading it ... maybe. And maybe it would last a few years as long as someone doesn't burn down the house or lose the "Mom's stuff" box.

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Hi Sue! How inspiring it was to read your comment. You've given me a great idea: to write all my letters in Word or somewhere else so I can print them out later and have a big book full of short chapters. That idea... thanks!

I hope your thoughts will last for many years to come, I really do. I too feel like it's a treat when someone looks into this little corner called "Mental Garden."

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While many of your essays pertain more to younger, more "engaged in the world" people than I am at my age, I learn a lot from your writings. It would be good to copy them into a hardcopy tome, not only to save for your descendants, but as a future book to publish for those outside Substack. Thank you for your hard work putting these things together.

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Without a doubt, you gave me a great idea and I am considering editing my texts and publishing the letters as chapters of a big book, arranging the letters by categories. I loved your idea :)

Thank you!

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I'm glad that something I wrote inspired you. My pleasure definitely.

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Thanks :)

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Beautiful and love your advice

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Hi Laura! Thanks for your comment. I've actually noticed that there's a trend in content creation, everything seems to be getting shorter and shorter, but of course, there are always voices that go against the grain and there will always be texts that aspire to be timeless, dealing with universal themes.

Seeing it like this gives me a lot of clarity.

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❤️❤️❤️ you made me think and it stuck I totally agree and I wonder if people can benefit more from a short to the point post? Or videos?

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It all depends on the type of audience. Personally, I enjoy deep and long content more, but of course, it is not always appealing to delve into enormous novels.

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Thanks, Alfaro, for sharing my research.

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Hi Scott! Glad to hear you use Substack and found me. Your work was really inspiring for me, it's a topic I've been thinking about for a long time and I finally found your work on research gate. It was really helpful for me, thank you!

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Interesting thank you Alvaro. Substack is a bit different - I choose specific subjects, some of it timeless and it might seem a lot is forgotten quickly, but I think it builds wisdom and character in thin layers. There is also the contentment of understanding others have come to the same conclusions through experience.

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Hi Alan, you are so right, I see it the same way you do.

Every letter I write I feel is a thin layer of knowledge and that little by little they are building a great library where ideas are preserved, nothing expires.

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