going slow

The writer Ted Chiang was once asked in an interview if he ever considered publishing more frequently. Chiang, one of the greatest living fiction writers (the sci-fi film Arrival is based on one of his short stories), has only published two story collections—the first in 2002, and the next in 2019.

Here is how Chiang replied:

“There’s no one who wish... See more

“Life is always winking at us, calling our attention to the beauty hidden in plain sight. Why do we so often miss what’s right in front of us, lost in thought, constantly checking our phones or tethered to endless to-do lists?”

I didn’t feel comfortable inside the endlessness of it. I am the kind of writer who believes in taking the time I need to come up with something worth saying. I work quickly but I don’t always work - and that’s because the thoughts are in my slow cooker and the timer hasn’t gone off. Once the timer goes off, I know exactly what I will serve on the ... See more

The paradigm of acceleration fails to grasp the deeper human tension between action and contemplation. It’s a false binary, one that Benedict XVI (then Joseph Ratzinger) identified clearly in Introduction to Christianity. He described modernity’s obsession with Machen—do/make—as the belief that only what we can build, manipulate, or produce is real... See more

Light mode is fast and iterative, producing work that’s quick to make but just as quick to fade. It’s the mode of rapid experiments, side quests, and prolific posting. Heavy mode is slower, deliberate, and intentional (often hermit mode). It’s the mode of deep work that builds over time and carries lasting weight.

The modern makers’ machine does not want you to create heavy things. It runs on the internet—powered by social media, fueled by mass appeal, and addicted to speed. It thrives on spikes, scrolls, and screenshots. It resists weight and avoids friction. It does not care for patience, deliberation, or anything but production .

It doesn’t care what you ... See more