Justin, I want to express my deep appreciation for your writings on Substack. Your reflections—on faith, family, and the joy of parenthood—offer a rare blend of intellect and sincerity. You weave the grand questions of existence with the intimate moments of life, reminding us that wisdom is found not just in philosophy but in laughter, love, and the everyday revelations of being present.
Your words are more than insightful; they are therapeutic, stirring thought, sparking curiosity, and creating space for reflection. In a world that often prizes certainty over nuance, your perspectives offer something rare—the freedom to wonder, to doubt, and to marvel.
Know that your voice matters—not just to me, but to many silent minds you awaken along the way. I hope you continue to share your journaling and thoughts, as they enrich more lives than you may actually realize.
Really enjoyed this piece Justin. The section on quantifying metrics and measuring success vs. writing for its own sake especially resonated with me. So much of what we do online can make things both on and offline feel like a utilitarian arms race sometimes. It's refreshing to do things for their own sake on occasion.
It reminded me of GB Shaw quote (possibly apocryphal but very much in keeping with the spirit of the man) responding to people querying why he wrote "I write for the same reason that a cow gives milk". The very nature of most artistic and creative endeavours, whilst they may be elevated and crystallised by public recognition, originate in quieter and more personal places. Echoing Nirmal's comments below - Please keep doing what you are doing. Some of us value it for its own sake.
P.S. The above is in no way casting shade on your son's comments or feedback, which I'm sure is valid in its own respect. I would likely provide similar feedback to my dad if he had a Substack/would in any way allow me to provide a legal review of the same. :)
Perhaps we are at that moment of the third industrial age where some people start to realize that the antidote to noise is quiet. I was asked if I use AI to write. I don’t. It would defeat the purpose because I write not to generate content but to spur understanding and growth. Is such resistance to reduction counter cultural?
I was having just this discussion yesterday with a friend, which is we are about to enter, or have already entered the next content explosion because of GenAI - low cost high quality content. But is there a difference between having the ability to consume compressed versions of large content volume versus having the discernment to process less content in a more meaningful way? How do we optimize machine assistance vs personal growth - and how do we retain the intellectual engagement and presence of being, of heart, that are intrinsic to the compassionate operation of society? If it all comes down to “according to GPT”…doing the work of the mind, who is doing the work of the heart?
These are the questions I think the coming generation will face. Speaking of which, younger son has some amazing content - he shares with a small audience, and does not have social media. His thinking is I would rather have feedback from a few who know than many who don’t.
Late to the party on this one - I check substack intermittently so do excuse the tardy reply Justin! Couldn't agree more with the response and resonate with all the issues discussed. In a way analagous to how the the Gutenburg press precipitated new horizons of access and use of information and eroded, or perhaps evolved, societal trust in institutions, GenAI and use of LLMs likely will precipitate a similar 'spiritual crisis' requiring us all to ask some very big questions.
Also sounds like your son is growing up to be quite the conscientious individual. Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. :) Looking forward to future content and more exchanges like this Justin -Thanks again!
Justin, I want to express my deep appreciation for your writings on Substack. Your reflections—on faith, family, and the joy of parenthood—offer a rare blend of intellect and sincerity. You weave the grand questions of existence with the intimate moments of life, reminding us that wisdom is found not just in philosophy but in laughter, love, and the everyday revelations of being present.
Your words are more than insightful; they are therapeutic, stirring thought, sparking curiosity, and creating space for reflection. In a world that often prizes certainty over nuance, your perspectives offer something rare—the freedom to wonder, to doubt, and to marvel.
Know that your voice matters—not just to me, but to many silent minds you awaken along the way. I hope you continue to share your journaling and thoughts, as they enrich more lives than you may actually realize.
With appreciation and solidarity,
Nirmal L.
This means so much Nirmal - thank you.
keep pushing the boundaries - its making a difference
Really enjoyed this piece Justin. The section on quantifying metrics and measuring success vs. writing for its own sake especially resonated with me. So much of what we do online can make things both on and offline feel like a utilitarian arms race sometimes. It's refreshing to do things for their own sake on occasion.
It reminded me of GB Shaw quote (possibly apocryphal but very much in keeping with the spirit of the man) responding to people querying why he wrote "I write for the same reason that a cow gives milk". The very nature of most artistic and creative endeavours, whilst they may be elevated and crystallised by public recognition, originate in quieter and more personal places. Echoing Nirmal's comments below - Please keep doing what you are doing. Some of us value it for its own sake.
P.S. The above is in no way casting shade on your son's comments or feedback, which I'm sure is valid in its own respect. I would likely provide similar feedback to my dad if he had a Substack/would in any way allow me to provide a legal review of the same. :)
Best,
Ken
Perhaps we are at that moment of the third industrial age where some people start to realize that the antidote to noise is quiet. I was asked if I use AI to write. I don’t. It would defeat the purpose because I write not to generate content but to spur understanding and growth. Is such resistance to reduction counter cultural?
I was having just this discussion yesterday with a friend, which is we are about to enter, or have already entered the next content explosion because of GenAI - low cost high quality content. But is there a difference between having the ability to consume compressed versions of large content volume versus having the discernment to process less content in a more meaningful way? How do we optimize machine assistance vs personal growth - and how do we retain the intellectual engagement and presence of being, of heart, that are intrinsic to the compassionate operation of society? If it all comes down to “according to GPT”…doing the work of the mind, who is doing the work of the heart?
These are the questions I think the coming generation will face. Speaking of which, younger son has some amazing content - he shares with a small audience, and does not have social media. His thinking is I would rather have feedback from a few who know than many who don’t.
Late to the party on this one - I check substack intermittently so do excuse the tardy reply Justin! Couldn't agree more with the response and resonate with all the issues discussed. In a way analagous to how the the Gutenburg press precipitated new horizons of access and use of information and eroded, or perhaps evolved, societal trust in institutions, GenAI and use of LLMs likely will precipitate a similar 'spiritual crisis' requiring us all to ask some very big questions.
Also sounds like your son is growing up to be quite the conscientious individual. Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. :) Looking forward to future content and more exchanges like this Justin -Thanks again!