The importance of long-form writing

　Good morning, and a lovely start of the work week. I'm already getting ready for today's spreadsheets, but before I go, I wanted to write a little bit.

　Today's internet is quite fast. The trends come and go, the posts are more and more streamlined, and the infrastructure encourages shorter information, often in detriment of nuance. Striking headlines generate millions of clicks, but I don't feel this is sustainable at all.

　First, this numbs your brain. Having to read viral and inflammatory headlines and short posts leaves your brain active at all times, ready to deal with troll replies that may or may not come. This leads to combative interactions to be the standard, which is noxious and hateful.

　Second, short and individualized posts make it easier to become "lost in the sauce". In my own experiences, I feel like taking the time to write a full block of text like this, unimpeded by arbitrary character limits, and without the prospect of going viral or anything, has improved my thought process quite a bit.

　This is not to demonize short posts. Sometimes, 300 characters are enough to convey certain informations, and there is merit in being succinct and accurate in your wording. But we're humans, and humans aren't minmaxxed entities known for accuracy.

　Some level of rambling here and there, letting your mind drift a little bit as you write a text, then going back and organizing the paragraphs in a sensible way feels rewarding on its own right. Not everything needs to be optimized and automated. There is much fun to be had in being spontaneous and true to yourself.

　And I feel like having a trustworthy place where you can write longer pieces is good - I'd even say it is essential - to maintain your brain in a healthy shape. I now have a newfound appreciation to writing and reading, and while this is not something I actively seek out for, I can definitely notice the benefits the moment I feel like opening up Leaflet and start typing away on the blank page.

　When 300 characters feel too limiting for you, please consider opening up your text editor of choice and let your mind flow freely. Perhaps you will enjoy it, too.