Smallness

My quirky newsletter is about to reach 100 subscribers. That’s at least 100 more than anticipated. I started that newsletter mostly as a motivational tool. I was trying to find excuses to leave the home and hike more. It worked. Sort of...

The content is all over the place and there’s not really a theme. But maybe that’s why 100 of you decided to sign up.

There’s something fascinating in a “small crowd”. Something that can’t be found on social media or on a blog.

For a lot of people, the goal of social media is to grow an audience. That’s kinda the whole point. You have this number attached to you and you want to see it grow. Why I have no idea. Maybe because a bigger number means bigger opportunities to broadcast your thoughts. Or maybe because it opens the door to commercial opportunities. I honestly don’t know. Social media is a mystery to me and I want it to stay that way.

The same is true for newsletters. I love to have a small newsletter. I have honestly no desire to see it grow to thousand of people. Because a bigger number means a bigger distance between you and me.

Right now I’m fortunate enough to live in the internet suburbs. My site sits in a quiet, niche road and only a certain type of person comes by. And I love it. Every time someone rings at the door and wants to chat I can stop what I’m doing and engage in conversation.

And that’s because you’re a small crowd. But what if instead of one of you, five thousand show up at my door? There’s no way I can let five thousand people in. I’d have to pick and choose who’s “worthy of my time”. That’s just stupid.

The 2020 internet—and society in general—has become obsessed with growth. Growth is not always good. We should spend more time appreciating the small things. Both on the internet and in life.