Seed, Versus Sod
Aside from typos, grammar errors, and the occasional comment, I do no editing on my posts. Quite simply, because there is always so much more that I could say. I want to explain all the angles, so as to show the reader (you) that I've thought the idea through, not simply blab-filling a concept barely grasped.
The urge to cover everything about one idea is a good driving factor, but frequently damages the quality of my posts overall. Mainly because ideas can swirl around picking up fragments of different ideas, and then those ideas need to be explained too. Eventually you've got about three or four things relative to your core topic, but they're not essential, and therefore usually cluttering the original idea. Not good.
Another detrimental factor for me, (usually seen most obviously in analogies) is the desire to uncover/cover as many possibilities and ideas surrounding my starting idea as I can. This ends in long posts with a conclusion that usually isn't as clear or relative as sticking to one thing. More deceptively, there's this feeling of not wanting anonymous readers to think of something not written down, and believe that I never thought of it. Which is completely ridiculous. Ludicrous, and conceited. The thought of actually being able to think of all the possibilities in an analogy, for instance, is far-fetched at least. Every analogy I've ever written has a ton of other ideas about them I never wrote down. This great wide world has hundreds of millions of people smarter than I. Probably billions, actually.
1 Corinthians 8:1b-2 says, "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know."
All of the above to simply say: I think introducing a simple concept or idea, and expounding upon it in a minimalistic way, would be better for me to focus on, then what I've sometimes tried to do. And that is trying to cover all the bases on the subject.
The point is to give you (the reader) something to think about. What is the point if I try to explain everything before you think? For one thing, that's a futile goal to reach, because there will always be things I never think of. Also if everything is already explained, why bother to think about it anymore? One of my hopes is that whoever reads this, will come away with an intriguing idea to think about. Perhaps forgetting about it in the rush of everyday stuff, but later recalling and mulling over it.
Discovering something for yourself is an easier way to learn than being instructed. Granted, some people have a hard time discovering. I hope though, that this blog will offer something interesting, capable of piquing someones curiosity to discover, instead of bludgeoning them with a complete, rigid, and finished idea. Complete ideas are solid and useful, but they bounce out of peoples heads a lot easier than things originating from inside that same head.
So to sum it up, I guess I'm wanting to plant seed, rather than sod. And if you've ever tried the two, you know what I mean. Okay. I'll tell you anyway. Seed works better than sod. (most of the time)
Acck! That's it. I'm done writing now. No more relative ideas. That started to spiral into a whole 'nuther analogy. :-)
The urge to cover everything about one idea is a good driving factor, but frequently damages the quality of my posts overall. Mainly because ideas can swirl around picking up fragments of different ideas, and then those ideas need to be explained too. Eventually you've got about three or four things relative to your core topic, but they're not essential, and therefore usually cluttering the original idea. Not good.
Another detrimental factor for me, (usually seen most obviously in analogies) is the desire to uncover/cover as many possibilities and ideas surrounding my starting idea as I can. This ends in long posts with a conclusion that usually isn't as clear or relative as sticking to one thing. More deceptively, there's this feeling of not wanting anonymous readers to think of something not written down, and believe that I never thought of it. Which is completely ridiculous. Ludicrous, and conceited. The thought of actually being able to think of all the possibilities in an analogy, for instance, is far-fetched at least. Every analogy I've ever written has a ton of other ideas about them I never wrote down. This great wide world has hundreds of millions of people smarter than I. Probably billions, actually.
1 Corinthians 8:1b-2 says, "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know."
All of the above to simply say: I think introducing a simple concept or idea, and expounding upon it in a minimalistic way, would be better for me to focus on, then what I've sometimes tried to do. And that is trying to cover all the bases on the subject.
The point is to give you (the reader) something to think about. What is the point if I try to explain everything before you think? For one thing, that's a futile goal to reach, because there will always be things I never think of. Also if everything is already explained, why bother to think about it anymore? One of my hopes is that whoever reads this, will come away with an intriguing idea to think about. Perhaps forgetting about it in the rush of everyday stuff, but later recalling and mulling over it.
Discovering something for yourself is an easier way to learn than being instructed. Granted, some people have a hard time discovering. I hope though, that this blog will offer something interesting, capable of piquing someones curiosity to discover, instead of bludgeoning them with a complete, rigid, and finished idea. Complete ideas are solid and useful, but they bounce out of peoples heads a lot easier than things originating from inside that same head.
So to sum it up, I guess I'm wanting to plant seed, rather than sod. And if you've ever tried the two, you know what I mean. Okay. I'll tell you anyway. Seed works better than sod. (most of the time)
Acck! That's it. I'm done writing now. No more relative ideas. That started to spiral into a whole 'nuther analogy. :-)
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