As an engineer, this hits deep. In engineering, there are roughly two classes of engineers: those who make new things and those who keep the old things working. Building the new tech, being a designer, is always seen as more glamorous (and better paying) than being a “mere” maintainer. This results in all the attention and desire focused on building the new while the old crumbles - we see this in our infrastructure.
We get driverless cars driving over crumbling roads and bridges, beautiful art deco skyscrapers and Victorian homes decaying in city centers while everyone flees to the new soulless suburbs that are soon to be replaced by newer suburbs. Few things are built to last anymore.
Everyone expects that the next new thing will be so good that all effort should be spent on developing the new - sprinting up the supposed exponential curve of progress - leaving everything else to decay.
Figuring out how to shift this mentality will be a defining challenge of our times. There are things worth saving and preserving.
This phenomenon was the main reason my wife and I cut way back on TV after having kids. We had 3 kids in the span of 13 months (surprise twin pregnancy shortly after our first). The days were exhausting and time flew by with hardly a moment to ourselves. We only had about 2 hours from 8-10pm for ourselves, and that precious time just evaporated with TV and social media. But just reading a book together on the sofa slowed down those two hours immensely.
This is also a key reason for us to consider homeschooling for the first few years. The chaos of managing school and school related activities for 3 kids sounds destructive.
I wanted to thank you for your book Wanting and your thoughtful Substack articles. I just got back from a 4-day solo silent retreat, where I thought about what I wanted and who my mimetic models were. This was hard! Thank you for inspiring me to seek silence and question everything I know, especially at such a young age (22).
I believe there is something in my soul’s calling that involves bringing retreats to society, and I want to help you do that. I really look up to you and want to learn from you and help you in any way I can with your mission.
I was wondering: are you or CLUNY looking for any extra help whatsoever?
As you once wrote, “The greatest developments in history are the result of someone wanting something that did not yet exist—and helping others to want more than they thought was wantable.”
I truly believe retreats are this thing. I believe that they are something that people want but don’t know that they want. I really want to help take strides to shift culture to incentivize slowness and silence.
I would love to help in any way I can, including working for you for free. I also have some ideas about helping CLUNY set up its first contemplative nature retreat in 2025 that I'd love to share with you.
Let me know via Substack DM!
P.S. I also replied to the email version of this and sent you 2 Fulfillment Stories to show you what I value :)
Thanks for this today, Luke. It's almost as if the Gospel truths are baked into the human being at a fundamental level. Gaining by losing, the first should be last, and the meek inheriting the earth.
As an engineer, this hits deep. In engineering, there are roughly two classes of engineers: those who make new things and those who keep the old things working. Building the new tech, being a designer, is always seen as more glamorous (and better paying) than being a “mere” maintainer. This results in all the attention and desire focused on building the new while the old crumbles - we see this in our infrastructure.
We get driverless cars driving over crumbling roads and bridges, beautiful art deco skyscrapers and Victorian homes decaying in city centers while everyone flees to the new soulless suburbs that are soon to be replaced by newer suburbs. Few things are built to last anymore.
Everyone expects that the next new thing will be so good that all effort should be spent on developing the new - sprinting up the supposed exponential curve of progress - leaving everything else to decay.
Figuring out how to shift this mentality will be a defining challenge of our times. There are things worth saving and preserving.
This phenomenon was the main reason my wife and I cut way back on TV after having kids. We had 3 kids in the span of 13 months (surprise twin pregnancy shortly after our first). The days were exhausting and time flew by with hardly a moment to ourselves. We only had about 2 hours from 8-10pm for ourselves, and that precious time just evaporated with TV and social media. But just reading a book together on the sofa slowed down those two hours immensely.
This is also a key reason for us to consider homeschooling for the first few years. The chaos of managing school and school related activities for 3 kids sounds destructive.
Hey Luke!
I wanted to thank you for your book Wanting and your thoughtful Substack articles. I just got back from a 4-day solo silent retreat, where I thought about what I wanted and who my mimetic models were. This was hard! Thank you for inspiring me to seek silence and question everything I know, especially at such a young age (22).
I believe there is something in my soul’s calling that involves bringing retreats to society, and I want to help you do that. I really look up to you and want to learn from you and help you in any way I can with your mission.
I was wondering: are you or CLUNY looking for any extra help whatsoever?
As you once wrote, “The greatest developments in history are the result of someone wanting something that did not yet exist—and helping others to want more than they thought was wantable.”
I truly believe retreats are this thing. I believe that they are something that people want but don’t know that they want. I really want to help take strides to shift culture to incentivize slowness and silence.
I would love to help in any way I can, including working for you for free. I also have some ideas about helping CLUNY set up its first contemplative nature retreat in 2025 that I'd love to share with you.
Let me know via Substack DM!
P.S. I also replied to the email version of this and sent you 2 Fulfillment Stories to show you what I value :)
Thanks for this today, Luke. It's almost as if the Gospel truths are baked into the human being at a fundamental level. Gaining by losing, the first should be last, and the meek inheriting the earth.