Kind Words

I don't spend a huge amount of time drawing attention to comments, positive or negative, but a lot of the time this kind of comment comes to me privately. I generally regard private communication as exactly that. Sometimes I will get people's permission to post it, but not often.

However sometimes it's really worth sharing something nice. This person is both being very kind as well as showing that I actually have avoided cultivating fandom to at least some extent. This person didn't complement me as a person, they didn't say I'm “important to them,” they didn't say anything parasocial.

They simply said they benefit from my work and believe it makes the world a better place. From someone who takes in my work, I couldn't ask for a nicer complement. This is what I make things for, the hope it can positively affect people. And the way this person expressed this indicates I've set up a situation around my work that has a detachment, but in a good way. I've set expectations which do not center me as a simulated relationship to consume.

If there's one thing I want to be, it's what this person sees me as: someone who makes things that have a positive effect in the world. I observe circumstances, I do the most non-sensational, sober analysis I can, and try to make something interesting out of it.

I wanted to share this because it reflects the kind of engagement I am comfortable with and hope to get from people I do not personally know. It reflects the work I've done not to paint myself as a friend to people I do not know, but rather a person who works hard, does their best, and the result is positive and useful for people.

It's also just very nice to know my words or actions can have a positive impact on people.

For me, this is the highest complement. I wanted to share because I'm proud to be doing things that someone would say that about, and I'm grateful to people for engaging with those things genuinely. It's awesome anyone likes anything I do, but the specific way this person complimented me makes me feel like I'm actually doing what I'm trying to do.

Thank you all for your support. I'm really excited to get the new documentary out. It's been a tremendous amount of work. It's going to be very good, I think. I'm at a point where I'm trying to trim the fat from it, and then there's only a few steps left. Those steps involve going out for a couple hours and filming in a field dressed as an equine enthusiast. It's been hot as balls lately so I'm a bit concerned about when and how, but I always figure that out.

Thanks for sticking with me everyone.