I have had to answer this question, in it’s various forms, a couple times recently. I realized it would be a good exercise to write down my thoughts for good and all.
At my core, I am a creator. I’m also a true believer in the potential of the Internet to improve people’s lives. The internet provides the perfect place to play, tinker, make and remake - all while creating tools that can really have an impact. I’ve been making websites and applications for over 10 years and I am still excited about that potential.
What also intrigues me is the challenge such a powerful tool presents. While it’s used for many good and noble things, a significant majority of the creative effort and time spent on the internet is aimed at endless youtube videos, cat pictures, pornography and mindless status updates. It’s easy to make things that distract, entertain, numb and provide an escape. It takes a lot of hard work to rise above all of that and do something truly enriching.
Have I contributed something truly enriching? Nope. Am I trying? You bet. Right now, trying is the thrill and the reward. I hope that there will be a SlowTech Revolution and in the end, we’ll all be better off.
Why do you create?