| When you're writing holistically, the point often only comes at the end. Or, sometimes it's about the journey and the friends you make along the way. A commentator upstream declared that there is only one purpose to writing: to impart information. I disagree strongly. That may be what that commentator expects from writing, but I'm in it for many possible things. I like writing that tickles my fancy, or entertains. I like writing that teaches me something, even if it seems tangential to the purpose of the essay or book. I like writing that doesn't even try to teach me anything. I write a lot just to get my own thoughts clear---in my own head, not someone else's. Not everything is for everyone, all of the time. That's OK. You can just walk away, even without registering your opinion. I think Justin's erudite and learned style provokes those who feel he thinks he's better than the reader. I've been reading him for a long time and nothing could be further from the truth. He just likes to write about things and sees connections where others would not. Sometimes it takes a while to explain those connections. I'm almost done with the book he wrote about. I quite like it and have learned a lot. |