On writing, books, tech, and faith
In Image Journal, James K.A. Smith writes about the tension between the ethical life (e.g., engaging in practical projects of social justice) and the aesthetic life (e.g., secluding yourself to write novels and poetry). Ultimately he argues that a life of genuine faith may actually be closer to the aesthetic life than you may imagine. … Continue reading Writing Novels, Fighting Moralism
Several years ago I argued that while digital privacy is a worrisome and complicated issue, our physical privacy is far superior to what was available in the Middle Ages. But there was one thing I hadn't considered. While we may have better physical privacy, do we really have more solitude? Let me begin answering this … Continue reading Solitude Deprivation, Single Parenting, and the Life We’re Looking For
I came across the following image in a book review of the recently-published English Garden Eccentrics. Source: The Critic.co.uk With the open cloudy sky and the grassy pasture jutting up against a wide plane of glacier-like rock formations and distant mountains, it strikes me as something out of a fantasy novel. I don't know exactly … Continue reading Writing Inspiration: Weird Gardenscapes
Sometimes I think about a response I received after telling someone about heaven. We had been discussing how we talk to our kids about death (which sounds morbid, but as all parents know, children are remarkably candid about these matters), and I mentioned that the story I share with my children is entirely shaped by … Continue reading Christianity Doesn’t Work That Way
From The Narnian, by Alan Jacobs: "[C.S. Lewis] did not know what difference being a Christian was supposed to make, or could make, in his life as a literary writer. He needed clarification—he needed a better grasp of the intellectual landscape through which he was moving. In August 1932, when he was taking an Irish … Continue reading How C.S. Lewis Wrote Books
There are times in life when you meet nerdy enthusiasts whose speech and mannerisms make you promise to never stoop to such depths of nerdy obsession yourself---only to later realize you merely needed the right book to pull you in. This is what happened to me when I first read The Lord of the Rings … Continue reading Book Review: ‘Tolkien: Maker of Middle Earth’
Here's how the notorious British explorer Richard Francis Burton addressed a bitter enemy who was working behind his back to sully his reputation: "Sir,—I have been indebted to the kindness and consideration of my friend Dr. Shaw, for a sight of your letter addressed to him the 10th of October last from Zanzibar. I shall … Continue reading How to Rebuke a Character Assassin
David French summarizes a tension I often feel between my faith and my politics: "I’ve always been conservative. In the left versus right context, I’ve always considered myself a man of the right—the Reagan right. But when the extremes grow more extreme, and the classical liberal structure of the American republic is under intellectual and … Continue reading The Involuntary Moderate
"Will Artificial Intelligence Kill College Writing?" asks a professor in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Micah Mattix gives what I think is a thoughtful response: "This is one of the problems with teaching writing exclusively as a tool. Most tools are replaceable. But I don’t think writing—real writing—is in any danger of being replaced by … Continue reading Whether AI Will Replace Writing
Three months ago I deleted social media from my phone so I could re-evaluate my relationship with technology. For the first 30 days, I checked no social media at all. In the next 30 days, I allowed myself a few visits to Facebook and Instagram, but only on a desktop web browser for short periods … Continue reading Three Months of Tech Fasting: A Brief Report
Richard Rabil, Jr. 