Staying silent,

I get lost in thoughts.

So I write.

Writing brings clarity to my thoughts, generates new ideas, and preserves my current perspective for my future self. While I primarily write for myself, sharing publicly creates possibilities for unexpected connections and insights.

Here I share my motivations on why I write and post essays publicly.

Writing for Myself

Above all I write for myself. 

Writing brings clarity and focus to thoughts. I enjoy contemplation moments and I enjoy losing myself in the train of thought. But sometimes I also need not getting lost in the ever flowing thoughts. Writing makes my thoughts somewhat concrete, tangible. In a way my thoughts crystallize and take shape as I type them. Often I find the written shapes look different than how I imagined them in my mind. This creates a grounding effect.

Furthermore, the act of writing generates new ideas and insights on how I observe the world. Once I express earlier thoughts, I am freer to explore next ones.

Preserving Memories

I’m fascinated by how memories change every time we recall them. The article explores this phenomenon of memory being rewritten at each time remembered: When Memories Are Remembered, They Can Be Rewritten.

Every time we bring back an old memory, we run the risk of changing it. It’s more like opening a document on a computer – the old information enters a surprisingly vulnerable state when it can be edited, overwritten, or even deleted. It takes a while for the memory to become strengthened anew, through a process called reconsolidation. Memories aren’t just written once, but every time we remember them.

This phenomenon makes written records particularly valuable. I would like to record my thoughts now for the pleasure of my future selves – creating a more faithful archive of my current perspective than memory alone could provide.

Why Share Publicly?

Sharing my observations makes serendipity possible. I don’t know if my essays here are of any use to anyone beyond myself. Although I hope to help or positively surprise whoever reads these essays, I don’t have such an expectation. Still, if I don’t share my essays publicly, we will never know the reader’s reaction.

In my first year at university, one of my favourite computer science professors explained how best to write code (and comments): Always be considerate of the reader who has no idea about your reasoning unless you explain. You will be that reader 6 months later.

I appreciate this wisdom now more than ever. When we write with an audience in mind – even if that audience is our future self – we create more thoughtful, contextualized work.

A Conversation Across Time

I write for myself, but which self? I see myself changing continuously. My habits, routines, thoughts, and identity keep changing. Through writing, I’m creating a conversation across time with my past and future selves. Let’s see what future Fırat thinks of these : )