A Website Is a Sanctuary
Metadata
Highlights
- Last year, I wanted to make more personal work. I thought, well, if I’m already putting so much energy into my apartment, why not share it? My friend Becca said the website is a way to “honor this space as a being.”
- I like to pay attention to language of everything technological. We use the word “ping” to mean some kind of incoming notification from a friend or app. But I’ve been thinking about what it means to get a “ping from the universe,” and how that’s a helpful metaphor for the whisper of intuition. Having that name is really helpful. Because when I get a good idea, I think to myself, “Oh, I know what that is. That’s a ping from the universe.” And I can note it down.
- A website allows a quietness and separateness that are key to the sanctuary. I also have a live feed looking out my window, which could only have worked on the website.
- The word that most comes to mind is world-building. Like you have your own little Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the audience is way, way smaller. And the objects in your apartment become characters in that universe.
- Things don’t find their places automatically. You have to live somewhere to know how to design it
- I’m also reminded of house numerology, where if you add up the digits in your address, and then come to a number, the number means something. My address adds up to 9, which means “a warm and nurturing home where everyone feels welcome.” That feels true to the sanctuary.
- I’ve had a dream to have some kind of ambient notification in both the physical and digital spaces to allow for more cross-pollination of presence. For example, maybe a light shows up in the corner of the apartment to indicate that someone is on the website, or a light in the corner of the website to indicate that someone is physically in the apartment.
- I return to my original motivation in creating the Firefly Sanctuary: I appreciate whenever someone resists the forces at large and contributes to the web in their own way. This often enables a new way of looking at the world for others. It might encourage connection to realize, “I’m not the only one.”
- I will keep some random stranger on the internet a little warmer because they will know they are not alone.” I’m also inspired by h0p3, a person who writes on the website philosopher.life. They have a personal axiom that resonates with me: “find the others.” And this is literally connected to fireflies: when fireflies shine their light, they are looking for other fireflies in the vast darkness.
title: “A Website Is a Sanctuary”
author: “deeep.substack.com”
url: ”https://deeep.substack.com/p/a-website-is-a-sanctuary”
date: 2023-12-19
source: hypothesis
tags: media/articles
A Website Is a Sanctuary
Metadata
Highlights
- Last year, I wanted to make more personal work. I thought, well, if I’m already putting so much energy into my apartment, why not share it? My friend Becca said the website is a way to “honor this space as a being.”
- I like to pay attention to language of everything technological. We use the word “ping” to mean some kind of incoming notification from a friend or app. But I’ve been thinking about what it means to get a “ping from the universe,” and how that’s a helpful metaphor for the whisper of intuition. Having that name is really helpful. Because when I get a good idea, I think to myself, “Oh, I know what that is. That’s a ping from the universe.” And I can note it down.
- A website allows a quietness and separateness that are key to the sanctuary. I also have a live feed looking out my window, which could only have worked on the website.
- The word that most comes to mind is world-building. Like you have your own little Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the audience is way, way smaller. And the objects in your apartment become characters in that universe.
- Things don’t find their places automatically. You have to live somewhere to know how to design it
- I’m also reminded of house numerology, where if you add up the digits in your address, and then come to a number, the number means something. My address adds up to 9, which means “a warm and nurturing home where everyone feels welcome.” That feels true to the sanctuary.
- I’ve had a dream to have some kind of ambient notification in both the physical and digital spaces to allow for more cross-pollination of presence. For example, maybe a light shows up in the corner of the apartment to indicate that someone is on the website, or a light in the corner of the website to indicate that someone is physically in the apartment.
- I return to my original motivation in creating the Firefly Sanctuary: I appreciate whenever someone resists the forces at large and contributes to the web in their own way. This often enables a new way of looking at the world for others. It might encourage connection to realize, “I’m not the only one.”
- I will keep some random stranger on the internet a little warmer because they will know they are not alone.” I’m also inspired by h0p3, a person who writes on the website philosopher.life. They have a personal axiom that resonates with me: “find the others.” And this is literally connected to fireflies: when fireflies shine their light, they are looking for other fireflies in the vast darkness.