Different Angles, Same Crack
A Devil's Playbook Year-End Note
The year’s almost over, so I figured I’d do one of those year-end reflections.
I didn’t start this project with a master plan. No roadmap. Just writing and frustration at how things were going. But somewhere along the way, I noticed I was circling the same fracture from different angles. Different stories, same crack.
That made sense. We’re built more alike than we like to admit. Which means we fall for the same traps, tell ourselves the same comforting stories, repeat the same mistakes... just with different packaging.
I learned a lot this year. About attention. About belief. About how easily a narrative can slip through our defenses. I even learned how to build an AI agent to generate a year-end summary of my writing. It got it right. Mostly. Enough to be impressive, and enough to miss the point. So I scrapped the idea.
I’m taking time off from writing until after the new year. Nothing new til then.
In the meantime, enjoy the holidays.
Your family.
Your quiet moments.
Your boredom, even.
Time is the only thing we actually own, and the only thing you can’t get back if you spend it carelessly.
I’ll see you on the other side of the calendar. 🫶
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But this takes time, thought, and energy. If it helps you see the world differently, consider supporting it by buying me a coffee or becoming a paid subscriber for exclusive content, audio versions of each essay (coming soon), and deeper dives.
Thanks for being here. Stay Curious. Question Everything.
–Luis