This is "Message from Brian: #27/#48." It was sent on September 15 at 11:42AM.
To be honest, I don't think posting the raw emails is attracting people to your blog, at least not right now. I enjoy talking to you through this medium quite a bit, so my emails to you are fairly long and detailed, but we like to read. I wouldn't think too many other people have a "good time" reading this much every day, but I could be wrong. At the most fundamental level, that's the most basic trap I set when designing The Way. It's long, and for most people with a "Twitter mindframe," it's too much of a commitment. It's always amusing to me when people glance at my book's link, then reply back to me, "I don't have time for that." What I'd like to say to them is, "you don't have enough time NOT to have time for this." But ya know... free will and all.
I really do admire your dedication. One of the things I tell people in person when giving them my book link is that "by the end of my book, I'm pretty sure you'll have more than one reason to hate me." The reason why I do that is because I generally only give the link to people that I have pleasant interactions with, and want our next interaction to also be pleasant. When it comes to you specifically, I've opened the floodgates. You deserve my full attention, and hopefully I've lived up to that. It's as difficult for me to explain some of these subjects to you, as it is for you to read them. It's not like I'm allergic to friendship even though it probably seems that way at times, but honesty is all I really have to give, and I know how difficult waking up in hell is... I've been in that position myself. This is the main reason why I'm getting burned out. For now, I'm still human and subjected to the same emotional ties that everyone else has, and I'm not exactly thrilled when I have to give my friends news or advice that is hard to accept. Nevertheless, that's my job, and this isn't about me. I just wanted to reiterate that it isn't a fun task to tell people bad shit regularly, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry that you are getting it all so directly. Being in a young person's shoes with the outlook on the future slowly but surely getting real, must be a nightmare at times. My heart goes out to you, and everyone alive in your position.
This is not even really a suggestion. I'm not you, nor do I have to live like you do right now, but if I were in your position, I wouldn't have even posted the emails in their raw form. At least not yet. Maybe a ways into the future when people are asking for more content, but right now, I just don't think people have the stamina to keep up. Just glancing at the sheer volume of information that needs to be combed through would seem insurmountable to the vast majority of everyone alive right now. Maybe that's what the people that read your blog want, I don't know... That's why I'm not really suggesting you actually do anything based on what I'm saying right now. Just wanted you to know my initial take on it. I meant it when I said you can do whatever you'd like with these emails. I just know how much of a struggle it is to get people to read my book and can see the possibility of your blog's regulars being turned away because of their own selfishness and nonchalant time perspectives. Ultimately, you would know better than I would. Just saying...
Hopefully this email gives you some reassurance. I've seen people react to me in person when I have to get a bit more detailed on certain things, and it's never a great experience. All I can do is reinforce what a great job you're doing. Fighting through some of the more difficult points I'm discussing is not easy, and now that you've returned to work, this must be extremely draining on your personal time. I really was not insinuating that you should post everything I say to your blog. If anything, I'm actually doing the opposite. But in all seriousness, I have no fucking idea how to get through to people in hell, obviously. You do whatever you think will have the best reaction by the people you interact with. I'll give my stamp of approval in most cases just because I know how dedicated you really are. All of my superiors are paying attention, and if I had to make a guess, they're as impressed as I am. Try to keep that in mind when determining how to feel about the harsher subjects I discuss with you. Like I said, you'll get 100% transparency, even if you don't like it...
Have a great day, and I'll talk to you soon,
Brian