Annie Dillard reflects on the practice of deep seeing in nature, describing a moment at Tinker Creek where altered perception revealed the world's spiritual beauty. She explores how true seeing requires quieting the mind's constant chatter and recognizing it as an unexpected gift rather than something that can be forced through effort.
A 2018 essay critiques Waldenponding—the philosophy of retreating from technology to reclaim attention—arguing it's counterproductive both personally and collectively. The author contends that staying plugged into information flows and managing attention actively is preferable to unplugging, and that retreat exploits Fear Of Being Ordinary (FOBO) just as social media exploits Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO).