i will never be precious about following people because why would i? it may seem so unimportant that it's not worth talking about on the surface, but following someone is saying "i want to see what you come up with. i like the things you do and say enough that i don't want to miss out next time." it's an important part of showing people that their presence here is valued and appreciated.

unfortunately, the way tumblr works with its algorithms and also its user culture means that, for every person who gets a lot of traction with their posts, there are many more people putting time and effort knowledge and craftsmanship and love into things every day who don't have proof enough that their endeavours are worth it. i'm always going to be the kind of person who responds and encourages, and following people so they are consistently shown to you on your dash is an essential element of that.<3