Max Chiswick (1985–2025)

He really did love carrots. I seem to remember him saving me from (what was possibly) hypoglycemia in the middle of a hike by giving me a carrot.

May his memory be a blessing.

Max would often make an effort when in San Fransisco to go to an event where people of limited capacity in life would sell their art.

I wondered if what he found beautiful in their art was perhaps that those who are not born marvelous or even become marvelous would too have a form of expression of their souls.

That he believed in, and wanted to create, the kind of merciful universe where the outputs of their souls might be valued and cherished too, no matter how little value they had to offer it.

I think he felt limited in some ways, in the expression of his own soul, in the capacity of his own mind.

I think his belief in his own limitations far exceeded the reality, but none the less all he wanted to know was that others might still love and value him despite how little he felt he might have had to offer. And he tried to give that love back to others. He gave it to me very often.

There is a place for those who ask us to be better in life. Max's message to others was often instead that you were worthy of love, kindness, and expression of your soul, just how you are.

I thought I would have many more decades to learn to love others the way he did, to see the world through his eyes.

I'm sure he would want us to keep making the mistake of finding, in a world where people can still die, those in our lives we want many more decades with.

We will be hosting a small event this summer, likely at VibeCamp or LessOnline. Right now Jackson Karel and I are compiling all the data we have on him. If you have any photos, videos, or conversations or written memories you'd like to share, please message either of us with them.

Got to connect with Max through impact investing circles, he also took the time out to have a call to give feedback on another impact project, sharing his experience candidly. I remember thinking - that was really nice of him to take time out to really help a random person on the internet. Shame he was taken too early. Rest in peace Max.