In conversation I've 'been told' Substack IS social media. Arguing to its defense yields plausible perspective yet more than anything reveals the intentional misnaming of this industry of misdirection. If Substack is to be classed as a particular iteration of social media as we know it, then these heavily commercialized and controlled platforms would be better described as social media engineering, or social control messaging, group think media...or some such variation on the theme. In the truest sense they aren't social media after all, but rather someone's heavily skewed interpretation forcing its users to interact in a very peculiar and limited way. And what is 'social' about that?
Social (Oxford def.): living in organized communities, companionship.
By this definition it would appear Substack is much more of a social media platform than any of these 'channels of silly talk.' The essential and (hopefully) increasing degrees of separation between them works to the great advantage of growing Substack into a voice 'of the people, by the people, for the people.' A key distinction, AI robotics prefers the former, human beings no doubt prefer the latter. One is a digital head, the other a beating heart.
@hamish mckenzie I am happy that you created a platform where deep thoughts are encouraged and rewarded. Substack to me is a playground of ideas and expressions that may not be possible in other platforms. When I write something that I love, I feel my soul, body, and mind are in sync with each other. As an African, and perhaps the first African from a remote village in Kenya, I want to feel heard and express my thoughts that perhaps the Western world needs to know and understand. Through Substack, I showcase real, authentic African stories to the rest of the world. The Startup from Africa newsletter to me, is to not only reveal the setbacks that Africans face, but look for solutions for them. And it is through this platform that I will extend my helping hand to them.
However, Stripe is so limited in their coverage yet I need to link my payment details. Stripe does not have their accounts in any African country.
Now that I have arrived, it is pretty fine if you introduce other payment methods like Payoneer, so everyone can get help.
I used to love Medium until its algorithm became a means to bury content that did not reflect a particular iteration of race and gender politics and epistemology. And until ifs content moderation policies expanded from genuine hate speech to empirically grounded points of view with which the moderators did not agree. In other words, the definition of illiberalism.
What is the point of understanding you hope to reach with Nazis publishing on Substack? Platforming people who would happily murder a large part of your audience isn't something that leads to greater understanding and intelligent discussion, it is something empowering for people who, whatever grey area exists on the moral spectrum they are well past it, should not be empowered.
Karl Popper said for tolerance to survive, it must be intolerant of intolerance. People who profess that there is some higher morality being served in not disfavoring anyone are taking the coward's way out, and choosing to side with inhumanity.
Definitely, a better pace and discourse. There’s actually discourse; people writing longer passages with more thought involved—or re-evolved thought. Similar to, entering a the mind of…
A Terry Brooks character, Allanon; the mysterious mystical mind twisting into adjoining verbs and subjects on topics undisclosed or—rediscovered; a new path to an older understanding in a tech paced realm, slowed but expanding like the universe; will we ever really know Allanon?
WOW!!!!!!!!!!! I AGREE COMPLETELY-------george actually is a literary intellectual--------and the bases of why i say this is because his words stop me in my mental tracks and i quote him """"""""""" And every story is constructed by a certain PROJECTIVE QUAILITY OF THE MIND''''''' All though i must admitt i have no idea what he means by PROJECTIVE QUAILITY OF THE MIND --------- I WOULD LOVE FOR GEORGE TO WRITE AND EXPLAIN IN DETAILED WHAT THE ABOVE MEANS BUT JUST FOR INTELLECTUAL FUN AND CURIOSITY I QUOTE """ DEFINITIONS WILL ALWAYS BE AN ARGUMENT AMOUGST INTELLECTUALS
All these little stories are actually telling us something we've decided, for some insane reason, to ignore. Granted, the bigger picture is more difficult to see with open eyes given all the distracting chatter, and yet it is very easy to see with an open heart and functional intuition. And what this story is telling us is that we've lost our perspective of place within it.
This essential rediscovery is the 'heart of the mystery' many are striving to comprehend, albeit for the most part pinched inside the narrow construct of endless little stories....and so we miss the point. Intellect alone cannot get us there, surely this is a key lesson to be got.
Thx for the heads up that Saunders is in the house! I subscribed, and then discovered Nick Offerman and grabbed him too.
Only one prob with substack- i dont have time to actually read all my subscriptions!!!
Anybody have a system for the avalanche of daily (hourly!!) excellent reads?? Hellllp me! Im drowning in too much of a good thing!
In conversation I've 'been told' Substack IS social media. Arguing to its defense yields plausible perspective yet more than anything reveals the intentional misnaming of this industry of misdirection. If Substack is to be classed as a particular iteration of social media as we know it, then these heavily commercialized and controlled platforms would be better described as social media engineering, or social control messaging, group think media...or some such variation on the theme. In the truest sense they aren't social media after all, but rather someone's heavily skewed interpretation forcing its users to interact in a very peculiar and limited way. And what is 'social' about that?
Social (Oxford def.): living in organized communities, companionship.
By this definition it would appear Substack is much more of a social media platform than any of these 'channels of silly talk.' The essential and (hopefully) increasing degrees of separation between them works to the great advantage of growing Substack into a voice 'of the people, by the people, for the people.' A key distinction, AI robotics prefers the former, human beings no doubt prefer the latter. One is a digital head, the other a beating heart.
@hamish mckenzie I am happy that you created a platform where deep thoughts are encouraged and rewarded. Substack to me is a playground of ideas and expressions that may not be possible in other platforms. When I write something that I love, I feel my soul, body, and mind are in sync with each other. As an African, and perhaps the first African from a remote village in Kenya, I want to feel heard and express my thoughts that perhaps the Western world needs to know and understand. Through Substack, I showcase real, authentic African stories to the rest of the world. The Startup from Africa newsletter to me, is to not only reveal the setbacks that Africans face, but look for solutions for them. And it is through this platform that I will extend my helping hand to them.
However, Stripe is so limited in their coverage yet I need to link my payment details. Stripe does not have their accounts in any African country.
Now that I have arrived, it is pretty fine if you introduce other payment methods like Payoneer, so everyone can get help.
I love Substack. I love George Saunders.
I used to love Medium until its algorithm became a means to bury content that did not reflect a particular iteration of race and gender politics and epistemology. And until ifs content moderation policies expanded from genuine hate speech to empirically grounded points of view with which the moderators did not agree. In other words, the definition of illiberalism.
Please, please Substack, do not become Medium.
What is the point of understanding you hope to reach with Nazis publishing on Substack? Platforming people who would happily murder a large part of your audience isn't something that leads to greater understanding and intelligent discussion, it is something empowering for people who, whatever grey area exists on the moral spectrum they are well past it, should not be empowered.
Karl Popper said for tolerance to survive, it must be intolerant of intolerance. People who profess that there is some higher morality being served in not disfavoring anyone are taking the coward's way out, and choosing to side with inhumanity.
Agreed. Charity, instead of greed. Cauterize, instead of bleed.
Definitely, a better pace and discourse. There’s actually discourse; people writing longer passages with more thought involved—or re-evolved thought. Similar to, entering a the mind of…
A Terry Brooks character, Allanon; the mysterious mystical mind twisting into adjoining verbs and subjects on topics undisclosed or—rediscovered; a new path to an older understanding in a tech paced realm, slowed but expanding like the universe; will we ever really know Allanon?
Maybe in this format, we’ll come close.
Subscribe to my substack mr substack man
Saunders knows.
Thanks for helping to explain your vision Hamish. You inspire me to try to do better.
My heart melted when I read "not on Twitter anymore".
IIIIII
WOW!!!!!!!!!!! I AGREE COMPLETELY-------george actually is a literary intellectual--------and the bases of why i say this is because his words stop me in my mental tracks and i quote him """"""""""" And every story is constructed by a certain PROJECTIVE QUAILITY OF THE MIND''''''' All though i must admitt i have no idea what he means by PROJECTIVE QUAILITY OF THE MIND --------- I WOULD LOVE FOR GEORGE TO WRITE AND EXPLAIN IN DETAILED WHAT THE ABOVE MEANS BUT JUST FOR INTELLECTUAL FUN AND CURIOSITY I QUOTE """ DEFINITIONS WILL ALWAYS BE AN ARGUMENT AMOUGST INTELLECTUALS
I hope you didn’t start Substack so you could platform Nazis like Richard Hanania.
It’s a nice place, man. Don’t wreck it.
THIS IS SO GOOD AND EXACTLY HOW I HAVE SEEN THIS SOCIAL PLATFORM. SO YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THIS. CONGRATS ARE IN ORDER!!!
All these little stories are actually telling us something we've decided, for some insane reason, to ignore. Granted, the bigger picture is more difficult to see with open eyes given all the distracting chatter, and yet it is very easy to see with an open heart and functional intuition. And what this story is telling us is that we've lost our perspective of place within it.
This essential rediscovery is the 'heart of the mystery' many are striving to comprehend, albeit for the most part pinched inside the narrow construct of endless little stories....and so we miss the point. Intellect alone cannot get us there, surely this is a key lesson to be got.