One of my teachers used to say, there are people who really want to be awake, spend as much time with them as you can. There are people who express casual interest in awakening, invite them in. There will be people who continue to sleep. Do not disturb them.
I would stop calling Substack an alternative or indie media. Substack is the medium. There are people who have acknowledged it already and those who will catch up later. What I would focus on is keeping Substack independent, reliable and consistent with its vision, values and role in the information industry despite its own success and the challenges that it will face in the future.
Thats the real crux right there. Personally im not optimistic, bc well, everything gets ruined these days, and enshittification happens, whether intentionally or not.
But we wont have to wait long to find out, things progress(deteriorate) much more quickly now. Substack should enjoy its moment while it lasts.
Edit: Ted, you should consider an article on preventing the enshittification of substack. If this place is as awesome as people seem to think, then its ruination is inevitable and should be addressed early on. They all start out awesome(maybe not tiktok, it seems like it was originally intended to get kids addicted to their phones), they all end as dumpster fires of despair
Na i mean idk the guy, and im assuming hes the guy that coined enshittification? If so, he got that shit right. Its a perfect name for something many were already cognizant of. It was less of an epiphany for me as it was a ah see i knew it, it even has a name.
But if he is a galaxy brain i wouldnt know it, ive read nothing else of his, and i havent had the pleasure of his acquaintance.
Ofc now knowing whats considered a galaxy brain(i ai googled it), i might possibly be described as such. With a strong dose of curmudgeon to be sure.
But idk, im not all about the labels, man. Better to just take em as they come
I don’t know him personally, either… but I’ve read a lot of his writing (essays in multiple disciplines, long non-fiction, and novels), listened to quite a few podcast episodes, and watched a fair number of his lectures, and the depth, breadth, speed, scope, imagination, and creativity of his thinking is truly remarkable.
If you’re into post-PKD tech-informed fiction, check out the “Red Team Blues” trilogy!
Independence is great, but the Sophie's Choice will always exist. Suppose an entrepreneur we can trust (I'll throw out three names: Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Mark Cuban) buys the entire operation and Spotify's it so we can afford to invest in more writers - would that concentration be worth it long term?
Why care about the Pulitzer Prize at all? It’s just another mirror on the ceiling of the whorehouse. They awarded it to Walter Duranty for heaven’s sakes.
Don't forget "The 1619 Project" and Russiagate, and that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there's worse horse crap they've "honored" over the years.
My long-held rule: The more you know about any big prize or award, how the winners are chosen and who does the choosing -- whether it's the Oscars, the Grammys, the Pulitzers, the Ellies or the local press club -- the more you realize its value is worth virtually nothing. Industry awards are rigged PR events for their own industry. The history of choosing Pulitzer winners is proof of my rule. Also, the Pulitzer committee's smug, secretive, F-U attitude toward its critics and its historic refusal to welcome other forms of media/journalism into its tent is a reflection of the close-minded, reader-unfriendly and now dying newspaper and magazine industry it represents. If the Substack 'industry' thinks it needs to give out awards, I suggest it call them 'The Walters' or "The Durantys.'
"The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it."
"Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself."
"The Matrix is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth."
The old institutions are withering away. Their awards, from Oscars to Nobels to Pulitzers, were never especially interesting to outsiders. Now even the insiders are leaving the venue.
The crumbling system the ‘old Guard’ are just that, OLD! Inflexible, stout, hard hearted, prideful, seems like it. They are falling, crumbling as the old home we once loved, it is almost an ash heap. Better to start fresh and move on.
Don’t sweat the small stuff, Pulitzer Prizes are just ten cent awards to the brightest shining object that reflects the warped values of Pulitzer Board’s members. See article by Eliana Johnson on how the awards process works.
I'm an old (86) white guy who grew up on an isolated ranch in Montana. I love old music more than recent stuff. And the music I love has nothing to do with the color of a musician's skin. Someone played Benny Goodman's Sing-Sing-Sing piece out the window of our freshman dorm at full volume. I Went to a Louis Armstrong concert in Billings MT at age 19 (took my program backstage for his and other band members autographs). Went to a Duke Ellington concert in Portland OR (he definitely deserved a Pulitzer). Sidney Bechet and Artie Shaw. Saw Pete Fountain's debut in Navy uniform on Lawrence Welk of all places. Saw him again in New Orleans and have visited Preservation Hall several times. Great music all.
Here's to Substack. The stuffed shirt know-it-alls at Pulitzer should be put out to pasture.
The problem I see with Substack is there is no editorial board. We all know and trust the Honest Broker but anybody can publish anything without review; how do you keep out the conspiracy theorists and resulting disinformation? People gravitate towards information that supports their preconceived notions and end up in their own little info silos; there are no longer any universal accepted truths IMHO.
You can’t be fed Truth with pre screened writing. You have to work for it. Read many points of view, be curious, question always, ask for references, dig deeper. It takes time and effort to find Truth. Only an open forum allows for that.
Truth is a totally convincing illusion and that’s about all it is. Different people are entirely convinced by a range of illusions. Truth is beyond a meaningless and useless construct. It is actively dangerous. That is The Truth.
That sounds like a Postmodern definition of the Truth, which is, of course, totally absurd. Why don't you believe there is such a thing as objective Truth? (The thing that remains whether you believe it or not).
That is a very fine definition of truth. If the whole concept had not been hijacked by religions and other systems of social control, I’d sign up for it. As it happens, I believe that humans can directly only observe part of the grand parade of “reality,” a limited spectrum of almost any physical stimulus, and so even with our wonderful gadgets we can only ever approximate knowledge of that thing that remains whether you believe it or not. Truth is not a simple matter. At its heart, there is a paradox that lays it open to manipulation. I think the truth should be interrogated and that what people claim to be the “Truth” rarely, if ever, turns out to be so. The danger of “truth” is that people believe all sorts of metaphysical (and physical) gobbledegook that is patently false by any rational standards. But, it’s their “Truth” and we’re supposed to respect it.
Please note that I acknowledge that I approach this subject with a certain mischievous intent to draw out deeper thought and understanding. A belief in “Truth” is one of those things people hide behind to avoid going further into reality, another devious concept.
Well, it certainly ought to be! It’s a high-stakes quest that threats the self regard that so many of us, particularly the powerful and wealthy, have for ourselves. It’s used as a weapon against those with different truths. And yet the central core of truth is that it is the one and only truth. A paradox, I know, and one that is widely unacknowledged and underestimated in its potential dangers, not only to our self regard but to our regard for others.
The major legacy media outlets, which presumably review their content for truth, have been wrong too many times to count in the last few years. Hence the migration to Substack, where everyone gets to vote for truth with their follows and subscriptions. The fringe writers will have fringe followers etc.
It's not the prizes, it's the prize selection committees that stink. But finding a non-political committee, even on Substack, may be too much to hope for.
One of my teachers used to say, there are people who really want to be awake, spend as much time with them as you can. There are people who express casual interest in awakening, invite them in. There will be people who continue to sleep. Do not disturb them.
Nobody likes being awakened from a deep sleep.
That’s very good!
I would stop calling Substack an alternative or indie media. Substack is the medium. There are people who have acknowledged it already and those who will catch up later. What I would focus on is keeping Substack independent, reliable and consistent with its vision, values and role in the information industry despite its own success and the challenges that it will face in the future.
Thats the real crux right there. Personally im not optimistic, bc well, everything gets ruined these days, and enshittification happens, whether intentionally or not.
But we wont have to wait long to find out, things progress(deteriorate) much more quickly now. Substack should enjoy its moment while it lasts.
Edit: Ted, you should consider an article on preventing the enshittification of substack. If this place is as awesome as people seem to think, then its ruination is inevitable and should be addressed early on. They all start out awesome(maybe not tiktok, it seems like it was originally intended to get kids addicted to their phones), they all end as dumpster fires of despair
Enshittification. lol
Oh its a thing. Not my term. Worth looking up if you havent heard about it. Theres a good article on substack about(idk who or what)
Cory Doctorow is legit a brilliant thinker.
Yeah, a galaxy brain like a fox..
Na i mean idk the guy, and im assuming hes the guy that coined enshittification? If so, he got that shit right. Its a perfect name for something many were already cognizant of. It was less of an epiphany for me as it was a ah see i knew it, it even has a name.
But if he is a galaxy brain i wouldnt know it, ive read nothing else of his, and i havent had the pleasure of his acquaintance.
Ofc now knowing whats considered a galaxy brain(i ai googled it), i might possibly be described as such. With a strong dose of curmudgeon to be sure.
But idk, im not all about the labels, man. Better to just take em as they come
I don’t know him personally, either… but I’ve read a lot of his writing (essays in multiple disciplines, long non-fiction, and novels), listened to quite a few podcast episodes, and watched a fair number of his lectures, and the depth, breadth, speed, scope, imagination, and creativity of his thinking is truly remarkable.
If you’re into post-PKD tech-informed fiction, check out the “Red Team Blues” trilogy!
You speak truth…
This is dead on and where the focus needs to be.
I would hate to see it suffer the same fate as Twitter did… brought out by a Elon Musk wannabe…
Independence is great, but the Sophie's Choice will always exist. Suppose an entrepreneur we can trust (I'll throw out three names: Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Mark Cuban) buys the entire operation and Spotify's it so we can afford to invest in more writers - would that concentration be worth it long term?
You’re joking right?
Trust those three? Lol. You must have a fever…
I believe he wrote that with tongue in cheek...
lol I’ve always been somewhat naive…
Tall order.
Agreed
Why care about the Pulitzer Prize at all? It’s just another mirror on the ceiling of the whorehouse. They awarded it to Walter Duranty for heaven’s sakes.
Don't forget "The 1619 Project" and Russiagate, and that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there's worse horse crap they've "honored" over the years.
… and let’s not forget Janet Cooke.
Great visual!
lol excellent “ mirror on the ceiling…”
The phrase is not original with me but I can’t pin down the source where I found it.
I couldn’t care less about the Pulitzer, the Oscars, Grammies, Tonys, Emmys, the Nobel… They’re all captured institutions.
So true Andy. Just politics again and again. The elites in fighting and doing what they do.
My long-held rule: The more you know about any big prize or award, how the winners are chosen and who does the choosing -- whether it's the Oscars, the Grammys, the Pulitzers, the Ellies or the local press club -- the more you realize its value is worth virtually nothing. Industry awards are rigged PR events for their own industry. The history of choosing Pulitzer winners is proof of my rule. Also, the Pulitzer committee's smug, secretive, F-U attitude toward its critics and its historic refusal to welcome other forms of media/journalism into its tent is a reflection of the close-minded, reader-unfriendly and now dying newspaper and magazine industry it represents. If the Substack 'industry' thinks it needs to give out awards, I suggest it call them 'The Walters' or "The Durantys.'
“Awards are even worse than rewards because an award is a reward that has been made artificially scarce.” — Alfie Kohn
Concerning oneself with the awarding of Pulitzer Prizes is like wondering who won the ballroom dancing competition on the night the Titanic sank.
lol
we have optioanal course parts on the creator econmy and one professor used Jack Lule used your newsletter as required read fort semester
"The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it."
"Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself."
"The Matrix is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth."
The old institutions are withering away. Their awards, from Oscars to Nobels to Pulitzers, were never especially interesting to outsiders. Now even the insiders are leaving the venue.
The crumbling system the ‘old Guard’ are just that, OLD! Inflexible, stout, hard hearted, prideful, seems like it. They are falling, crumbling as the old home we once loved, it is almost an ash heap. Better to start fresh and move on.
Don’t sweat the small stuff, Pulitzer Prizes are just ten cent awards to the brightest shining object that reflects the warped values of Pulitzer Board’s members. See article by Eliana Johnson on how the awards process works.
Feral, here is the link.
https://freebeacon.com/media/occasionally-we-misjudge/
Link?
I'm an old (86) white guy who grew up on an isolated ranch in Montana. I love old music more than recent stuff. And the music I love has nothing to do with the color of a musician's skin. Someone played Benny Goodman's Sing-Sing-Sing piece out the window of our freshman dorm at full volume. I Went to a Louis Armstrong concert in Billings MT at age 19 (took my program backstage for his and other band members autographs). Went to a Duke Ellington concert in Portland OR (he definitely deserved a Pulitzer). Sidney Bechet and Artie Shaw. Saw Pete Fountain's debut in Navy uniform on Lawrence Welk of all places. Saw him again in New Orleans and have visited Preservation Hall several times. Great music all.
Here's to Substack. The stuffed shirt know-it-alls at Pulitzer should be put out to pasture.
I like your style…
The problem I see with Substack is there is no editorial board. We all know and trust the Honest Broker but anybody can publish anything without review; how do you keep out the conspiracy theorists and resulting disinformation? People gravitate towards information that supports their preconceived notions and end up in their own little info silos; there are no longer any universal accepted truths IMHO.
You’ve just discovered the Marketplace of Ideas, welcome! It’s the best game in town!
You can’t be fed Truth with pre screened writing. You have to work for it. Read many points of view, be curious, question always, ask for references, dig deeper. It takes time and effort to find Truth. Only an open forum allows for that.
Truth is a totally convincing illusion and that’s about all it is. Different people are entirely convinced by a range of illusions. Truth is beyond a meaningless and useless construct. It is actively dangerous. That is The Truth.
That sounds like a Postmodern definition of the Truth, which is, of course, totally absurd. Why don't you believe there is such a thing as objective Truth? (The thing that remains whether you believe it or not).
That is a very fine definition of truth. If the whole concept had not been hijacked by religions and other systems of social control, I’d sign up for it. As it happens, I believe that humans can directly only observe part of the grand parade of “reality,” a limited spectrum of almost any physical stimulus, and so even with our wonderful gadgets we can only ever approximate knowledge of that thing that remains whether you believe it or not. Truth is not a simple matter. At its heart, there is a paradox that lays it open to manipulation. I think the truth should be interrogated and that what people claim to be the “Truth” rarely, if ever, turns out to be so. The danger of “truth” is that people believe all sorts of metaphysical (and physical) gobbledegook that is patently false by any rational standards. But, it’s their “Truth” and we’re supposed to respect it.
Please note that I acknowledge that I approach this subject with a certain mischievous intent to draw out deeper thought and understanding. A belief in “Truth” is one of those things people hide behind to avoid going further into reality, another devious concept.
How is it dangerous?
Well, it certainly ought to be! It’s a high-stakes quest that threats the self regard that so many of us, particularly the powerful and wealthy, have for ourselves. It’s used as a weapon against those with different truths. And yet the central core of truth is that it is the one and only truth. A paradox, I know, and one that is widely unacknowledged and underestimated in its potential dangers, not only to our self regard but to our regard for others.
The major legacy media outlets, which presumably review their content for truth, have been wrong too many times to count in the last few years. Hence the migration to Substack, where everyone gets to vote for truth with their follows and subscriptions. The fringe writers will have fringe followers etc.
All in the pursuit of free speech
Charles Ives said that prizes are badges of mediocrity.
My take is that, once a artform is so established that they are even able to give prizes, then its vitality has started to wane.
REALTALK, SON!
Ted: Please don't waste your time chasing silly prizes. All that glitters is not gold.
It's not the prizes, it's the prize selection committees that stink. But finding a non-political committee, even on Substack, may be too much to hope for.