The proof of Michael’s foibles has been staring everyone on Substack in the face for months....
I’m sorry, but if you are genuinely interested in building a movement, that anyone with his obvious intelligence must realise needs to be grassroots as it can be, you do not implement 100% paywall, as he has been for quite some time now. How do…
The proof of Michael’s foibles has been staring everyone on Substack in the face for months....
I’m sorry, but if you are genuinely interested in building a movement, that anyone with his obvious intelligence must realise needs to be grassroots as it can be, you do not implement 100% paywall, as he has been for quite some time now. How do I get anyone else interested in it if they can’t engage with the material without forking out first?
At least Taibbi, Aaron Mate, Lee Fang etc, if it is a real humdinger story and of genuine importance to humanity, they unpaywall with a fair amount of consistency. Or, release enough of the story to get a decent feel for it before the paywall kicks in.
Public is like a coin slot peep show - just enough to pique the curiosity before the meat and potatoes are shown, when down slams the latch.
Plus, his opinion of the little people is self evident in his writing on homelessness, which literally makes you feel like he’s talking about a cockroach problem in SF.
Noble intentions, paving and the lake of fire. Mike hasn’t caught on that how you do it is of equal import to the end result, if not more. But then, he’ll have been taught eyes on the prize all his school life.
As always CJ, your honesty is deeply appreciated. Can we have an old school giggle.....?
I always think that if something is imperative to get out to the masses you wouldn't charge for it. But what do I know, being a nobody? Imagine if the founding fathers kept their movement behind a paywall?
We’re all somebody and nobody. And i get it - he has mouths to feed i expect, employees and all that. But if you are looking to affect change, well, you got to represent the change. At least a little.
I probably shouldn’t out this one, but my suspicion first piqued when MT nearly always called him by his surname on his pod, but everyone else (Lee Fang, Aaron Mate, CJ Hopkins and on and on got the full name treatment)
I hope he succeeds, all that said. The thing is way bigger, but I have my doubts.
Paywalls are a dead giveaway. Any author putting up paywalls is too self-centered to be a leader for freedom. Fake leaders are everywhere. Some are groomed (think Bob, Jr.), others just kind of naturally assume the mantel.
Please do not invoke the "founding fathers". By doing so, you immediately limit your reach to just those that live in a certain part of the world. Plus they made sure to install a 'Democracy', where the 'Electoral College' has the last word and did not include women or slaves.
Personally, I think the Electoral College is genius. It keeps major cities from controlling elections over and over. As to the US "Republic" not including women and slaves upon its founding, can you direct me to any other Republics during that time that did include women and slaves? I admit being ignorant on that fact.
My point was that there was a revolution in thought, and government, and it wasn't only available to those that coughed up some dough.
"Founding Fathers" As a Canadian, when I see that phrase I think of the fact that my country emerged from those who did not go along with the "Founding Fathers" but who rallied around King George and the British Empire. The Declaration of Independence makes a ridiculous cartoon character out of King George III. Until Trudeau became PM, Canada was a pretty decent country that was able to shape our constitutional monarchy into a system that served the citizenry reasonably well. I see the Indian leader Tecumseh, martyred by the US military, as one of Canada's primary founders. For an explanation please see my book
"... where the 'Electoral College' has the last word and did not include women or slaves"
In 1787. Could you tell me which people *with power* at that time were not -- by today's standards -- abusing it? Far from being at the bottom of the barrel, collectively, they seem to have been at the top of it.
The paywall sometimes just affects whether you're allowed to comment or not. I can understand the reason for this but it is very much like having a mask suddenly slapped across your face. One's voice is suddenly stifled.
Blocking and the varying degrees of banning are a continuation of this. Although, again, I can understand that at times the necessity for it. But what I'm noticing is 'it' can keep the author from having to be transparent and honest with themselves or others.
It also seems to intensify the need for belonging in the group, the followers. It echoes the group dynamic of 'we need to get jabbed for the common good'. 'I need to belong and must not question' dynamic.
Yeah this is the piece. People talk about cancel culture and the devastation of mask wearing on so many levels. And yet there is so much judgement and cancelling just deeply ingrained in 'us'.
Yes paying for the right to speak or paying for info about what's happening when so many have had opportunities just yanked from them.
That's why I decided to just request donations, although heaven knows I could use a few bucks. 😄 Part of it's just that my other obligations make posting regularly difficult, but the other is that I want people to think about what I'm saying, so I'll leave it up to them whether they think it's worth a tip.
Polite conversation on an open forum isn't easy, but ignoring and/or warning the disruptors is part of maintaining the desired culture. I agree it's a struggle sometimes reminding myself it can't be personal if the person doesn't actually know me. 😉
Exactly—that's how I set up Stronghold Too. Everything's there for the world to read, such as it is. If people want to subscribe, I'll be delighted. If they just want to drop a buck or three into the tip-jar, that's lovely, too. Otherwise, I'll settle for polite conversation. 😄
I've been wondering about the idea of polite conversation. If I'm feeling super reactive and defensive I like to pull back and not go there. Possibly I fail at times.
But what is the appropriate etiquette for this 'moment' in time.
I know, I know... don't get reactive and defensive and never ever share feelings (that was maybe more sarcastic). If you're falling down a deep dark well and this is the tenth time today, please just do it with a smile on your face (argh... more sarcasm)
By the way, I have been sending notes to people that I do not respect paywall requirements for commenting or for reading "the real meat of the message."
The proof of Michael’s foibles has been staring everyone on Substack in the face for months....
I’m sorry, but if you are genuinely interested in building a movement, that anyone with his obvious intelligence must realise needs to be grassroots as it can be, you do not implement 100% paywall, as he has been for quite some time now. How do I get anyone else interested in it if they can’t engage with the material without forking out first?
At least Taibbi, Aaron Mate, Lee Fang etc, if it is a real humdinger story and of genuine importance to humanity, they unpaywall with a fair amount of consistency. Or, release enough of the story to get a decent feel for it before the paywall kicks in.
Public is like a coin slot peep show - just enough to pique the curiosity before the meat and potatoes are shown, when down slams the latch.
Plus, his opinion of the little people is self evident in his writing on homelessness, which literally makes you feel like he’s talking about a cockroach problem in SF.
Noble intentions, paving and the lake of fire. Mike hasn’t caught on that how you do it is of equal import to the end result, if not more. But then, he’ll have been taught eyes on the prize all his school life.
As always CJ, your honesty is deeply appreciated. Can we have an old school giggle.....?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nIhlfyEyFUQ
Liked for your comments on paywalled information.
I always think that if something is imperative to get out to the masses you wouldn't charge for it. But what do I know, being a nobody? Imagine if the founding fathers kept their movement behind a paywall?
Imagine no longer. Washington has been behind a paywall for ages.
We’re all somebody and nobody. And i get it - he has mouths to feed i expect, employees and all that. But if you are looking to affect change, well, you got to represent the change. At least a little.
I probably shouldn’t out this one, but my suspicion first piqued when MT nearly always called him by his surname on his pod, but everyone else (Lee Fang, Aaron Mate, CJ Hopkins and on and on got the full name treatment)
I hope he succeeds, all that said. The thing is way bigger, but I have my doubts.
Paywalls are a dead giveaway. Any author putting up paywalls is too self-centered to be a leader for freedom. Fake leaders are everywhere. Some are groomed (think Bob, Jr.), others just kind of naturally assume the mantel.
Please do not invoke the "founding fathers". By doing so, you immediately limit your reach to just those that live in a certain part of the world. Plus they made sure to install a 'Democracy', where the 'Electoral College' has the last word and did not include women or slaves.
Personally, I think the Electoral College is genius. It keeps major cities from controlling elections over and over. As to the US "Republic" not including women and slaves upon its founding, can you direct me to any other Republics during that time that did include women and slaves? I admit being ignorant on that fact.
My point was that there was a revolution in thought, and government, and it wasn't only available to those that coughed up some dough.
"Founding Fathers" As a Canadian, when I see that phrase I think of the fact that my country emerged from those who did not go along with the "Founding Fathers" but who rallied around King George and the British Empire. The Declaration of Independence makes a ridiculous cartoon character out of King George III. Until Trudeau became PM, Canada was a pretty decent country that was able to shape our constitutional monarchy into a system that served the citizenry reasonably well. I see the Indian leader Tecumseh, martyred by the US military, as one of Canada's primary founders. For an explanation please see my book
https://www.mqup.ca/american-empire-and-the-fourth-world--the-products-9780773523326.php
"... where the 'Electoral College' has the last word and did not include women or slaves"
In 1787. Could you tell me which people *with power* at that time were not -- by today's standards -- abusing it? Far from being at the bottom of the barrel, collectively, they seem to have been at the top of it.
The paywall sometimes just affects whether you're allowed to comment or not. I can understand the reason for this but it is very much like having a mask suddenly slapped across your face. One's voice is suddenly stifled.
Blocking and the varying degrees of banning are a continuation of this. Although, again, I can understand that at times the necessity for it. But what I'm noticing is 'it' can keep the author from having to be transparent and honest with themselves or others.
It also seems to intensify the need for belonging in the group, the followers. It echoes the group dynamic of 'we need to get jabbed for the common good'. 'I need to belong and must not question' dynamic.
The thought of having to pay for the right to speak seems pretty insidious to me, a bad precedent for things to come.
Yeah this is the piece. People talk about cancel culture and the devastation of mask wearing on so many levels. And yet there is so much judgement and cancelling just deeply ingrained in 'us'.
Yes paying for the right to speak or paying for info about what's happening when so many have had opportunities just yanked from them.
One thing for sure, the price of keeping some remnant of Free Speech is to speak up often and enthusiastically with truth as the target.
Beautiful, absolutely ❤️
That's why I decided to just request donations, although heaven knows I could use a few bucks. 😄 Part of it's just that my other obligations make posting regularly difficult, but the other is that I want people to think about what I'm saying, so I'll leave it up to them whether they think it's worth a tip.
Polite conversation on an open forum isn't easy, but ignoring and/or warning the disruptors is part of maintaining the desired culture. I agree it's a struggle sometimes reminding myself it can't be personal if the person doesn't actually know me. 😉
You can have paid subscribers without putting up a paywall. I think there are many who take paid subscriptions and don't post a lot.
Exactly—that's how I set up Stronghold Too. Everything's there for the world to read, such as it is. If people want to subscribe, I'll be delighted. If they just want to drop a buck or three into the tip-jar, that's lovely, too. Otherwise, I'll settle for polite conversation. 😄
I've been wondering about the idea of polite conversation. If I'm feeling super reactive and defensive I like to pull back and not go there. Possibly I fail at times.
But what is the appropriate etiquette for this 'moment' in time.
I know, I know... don't get reactive and defensive and never ever share feelings (that was maybe more sarcastic). If you're falling down a deep dark well and this is the tenth time today, please just do it with a smile on your face (argh... more sarcasm)
This is an excellent summary. You saved me a lot of time that I don't really have to say the same thing.
By the way, I have been sending notes to people that I do not respect paywall requirements for commenting or for reading "the real meat of the message."
Exactly right. Shellenberger's paywall impasse has been a huge clue to what his real faith in the masses is.
absolutely my take on this guy
I'm pretty sure that falls under the progressive category of "the ends justify the means".