Mr. Garrett: thank you for this. I'm not a writer so I can't explain why except I would follow you to the ends of the earth, your words mean so much to me.
I too, was almost broken by the pandemic. After 61 years of being alone, at the beginning of the "new times" I invited a homeless man to share my small one bedroom becaluse I didn't want him exposed and dying alone. I sort of knew him, we had mutual friends and he would do odd jobs around the apartments. I had selfish reasons. I took unearned pride in being a "nice" person but had I ever done something truly selfless to earn that distinction? No.
Little did I know that I would bond with the nicest, kindest, hardest working musician(!) I have ever known. I truly believe he saved me from losing my mind during the pandemic. Yes, he had slight mental issues but they were harmless. Sadly, on September 23, 2022, I lost him to cancer. I always used my autism to keep people away (they can't hurt me) but I learned everyone needs community, even a community of one. This is why your writing touches me so. Even if your publisher was Satan (The Daily Flame-or as it's known topside-The New York Post) I will be reading your words. I have been doubly blessed. First by Michael and now by your writing. I an disabled, daily calories are a challenge, otherwise I would be a paid subscriber. Thank you so very, very much for what you do!
This is a beautiful, bittersweet and heartbreaking story. I am so glad that you took a risk on community, so sorry for the loss of your friend and so grateful to have you as a reader an da community member.
Thank you for taking the time and energy to make an incredibly thoughtful and careful decision and then sharing that process with us. “exposing your logic” is such a fantastic learning/teaching moment. Standing together is powerful.
I’m reflexively anti-woke ex-lefty who is especially hard right when it comes to race issues. I can honestly say that Substack is where I read in depth what the other side is thinking. I learn a lot and often end up very confused and unsure of myself. You are one of my favorite wokesters. You’re a decent and respectful human being.
Garrett, if you have plans to gather folks on what it means to stay and do so in collective action, I'm here for it. I'm also here to think and scheme if you'd like a (woefully limited) thought partner. (nathan.alan.hunt@gmail.com)
Writer collectivity is something I care an awful lot about, as you know. I can get very jazzed about thinking about that broader frame you've offered to this whole debate so much more than the narrowness of "free speech" or whatever. Thanks for helping me see it differently.
Thank you for this - so much resonated, a lot of your thoughts + experiences are ones I’ve had but haven’t gathered the energy to collect & write about (feeling conflicted about supporting a morally indifferent platform vs. continuing to gather audience momentum; being privileged to consider moving/not needing the income; also a teacher who, like your friend, finally had to quit last year, feeling marginally hopeless about the state of our country). It’s a lot but also not, because of the societal advantages we share...I appreciate you articulating it all here.
Love this. Received as intended: like a warm, supportive hug. Needed it. Might even help get through stuff and writing. But this collective, support - friends, even? - yes, that.
I appreciate this so much! I am glad to see you explain why you are staying. A lot of it resonated with me.
I am glad that most of my favorite writers are sticking around. The community of writers I have found through Substack has meant so much to me. As a writer, I wouldn’t even know where to start to find someplace else like this. As a single mother, and person who doesn’t have much time, I just can’t fathom leaving, especially if I would need to pay on another platform. I don’t have enough subscribers to justify that. But, also wouldn’t be able to afford anything that had a monthly fee. Over the past year, the community of writers I follow, read, and comment here has grown substantially. It’s also convenient and time saving to have them all on one platform like this.
Thanks Kristin. I think you spoke to a really large constituency of folks-- writers who, whatever their thoughts are on Substack's policies, don't have anywhere else where they can literally afford to go. It's one of the many dilemmas in this current moment of newslettering, that there is a stratification of what options are available to folks with large existing subscriber bases and those that don't.
Community and collectivity has been my thing on the Internet for years. So your sharing your thought process was unbelievably helpful to me, and I’m sure many others.
A few thoughts. My best understanding of where things stand comes from the article in Platformer that I hyperlinked in the "some wins" hyperlink above (where substack committed to removing a few sites and pledged to make better reporting tools available to writers and readers who see presumably nazi stuff on the site). I don't believe there has been an update since then. My understanding is that there is no active collective organizing effort either, because the only one that existed (Substackers Against Nazis) was coordinated by folks who left. I have thoughts on what continued organizing could look like, but as I noted above, my personal question is still whether this is the space I want to reasonably devote most of my organizing energy. That's why right now I'm focused more on building deeper, supportive connections (and learning what needs are) amongst more and more Substack writers, which personally energizes me much more than the content moderation campaign.
Thank you for saying this. My problem with this entire thing from the beginning can be summed up by your comment. First, I wanted to go to the source (Katz’s article in The Atlantic), but: paywall. And since then I’ve been reading everyone’s take on the situation but I feel constantly half-informed on the matter. I’m done in general having knee-jerk reactions to things, even if it means being irrationally called (fill in the blank) by the cancel crowd. I was not okay signing onto the letter when I wasn’t able to do an honest intellectual and emotional grappling with it all.
Garrett, I’m glad you’re staying. Organizing as you know can look like many things and I think sticking around to fight for a damn good yet flawed platform is a good use of energy.
That's a really helpful reflection-- that even at the moments that were slightly more collective, that because the primary driver of all this was everybody writing in their own newsletters (and not sharing all the information in one place to welcome folks in) there wasn't enough focus on the kind of context sharing that would welcome folks in).
Mr. Garrett: thank you for this. I'm not a writer so I can't explain why except I would follow you to the ends of the earth, your words mean so much to me.
I too, was almost broken by the pandemic. After 61 years of being alone, at the beginning of the "new times" I invited a homeless man to share my small one bedroom becaluse I didn't want him exposed and dying alone. I sort of knew him, we had mutual friends and he would do odd jobs around the apartments. I had selfish reasons. I took unearned pride in being a "nice" person but had I ever done something truly selfless to earn that distinction? No.
Little did I know that I would bond with the nicest, kindest, hardest working musician(!) I have ever known. I truly believe he saved me from losing my mind during the pandemic. Yes, he had slight mental issues but they were harmless. Sadly, on September 23, 2022, I lost him to cancer. I always used my autism to keep people away (they can't hurt me) but I learned everyone needs community, even a community of one. This is why your writing touches me so. Even if your publisher was Satan (The Daily Flame-or as it's known topside-The New York Post) I will be reading your words. I have been doubly blessed. First by Michael and now by your writing. I an disabled, daily calories are a challenge, otherwise I would be a paid subscriber. Thank you so very, very much for what you do!
This is a beautiful, bittersweet and heartbreaking story. I am so glad that you took a risk on community, so sorry for the loss of your friend and so grateful to have you as a reader an da community member.
Thank you for taking the time and energy to make an incredibly thoughtful and careful decision and then sharing that process with us. “exposing your logic” is such a fantastic learning/teaching moment. Standing together is powerful.
Oh that means a lot-- that was the hope in writing.
I’m reflexively anti-woke ex-lefty who is especially hard right when it comes to race issues. I can honestly say that Substack is where I read in depth what the other side is thinking. I learn a lot and often end up very confused and unsure of myself. You are one of my favorite wokesters. You’re a decent and respectful human being.
Honestly one of my favorite compliments I've received in quite a while. Really appreciate you being here.
Garrett, if you have plans to gather folks on what it means to stay and do so in collective action, I'm here for it. I'm also here to think and scheme if you'd like a (woefully limited) thought partner. (nathan.alan.hunt@gmail.com)
For sure, Nathan, and thank you!
Writer collectivity is something I care an awful lot about, as you know. I can get very jazzed about thinking about that broader frame you've offered to this whole debate so much more than the narrowness of "free speech" or whatever. Thanks for helping me see it differently.
Thanks for being one of my best models for writers taking care of one another.
Thanks for your honesty
Appreciate it!
"I care about the fascists, yes. But I care so much more about an organized, loving, powerful collective of anti-fascists. "
This is why I stay with you.
Appreciate you, LaKay
Thank you for this - so much resonated, a lot of your thoughts + experiences are ones I’ve had but haven’t gathered the energy to collect & write about (feeling conflicted about supporting a morally indifferent platform vs. continuing to gather audience momentum; being privileged to consider moving/not needing the income; also a teacher who, like your friend, finally had to quit last year, feeling marginally hopeless about the state of our country). It’s a lot but also not, because of the societal advantages we share...I appreciate you articulating it all here.
It is a lot, even for those of us buoyed by privilege. Thanks for this Stephanie.
Love this. Received as intended: like a warm, supportive hug. Needed it. Might even help get through stuff and writing. But this collective, support - friends, even? - yes, that.
Yes that for sure!
I love you. That is all.
THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU!
I appreciate this so much! I am glad to see you explain why you are staying. A lot of it resonated with me.
I am glad that most of my favorite writers are sticking around. The community of writers I have found through Substack has meant so much to me. As a writer, I wouldn’t even know where to start to find someplace else like this. As a single mother, and person who doesn’t have much time, I just can’t fathom leaving, especially if I would need to pay on another platform. I don’t have enough subscribers to justify that. But, also wouldn’t be able to afford anything that had a monthly fee. Over the past year, the community of writers I follow, read, and comment here has grown substantially. It’s also convenient and time saving to have them all on one platform like this.
Thanks Kristin. I think you spoke to a really large constituency of folks-- writers who, whatever their thoughts are on Substack's policies, don't have anywhere else where they can literally afford to go. It's one of the many dilemmas in this current moment of newslettering, that there is a stratification of what options are available to folks with large existing subscriber bases and those that don't.
Thank you so for articulating your thoughts and choices so clearly. I truly appreciate it, as a Substack writer and community member.
Followup: sharing my own decision-making process in case it’s helpful to you, Garrett, or your readers. Near the bottom of the post: https://open.substack.com/pub/ashadornfest/p/survey?r=2jgs4&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Really enjoyed reading your reasoning, Asha. Thanks for sharing!
Community and collectivity has been my thing on the Internet for years. So your sharing your thought process was unbelievably helpful to me, and I’m sure many others.
i appreciate you, Garrett, and this piece, much more than i can say!
The feeling is mutual.
A few thoughts. My best understanding of where things stand comes from the article in Platformer that I hyperlinked in the "some wins" hyperlink above (where substack committed to removing a few sites and pledged to make better reporting tools available to writers and readers who see presumably nazi stuff on the site). I don't believe there has been an update since then. My understanding is that there is no active collective organizing effort either, because the only one that existed (Substackers Against Nazis) was coordinated by folks who left. I have thoughts on what continued organizing could look like, but as I noted above, my personal question is still whether this is the space I want to reasonably devote most of my organizing energy. That's why right now I'm focused more on building deeper, supportive connections (and learning what needs are) amongst more and more Substack writers, which personally energizes me much more than the content moderation campaign.
Thank you for saying this. My problem with this entire thing from the beginning can be summed up by your comment. First, I wanted to go to the source (Katz’s article in The Atlantic), but: paywall. And since then I’ve been reading everyone’s take on the situation but I feel constantly half-informed on the matter. I’m done in general having knee-jerk reactions to things, even if it means being irrationally called (fill in the blank) by the cancel crowd. I was not okay signing onto the letter when I wasn’t able to do an honest intellectual and emotional grappling with it all.
Garrett, I’m glad you’re staying. Organizing as you know can look like many things and I think sticking around to fight for a damn good yet flawed platform is a good use of energy.
That's a really helpful reflection-- that even at the moments that were slightly more collective, that because the primary driver of all this was everybody writing in their own newsletters (and not sharing all the information in one place to welcome folks in) there wasn't enough focus on the kind of context sharing that would welcome folks in).