Great article and great reflections. I listened to part of the podcast "The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill." That podcast and this article make me wonder what healthy community would look and feel like and if it already exists somewhere. If people are practicing it.
I absolutely believe that people are practicing real community, but I’m really glad you named the Mars Hill connection (I listened to that podcast too). I think it’s worth giving pause to spaces that say they’re about community when they’re that rooted in self promotion (and in a lot of cases, both Mars Hill and Tim Price, in super masculine bragging).
that really means a lot (and is also something I, of course, think about a lot, namely "Garrett, if part of what you're trying to be aware of how White guys fill up every single space with their voice and opinions, do you really have something to say here or are you just assuming you do bc, well, that's the white guy thing?").
I can tell you, from my perspective as a feminist, queer, southern progressive, which is that you (seem to) approach literally everything with an equal amount of curiosity and aghast-ness. It's hard to mansplain someone when you take curiosity as your go-to, which I have seen from you over and over again, and definitely why I started following you. Sometimes I just get kind of happy when white men start questioning everything, including their behavior, because I like to see them squirm...but that can only keep me interested for so long. Showing up over and over to ask the hard questions OF YOURSELF and to approach things with a curious mind is what keeps me (and people like me) around.
If I'm being honest, though, it's the aghast-ness that will probably mean we re friends for a very long time. My closest white-dude friend has it too. Where, even though we know what a tragic world we've created and even though we know what the (average) white man is going to do in a particular situation, we are shocked over and over again. It used to make me really sad and feel like things were hopeless, and I find now that it appals me and I want to call them out... which draws me to people like you (and others) who are doing that.
And speaking of the things dudes do, though one of them wasn't a "white dude," they were very bro-ish ... did you see the article in the Intelligencer re: the crash of 3Swords Crypto and all the outlandish things those dudes did? They crashed our economy - and through a very intricate web took a lot of people's money, including some people I know who would have never invested with them, but who had investments with firms that loaned them money and are now going bankrupt. And these two dudes are in hiding!
Really enjoyed this. Calls to mind Elite Capture by Olufemi Taiwo. In particular, where he draws out the fable of the naked emperor and encourages us to see through the charade. To refuse the provocations of the outrage and misdirection machine. And also to be mindful of the Con Men you profile here, using the language of justice and equity without meaning it, practicing it.
This made me think of a lot of the Conspirituality episodes. They’ve come back around to that theme a few times, that conspiracies, wellness influencers, and cults draw people in because those people are actually hurting or scared.
Ooh, I've never heard about that one either, but I'm so glad that's the angle they're taking in talking about folks who get drawn into conspiracies.
Speaking of podcast recommendations, after posting yesterday I got an email that apparently there's also a great Maintenance Phase episode on snake oil as well.
I don't know why I'm so obsessed with it, I've never been in a cult and am not into conspiracies! But two of the hosts are cult survivors. They do an amazing job getting into how people are drawn into cults and conspiracies (and addressing a number of specific wellness influencers with cult-ish tendencies) with a lot of compassion.
Great article and great reflections. I listened to part of the podcast "The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill." That podcast and this article make me wonder what healthy community would look and feel like and if it already exists somewhere. If people are practicing it.
I absolutely believe that people are practicing real community, but I’m really glad you named the Mars Hill connection (I listened to that podcast too). I think it’s worth giving pause to spaces that say they’re about community when they’re that rooted in self promotion (and in a lot of cases, both Mars Hill and Tim Price, in super masculine bragging).
THIS IS WHY I STARTED FOLLOWING YOU AS I WAS STEADILY UNFOLLOWING ALL THE WHITE MEN. BIG PROPS DUDE.
that really means a lot (and is also something I, of course, think about a lot, namely "Garrett, if part of what you're trying to be aware of how White guys fill up every single space with their voice and opinions, do you really have something to say here or are you just assuming you do bc, well, that's the white guy thing?").
I can tell you, from my perspective as a feminist, queer, southern progressive, which is that you (seem to) approach literally everything with an equal amount of curiosity and aghast-ness. It's hard to mansplain someone when you take curiosity as your go-to, which I have seen from you over and over again, and definitely why I started following you. Sometimes I just get kind of happy when white men start questioning everything, including their behavior, because I like to see them squirm...but that can only keep me interested for so long. Showing up over and over to ask the hard questions OF YOURSELF and to approach things with a curious mind is what keeps me (and people like me) around.
If I'm being honest, though, it's the aghast-ness that will probably mean we re friends for a very long time. My closest white-dude friend has it too. Where, even though we know what a tragic world we've created and even though we know what the (average) white man is going to do in a particular situation, we are shocked over and over again. It used to make me really sad and feel like things were hopeless, and I find now that it appals me and I want to call them out... which draws me to people like you (and others) who are doing that.
Keep ballin' dude.
Here’s to some necessary (and shared) aghastness!
And speaking of the things dudes do, though one of them wasn't a "white dude," they were very bro-ish ... did you see the article in the Intelligencer re: the crash of 3Swords Crypto and all the outlandish things those dudes did? They crashed our economy - and through a very intricate web took a lot of people's money, including some people I know who would have never invested with them, but who had investments with firms that loaned them money and are now going bankrupt. And these two dudes are in hiding!
https://nym.ag/3PPnl4f
Oh my gosh I hadn’t seen this
Really enjoyed this. Calls to mind Elite Capture by Olufemi Taiwo. In particular, where he draws out the fable of the naked emperor and encourages us to see through the charade. To refuse the provocations of the outrage and misdirection machine. And also to be mindful of the Con Men you profile here, using the language of justice and equity without meaning it, practicing it.
Oh great connection. I love that book!
This made me think of a lot of the Conspirituality episodes. They’ve come back around to that theme a few times, that conspiracies, wellness influencers, and cults draw people in because those people are actually hurting or scared.
I was not aware of this podcast, and I’m so glad you shared it. Thanks!
Ooh, I've never heard about that one either, but I'm so glad that's the angle they're taking in talking about folks who get drawn into conspiracies.
Speaking of podcast recommendations, after posting yesterday I got an email that apparently there's also a great Maintenance Phase episode on snake oil as well.
I assumed you had listened to it based on your article!
I don't know why I'm so obsessed with it, I've never been in a cult and am not into conspiracies! But two of the hosts are cult survivors. They do an amazing job getting into how people are drawn into cults and conspiracies (and addressing a number of specific wellness influencers with cult-ish tendencies) with a lot of compassion.
OK, apart from this being impactful and well said, "Oh jeez what a hacky move." made me laugh.
Narrator: “it was, in fact, a hacky move”
Terrific, thank you.
Appreciate it.
Goddam, Garrett. This is so so good. Thank you so much for writing it!
Oh wow thanks a ton.