Please forgive the delay. Here are links to writing by subscribers for the months of October/November, presented in the order in which I received them. If I’ve missed someone entirely, please let me know and I’ll be sure to include you next month; if I’ve misformatted something, comment and I will fix it on the website. Those of you who formatted your submissions in the way I asked are the real MVPs. Please note that while I tried to remember every email sent to the wrong address, I disavow any responsibility if I missed yours! I always find cool stuff to read in these, so please click around at whatever you might fancy. Try someone whose stuff you haven’t tried before.
Arg... "When Freeddom Kills" by Michelle Jia is a piece that beckons cognitive behavior therapy, and it is a common theme of the young feminist-dominated left in a well-coordinated effort to normalize shrugging of personal responsibility, no-work and others to take care of them. J was brilliant and correct to recognize what was broken and missing. And personal independence has nothing to do with having friends. In fact, those more independent are more likely to attract and retain friends as independent people foment those relationships for the right reasons, and not because they need others around to fill their gaps and do their chores.
This seems all part of the destructive culture wars that are really ideological and political at in intent. I think Jordan Peterson nails it when he recommends to people depressed and lacking life meaning... make the bed every morning. Being independently capable and responsible to take care of ourselves is the first and most important step to attaining a meaningful life. And collectivism sucks.
Mm...nothing particularly caught my fancy this time. Far from Garbage Online Reading, but not as provocative or powerful as some previous roundups. (I like cebk's essay, although confess to not understanding it at all, so it's just tainment and no info. Skolnick's piece is also good, actually the whole Substack is, but I'd already had that one recommended through ACX. I suppose double-dipping on recommendations is a doubleplusgood endorsement, anyway. Resident Contrarian's piece similarly got an entire Contra post on same blog.)
Still a favourite feature of this blog though. I prefer Freddie's roundups to other bloggers', largely because there's high-variance in assumed audience priors and interests, so I don't get that icky "Curated Just For You" feeling of other oh-so-clever listicles. The whole point should be to read __something different__, not Other Usually Less Polished People Rehashing Same Points Current Blog Already Makes All The Time.
Arg... "When Freeddom Kills" by Michelle Jia is a piece that beckons cognitive behavior therapy, and it is a common theme of the young feminist-dominated left in a well-coordinated effort to normalize shrugging of personal responsibility, no-work and others to take care of them. J was brilliant and correct to recognize what was broken and missing. And personal independence has nothing to do with having friends. In fact, those more independent are more likely to attract and retain friends as independent people foment those relationships for the right reasons, and not because they need others around to fill their gaps and do their chores.
This seems all part of the destructive culture wars that are really ideological and political at in intent. I think Jordan Peterson nails it when he recommends to people depressed and lacking life meaning... make the bed every morning. Being independently capable and responsible to take care of ourselves is the first and most important step to attaining a meaningful life. And collectivism sucks.
It's a darn shame I'm teaching tomorrow since what I'd like to do is stay up late into the night reading most of these articles!!
Having one of my stories on here is always one of the highlights of my month in the Substack Universe! :-)
These posts are fast becoming one of the highlights of my month. Readers in here are a treasure trove of great writing.
Samantha Hedges, damn that was good!
Amod Lele, thank you for an interesting and surprising history lesson.
@AF...nice work!
Mm...nothing particularly caught my fancy this time. Far from Garbage Online Reading, but not as provocative or powerful as some previous roundups. (I like cebk's essay, although confess to not understanding it at all, so it's just tainment and no info. Skolnick's piece is also good, actually the whole Substack is, but I'd already had that one recommended through ACX. I suppose double-dipping on recommendations is a doubleplusgood endorsement, anyway. Resident Contrarian's piece similarly got an entire Contra post on same blog.)
Still a favourite feature of this blog though. I prefer Freddie's roundups to other bloggers', largely because there's high-variance in assumed audience priors and interests, so I don't get that icky "Curated Just For You" feeling of other oh-so-clever listicles. The whole point should be to read __something different__, not Other Usually Less Polished People Rehashing Same Points Current Blog Already Makes All The Time.