I don't find these tedious at all. It's good to know how things are going. I encourage anyone who can to subscribe. Please keep doing what you're doing, Hamilton!
A question (that I'll understand that you may not want to address or already have addressed and I missed it): Is Substack okay to work with? Not just financially, but I frequently see comments in other places that raise some ethical questions. Just curious, but it might just be None of My Business.
My personal experience on Substack has been fine. Substack is a platform, just like Youtube, Tumblr, Blogspot, or many others. Most of the objections I've heard to the company have been calls for content restrictions-- IE, shitty person X is publishing on Substack and should be banned. My perspective on this has always been that it is probably unwise to call for a platform to unilaterally do content restrictions, without a union or similar seat at the table for the people creating the content. It is a request that can bite you on the ass without a good organized structure in place. Also, I have always found it a bit annoying that various right wing users of this platform allegedly characterize what Substack "is," but the many, many very good left wing publications on this platform somehow do not.
This is a longer conversation (which I have had elsewhere) but those are my basic thoughts, FYI.
Thank you! This basically mirrors my view of the platform, as well. I've yet to have Substack recommend or push any odious accounts in my direction, unlike some other algorithms out there. As long as that is the case, I'm comfortable here.
I basically agree with your take on substack Hamilton and I wouldn't pressure you to move really but I do have a more skeptical take on this platform than you do. The management's comments about Nazis etc. being on here and concerns with content on here I 've found to be extremely glib and dismissive. I also disagree that platforms shouldn't do "unilaterally do content restrictions". First of all they all do regardless of what their branding is. And virtually everyone agrees that there should be some restrictions, for instance virtually everyone agrees that CSA materials should be banned. So the free speech absolutist position doesn't even make sense on its own terms. As for the kinds of authors that are associated with substack: from the people who run it and the types of big names that substack poached with the big deals to start itself up it's always been most associated with your "contrarian" or "politically incorrect" types i.e. right wingers and the people who started it and run it have always characterized and branded it this way
I was surprised yesterday to read a ream of vitriol directed at the YouTube aviation channel "Mentour". I have watched those videos for quite some time, and was charmed by the mispronunciations and misspellings by the site's founder, who is a pilot himself. The vitriol concerned the fact that the Mentour channel, which has expanded to include a channel on current developments in airline operations, plus a new channel of features about disasters not involving aircraft, has recently been bought into by private equity. That has, for me, put a new slant on Mr Hörnfeldt's friendly chats about aeroplanes plummeting from the skies from a comfy Chesterfield.
His videos are now backed by a team of researchers and graphic designers and he also has a fellow presenter, so the channel is objectively "better". The question for the audience is whether they feel more comfortable listening to the mispronunciations of a Swedish amateur with inside knowledge of how aircraft work and smilingly tolerating his misspellings or listening to corporate slick backed with big bucks, thirsty to suck up every channel whereby they can bring influence to bear at the editing stage. For example, it always strikes me that disasters in which hundreds of people die in a conflagration of monumental dimensions are happily categorised at the end of the video as having somehow contributed to "airline safety". But not a word is whispered about pollution and environmental damage or other more negative aspects of the flying sector.
When a YouTuber bangs on constantly about safety, we have learned to view askance his motivation, even when it sounds pure and honourable. The question for all independent publishers, whether there or here, is: how far will an injection of capital into my business model affect its output?
I appreciate the summary! As I scanned the top 10 list...I laughed, I (almost actually) cried, and I got fired up all over again. Your writing tells critical stories in a blunt accessible way and always with depth, clarity and humor.
As for the $... I appreciate your model and it's up to us to make it succeed and grow. One of my favorite ways is to introduce friends and fellow travelers to the columns and to subsidize their initial connection.
HamNo, you're great, you're wonderful, keep doing what you're doing.
Have you considered getting off of Substack? I know it's probably more work to maintain a site on Ghost or Beehiiv, but at least you wouldn't be contributing to the bottom line of, y'know, Substack. I think Infante (Fingers) did it, so it's doable, but I don't know your situation.
There’s no getting around the fact that money is necessary for our wellbeing.
Reading HamNo helps me realize who and what I am. What my purpose here is. I try to not have it be about money, while accepting that it’s necessary to acquire a certain amount of it. I won’t allow it to become an end in itself, nor envy those that have too much of it. We’re watching what that does to humans. I’ve become suspicious of the pursuit of money beyond what one needs, unless “needs” refers to doing some good in the world.
We are watching those who believe that “good” includes the elimination of Iranians.
I don’t support HamNo for anything he’s said, but for who or what he appears to be. This is different from siding with an argument or a position, it is siding with a quality of character, something without which, as we’re seeing, no civic institution can survive. It’s not only I who believes humanity is in a deep crisis, but also accept that we’re not aware of much of it because of what we as occupiers of this planet have become.
I have few enough admirers that I generally take the trouble to look them up and see where their interests lie when they like my work or say something nice to me. The power of their compliment sometimes wanes a little when I see that they subscribe to literally hundreds of Substacks. I wonder where they find the time.
There was in the past, if there isn't now, a scheme put up by publishers whereby you could subscribe to a "suite" of publications. That could be attractive, maybe getting five or ten different titles in a single subscription. Of course, the publishing house ultimately receives all the monies in that case. I have raised the matter with some other Substackers who I know personally and it never really got anywhere: one question I can't myself answer is whether, if you organised a collective subscription to, say, ten blogs, should they all be of a similar bent, or should they be utterly diverse? Who would divvie up the money?
They say a tenth of something is better than 100 per cent of nothing. For the readers who hold hundreds of subscriptions, if they were going to pay, they'd need to winnow the selection down. So, teaming up with other writers to compile a suite of publications, whereby each of you gets a smaller part, but at least some part, of the pie may offer an interesting solution, if it can be arranged with Substack itself.
Wow. I can't believe it's been three years. Keep fighting the good fight, brother.
I can't believe it's ONLY been three years. It seems like I've been reading this site for far longer
I don't find these tedious at all. It's good to know how things are going. I encourage anyone who can to subscribe. Please keep doing what you're doing, Hamilton!
A question (that I'll understand that you may not want to address or already have addressed and I missed it): Is Substack okay to work with? Not just financially, but I frequently see comments in other places that raise some ethical questions. Just curious, but it might just be None of My Business.
My personal experience on Substack has been fine. Substack is a platform, just like Youtube, Tumblr, Blogspot, or many others. Most of the objections I've heard to the company have been calls for content restrictions-- IE, shitty person X is publishing on Substack and should be banned. My perspective on this has always been that it is probably unwise to call for a platform to unilaterally do content restrictions, without a union or similar seat at the table for the people creating the content. It is a request that can bite you on the ass without a good organized structure in place. Also, I have always found it a bit annoying that various right wing users of this platform allegedly characterize what Substack "is," but the many, many very good left wing publications on this platform somehow do not.
This is a longer conversation (which I have had elsewhere) but those are my basic thoughts, FYI.
Thank you! This basically mirrors my view of the platform, as well. I've yet to have Substack recommend or push any odious accounts in my direction, unlike some other algorithms out there. As long as that is the case, I'm comfortable here.
I basically agree with your take on substack Hamilton and I wouldn't pressure you to move really but I do have a more skeptical take on this platform than you do. The management's comments about Nazis etc. being on here and concerns with content on here I 've found to be extremely glib and dismissive. I also disagree that platforms shouldn't do "unilaterally do content restrictions". First of all they all do regardless of what their branding is. And virtually everyone agrees that there should be some restrictions, for instance virtually everyone agrees that CSA materials should be banned. So the free speech absolutist position doesn't even make sense on its own terms. As for the kinds of authors that are associated with substack: from the people who run it and the types of big names that substack poached with the big deals to start itself up it's always been most associated with your "contrarian" or "politically incorrect" types i.e. right wingers and the people who started it and run it have always characterized and branded it this way
I was surprised yesterday to read a ream of vitriol directed at the YouTube aviation channel "Mentour". I have watched those videos for quite some time, and was charmed by the mispronunciations and misspellings by the site's founder, who is a pilot himself. The vitriol concerned the fact that the Mentour channel, which has expanded to include a channel on current developments in airline operations, plus a new channel of features about disasters not involving aircraft, has recently been bought into by private equity. That has, for me, put a new slant on Mr Hörnfeldt's friendly chats about aeroplanes plummeting from the skies from a comfy Chesterfield.
His videos are now backed by a team of researchers and graphic designers and he also has a fellow presenter, so the channel is objectively "better". The question for the audience is whether they feel more comfortable listening to the mispronunciations of a Swedish amateur with inside knowledge of how aircraft work and smilingly tolerating his misspellings or listening to corporate slick backed with big bucks, thirsty to suck up every channel whereby they can bring influence to bear at the editing stage. For example, it always strikes me that disasters in which hundreds of people die in a conflagration of monumental dimensions are happily categorised at the end of the video as having somehow contributed to "airline safety". But not a word is whispered about pollution and environmental damage or other more negative aspects of the flying sector.
When a YouTuber bangs on constantly about safety, we have learned to view askance his motivation, even when it sounds pure and honourable. The question for all independent publishers, whether there or here, is: how far will an injection of capital into my business model affect its output?
Three cheers to three years. Thank you for continuing to demonstrate that a better version of media is possible in this bullshit hellscape.
I appreciate the summary! As I scanned the top 10 list...I laughed, I (almost actually) cried, and I got fired up all over again. Your writing tells critical stories in a blunt accessible way and always with depth, clarity and humor.
As for the $... I appreciate your model and it's up to us to make it succeed and grow. One of my favorite ways is to introduce friends and fellow travelers to the columns and to subsidize their initial connection.
Congratulations!! Not easy doing what you do, but you do it very well, and we are grateful. Thank you!
Wow! Congratulations, Hamilton. Thanks for excellent and informative content that moves us all forward.
You’re awesome, mazel tov! Appreciate the work.
As someone who recently re-upped for their second paid year, I love these updates 🖤
HamNo, you're great, you're wonderful, keep doing what you're doing.
Have you considered getting off of Substack? I know it's probably more work to maintain a site on Ghost or Beehiiv, but at least you wouldn't be contributing to the bottom line of, y'know, Substack. I think Infante (Fingers) did it, so it's doable, but I don't know your situation.
There’s no getting around the fact that money is necessary for our wellbeing.
Reading HamNo helps me realize who and what I am. What my purpose here is. I try to not have it be about money, while accepting that it’s necessary to acquire a certain amount of it. I won’t allow it to become an end in itself, nor envy those that have too much of it. We’re watching what that does to humans. I’ve become suspicious of the pursuit of money beyond what one needs, unless “needs” refers to doing some good in the world.
We are watching those who believe that “good” includes the elimination of Iranians.
I don’t support HamNo for anything he’s said, but for who or what he appears to be. This is different from siding with an argument or a position, it is siding with a quality of character, something without which, as we’re seeing, no civic institution can survive. It’s not only I who believes humanity is in a deep crisis, but also accept that we’re not aware of much of it because of what we as occupiers of this planet have become.
I like that: "siding with a quality of character." That also to a large extent covers my support for this endeavor.
Not tedious at all! I should increase my support.
I'm thankful that you're giving us the lay of the land. And I'm happy to donate! Keep up the great work :)
What about that i paid but you keep sending me emails that say upgrade to paid. What category is that?
Congratulations on 3 years!
I wonder what the % of REGULAR readers are paying subscribers
I have few enough admirers that I generally take the trouble to look them up and see where their interests lie when they like my work or say something nice to me. The power of their compliment sometimes wanes a little when I see that they subscribe to literally hundreds of Substacks. I wonder where they find the time.
There was in the past, if there isn't now, a scheme put up by publishers whereby you could subscribe to a "suite" of publications. That could be attractive, maybe getting five or ten different titles in a single subscription. Of course, the publishing house ultimately receives all the monies in that case. I have raised the matter with some other Substackers who I know personally and it never really got anywhere: one question I can't myself answer is whether, if you organised a collective subscription to, say, ten blogs, should they all be of a similar bent, or should they be utterly diverse? Who would divvie up the money?
They say a tenth of something is better than 100 per cent of nothing. For the readers who hold hundreds of subscriptions, if they were going to pay, they'd need to winnow the selection down. So, teaming up with other writers to compile a suite of publications, whereby each of you gets a smaller part, but at least some part, of the pie may offer an interesting solution, if it can be arranged with Substack itself.