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Blackwolf's avatar

Ok, don't set fire to me, but the problem is the take here. "Forced" equality is socialism at its worst and the minute we start down that path, "Everything" is over. Not just Substack, but anything were objective measurement is an absolute requirement. See "enshittification" h/t cd.

I don't want a World in which the less-charismatic, talented, capable etc-achieve the same as those with more. But more is relative. I'm not on Substack as a writer, but as a reader and I want my reading time to be filled with the best: insight, observation, curation and comprehension. That won't happen if false tides raise all boats. After all, we faced that problem in traditional media and look what we have now: a veritable waste land of declining trust and impossible choices because journalist and their corporate overlords were irresponsible and cowardly. A deadly combo with serious consequences.

If you allow your sympathy for those who are -less- to dominate the reasoning behind why you are removing support from those who are -more- you consign Substack and those who rely on it for discussions we can no longer have in a traditional forum to the same mediocre outcomes. The responsibility is on them to get better, or do something else. They may be better at the something else. Encouraging them to be motionless and mediocre is unfair to us all.

I get it..in a way I feel your pain. My trajectory was those very newsrooms. I had a forced course correction, but now looking back, I'm glad because I

would have been devastated to watch a paper I worked for chopped up and sold off to pander to some ridiculous agenda. Journalism should forever stand apart...but if the Captain of the ship cannot sail, he will soon run around. And that's where we are not; stuck on a sandbar with no hope of freeing ourselves without tearing our hull.

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Dr. Eileen Antalek's avatar

I've thought about this myself, noting that some folks have literally thousands of subscribers at say $80 a year... and then there are folks like me, who don't charge a dime just because. (And I acknowledge that's my choice.) I put it into this idea: I don't mind someone making a solid living by writing. I think a good writer, be it journalist, creative, or philosopher, deserves no less than other professionals. So making anywhere from $80K to $300K a year? Congratulations! Go you! I also know some of the stacks are groups, not individuals like Bulwark and Meidas. They have several folks to pay. So there's that to consider. And there are the costs associated with their research. I'm good with all that IF their content remains true to the original mission. But as always it's good to follow the money and keep them honest, so to speak, so good on you Nolan! Let's keep it real!

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