"this is what happens when the far left or far right are allowed free rein. moderation in all things." the center have always been the extremists with the far right as their attack dogs. the far left have never been allowed free rein.
"because caitlin takes my ideas, presents them a few days later as her own, and some of you pay her for them. how much has she given me? nada." this is delusional. the idea that you can commodify ideas is one of the pillars of technofeudalism. all the content and ideas caitlin produces are free to use and reproduce, afaik. i'd be ok with content creators picking up a personal take that serves the collective cause. the voluntary contributions serve as paid labor for aggregating different and related ideas in a readable blog imo.
I've been far ahead of the crowd because I grew up in the Middle East but am an American (of color, also relevant). This is the dynamic I have seen most particularly with Caitlin who is not a journalist--she writes her opinion. I'm glad she's out there but I'm not blind to how substack owners use their followers to increase their income. It is very noticeable here. We've not had a left wing in the US since the 1930's when they were effectively taken out by both the middle of the road liberals and the right. You're right that the middle of the road liberals are more effective. Who was the last truly left presidential candidate? Eugene Debs?
Caitlin has no personal experience of the Middle East that I know of. She repeats what professional journalists write. That's fine. Opinion has its place. She's also married to an American vet which is pretty odd, given her political values, frankly.
Whatever. I've been miles ahead of her because I've been dealing with these issues for a good 60 years and witnessing the history you all are talking about. As most Western stubstackers are new to the subject. Glad they are focusing their energies where they are now. Of course, the Internet is what allows the cross-pollination of ideas and opinions. Not for long. Most of the people on substack on whom I rely for information have been disturbingly silent the last 48 hours. For reasons I can well imagine.
I'm not commodifying anything. Middle Easterners know exactly what I'm talking about because they and I have shared experiences, though my perspective is slightly different from theirs because of where we eacj land in both the colonial and post-colonial world.
There is no left here, martin. It was killed off years ago. Before I was born and it sounds like I'm a good deal older than you.
No. I did not say that. However, that's always a possibility. I'm not important in the least. But I do know people whose family members were disappeared. Some of my dad's friends were assassinated, as well. One of the best-loved, moderate ayatollahs who would have been a serious competitor to Khomeini "died of a heart attack" under suspicious circumstances. Actually, I was protected by my citizenship. Censorship is tightening all over but especially in the West. The weaponry and surveillance systems Israel has used on Gaza and Lebanon are migrating here. If you think you are immune, you are not paying attention. My "evidence" is not superior. It's informed by personal experience. That's all. There's plenty I do not know (and would rather not know, frankly). Do you really believe Middle Easterners know less about the Middle East than you? Give me a break.
these things are not correct imo:
"this is what happens when the far left or far right are allowed free rein. moderation in all things." the center have always been the extremists with the far right as their attack dogs. the far left have never been allowed free rein.
"because caitlin takes my ideas, presents them a few days later as her own, and some of you pay her for them. how much has she given me? nada." this is delusional. the idea that you can commodify ideas is one of the pillars of technofeudalism. all the content and ideas caitlin produces are free to use and reproduce, afaik. i'd be ok with content creators picking up a personal take that serves the collective cause. the voluntary contributions serve as paid labor for aggregating different and related ideas in a readable blog imo.
I've been far ahead of the crowd because I grew up in the Middle East but am an American (of color, also relevant). This is the dynamic I have seen most particularly with Caitlin who is not a journalist--she writes her opinion. I'm glad she's out there but I'm not blind to how substack owners use their followers to increase their income. It is very noticeable here. We've not had a left wing in the US since the 1930's when they were effectively taken out by both the middle of the road liberals and the right. You're right that the middle of the road liberals are more effective. Who was the last truly left presidential candidate? Eugene Debs?
Caitlin has no personal experience of the Middle East that I know of. She repeats what professional journalists write. That's fine. Opinion has its place. She's also married to an American vet which is pretty odd, given her political values, frankly.
Whatever. I've been miles ahead of her because I've been dealing with these issues for a good 60 years and witnessing the history you all are talking about. As most Western stubstackers are new to the subject. Glad they are focusing their energies where they are now. Of course, the Internet is what allows the cross-pollination of ideas and opinions. Not for long. Most of the people on substack on whom I rely for information have been disturbingly silent the last 48 hours. For reasons I can well imagine.
I'm not commodifying anything. Middle Easterners know exactly what I'm talking about because they and I have shared experiences, though my perspective is slightly different from theirs because of where we eacj land in both the colonial and post-colonial world.
There is no left here, martin. It was killed off years ago. Before I was born and it sounds like I'm a good deal older than you.
i'm glad we generally agree.
Are you saying that if you expressed your superior fact-based evidence for public consumption that you might meet a fairly rapid and grisly end?
No. I did not say that. However, that's always a possibility. I'm not important in the least. But I do know people whose family members were disappeared. Some of my dad's friends were assassinated, as well. One of the best-loved, moderate ayatollahs who would have been a serious competitor to Khomeini "died of a heart attack" under suspicious circumstances. Actually, I was protected by my citizenship. Censorship is tightening all over but especially in the West. The weaponry and surveillance systems Israel has used on Gaza and Lebanon are migrating here. If you think you are immune, you are not paying attention. My "evidence" is not superior. It's informed by personal experience. That's all. There's plenty I do not know (and would rather not know, frankly). Do you really believe Middle Easterners know less about the Middle East than you? Give me a break.