This is a powerful articulation of something so much bigger than just the substack issue. There really is very little “ethical” consumption available under capitalism, and I think one of the downsides of internet discourse has been that nuance gets scuttled in favor of unrealistic ideological purity. The real place most of us live is between.
“To be so very loud and difficult that they can’t help but be flooded by dissent on their own goddamn homepage.”
As someone else who is staying (but decided back when this was a TERF problem, before it became a Nazi problem, to go free, which I was fortunate enough to be able to do), I think this is exactly right. If Substack loves doing business with Nazis, then they should become famous for doing business with Nazis. The first thing people think about when they think about Hamish McKenzie is, “that’s that guy who does business with Nazis.” And if that bothers him, there’s an easy way to change how people see him.
Thank you so much for writing this and sharing it. As someone with morality OCD, the "voting with our dollars" thing and attempting to do ethical consumption under capitalism has royally fucked up my wellbeing for most of my life. This piece has been so healing for me to read.
Thank you, Jeanna! As a fellow small biz owner/creative, I've felt caught between unethical platforms and audience boycotts multiple times myself and gone through much the same thought process. As a consumer myself, I also have come to dislike "vote with your dollar" when uh, I only make $20-25k a year. We do what we can, and I believe in you and what you're doing. You are definitely a light in the darkness 💜
Love you so much for this. You’re right: there are no good options. Substack has put writers in an impossible position and any choice that people make is valid because there is no winning in capitalism. I’ll follow you wherever you go because I value what you do. So if you’re here, I’ll be here too. ❤️
Such a thoughtful post. I have struggled with the idea of shifting my own social feeds to Substack, for the obvious reasons you mention above. What's interesting, though, is that subscribing to your feed didn't ignite feelings of guilt, precisely because I knew the majority of the money would go to you. You've given me a lot to think about in terms of my own content. Thank you.
"As someone who grew up working class and who has no safety net — I’m estranged from my parents, don’t have assets, and have a self-employed partner who is also in a busting-her-ass-every-month-for-rent-money position — I am loath to do anything to fuck with my money."
and this:
"I simply cannot muster the energy to care that much about where fifty or seventy cents of my wallet goes if the majority is going to an artist I love."
and this:
"as someone who was raised in far right evangelicalism that I’m best positioned to make a difference when I have a platform to do so."
So gd relatable. I absolutely loathe the other platforms, and got zero traction on them, anyway. I had to turn on paid subs because my paranoia about having my content mined for AI was quite serious (has anyone googled anything astrological lately? It's insane).
Thank you for sharing this so eloquently. I've been in recovery from a brain injury for a very long while and I (1) had no brain power to start researching everything related to this issue I was completely in the dark about, because I literally cannot spend the hours online required for it and (2) I am extremely low income due to said brain injury and I'm trying to build something here that was literally impossible to build on the scammer cesspit that is IG (who do nothing about scammers, probably because they think astrologers are scammers, anyway).
I look forward to the day I can spend money on your newsletter. So mote it be.
I am staying, because, like you, I looked at other platforms, like Ghost and Behiiv, and I can't afford them. I have a very small following, so I'm not making much. I'm also on a fixed income. I can afford FREE, though I am trying to upgrade some of my Substack subscriptions as I can.
I, too, was appalled by Substack's response to the outcry, but it just comes down to money. I couldn't guarantee that my subscribers would follow me to Patreon, even.
You're right: We are stuck with terrible choices everywhere we try to pivot. We have to just pick the least of the worst, and that means something different to each person.
so well written! & articulates a lot of things I've been mulling over too as a Substack writer/publisher with values that feel so out of alignment with their exec team. at the same time, I feel really grateful to have built a community of subscribers on here, and love supporting artists and writers who are able to make a living off of the platform.
I'm with you, Jeanna. I do believe there are times and places where I can have some control over my dollars to an extent that it's worth it to me to make some sacrifices, but this isn't that time or place. In my life as a whole there are ways I can make a discernible impact, and there are lots of ways that I can't. Not everywhere is susceptible to my limited power and influence. (Though as a Capricorn I'm quite convinced that we would all be better off if they were. Ha!) SIGH.
Thank you so much for this, it's all stuff I've been wrestling with too. I do really appreciate how Substack gave me a place to make money off my newsletter (which I'd had on Mailchimp for years) without requiring me to pay. But I don't like the notion that if I stay, I'm supporting Nazis or anti-trans folks, which I vehemently do not. I've been dancing on the outskirts of this issue, because the fact is, the money I get from my newsletter helps keep my lights on too.
Thanks for this. I don't yet have income from Substack but personally as a marketing platform I appreciate the in-app discoverability. My subscriber growth comes from people finding me within Substack. I work in marketing for my day job so I categorize Substack alongside other social platforms which are inherently unethical like Meta and X.
Thank you Jeanna! I’m so grateful for all that you articulate here. Especially about our very tax dollars compromising any idea of purity here or anywhere. 🙏🏾
especially with what's going on in palestine, i just can't get over the inherently compromised position we are in as inhabitants of Empire, and how we just have to do what we can, where we can, however we can.
This is a powerful articulation of something so much bigger than just the substack issue. There really is very little “ethical” consumption available under capitalism, and I think one of the downsides of internet discourse has been that nuance gets scuttled in favor of unrealistic ideological purity. The real place most of us live is between.
love you so much, friend.
Exactly this and so well articulated!
“To be so very loud and difficult that they can’t help but be flooded by dissent on their own goddamn homepage.”
As someone else who is staying (but decided back when this was a TERF problem, before it became a Nazi problem, to go free, which I was fortunate enough to be able to do), I think this is exactly right. If Substack loves doing business with Nazis, then they should become famous for doing business with Nazis. The first thing people think about when they think about Hamish McKenzie is, “that’s that guy who does business with Nazis.” And if that bothers him, there’s an easy way to change how people see him.
couldn't agree more, ron.
Thank you so much for writing this and sharing it. As someone with morality OCD, the "voting with our dollars" thing and attempting to do ethical consumption under capitalism has royally fucked up my wellbeing for most of my life. This piece has been so healing for me to read.
i'm so glad. <3
Thank you, Jeanna! As a fellow small biz owner/creative, I've felt caught between unethical platforms and audience boycotts multiple times myself and gone through much the same thought process. As a consumer myself, I also have come to dislike "vote with your dollar" when uh, I only make $20-25k a year. We do what we can, and I believe in you and what you're doing. You are definitely a light in the darkness 💜
dude. thank you for that transparency. that is so extremely, extremely real.
Love you so much for this. You’re right: there are no good options. Substack has put writers in an impossible position and any choice that people make is valid because there is no winning in capitalism. I’ll follow you wherever you go because I value what you do. So if you’re here, I’ll be here too. ❤️
love you dearly.
Such a thoughtful post. I have struggled with the idea of shifting my own social feeds to Substack, for the obvious reasons you mention above. What's interesting, though, is that subscribing to your feed didn't ignite feelings of guilt, precisely because I knew the majority of the money would go to you. You've given me a lot to think about in terms of my own content. Thank you.
i'm so glad, kim.
This:
"As someone who grew up working class and who has no safety net — I’m estranged from my parents, don’t have assets, and have a self-employed partner who is also in a busting-her-ass-every-month-for-rent-money position — I am loath to do anything to fuck with my money."
and this:
"I simply cannot muster the energy to care that much about where fifty or seventy cents of my wallet goes if the majority is going to an artist I love."
and this:
"as someone who was raised in far right evangelicalism that I’m best positioned to make a difference when I have a platform to do so."
So gd relatable. I absolutely loathe the other platforms, and got zero traction on them, anyway. I had to turn on paid subs because my paranoia about having my content mined for AI was quite serious (has anyone googled anything astrological lately? It's insane).
Thank you for sharing this so eloquently. I've been in recovery from a brain injury for a very long while and I (1) had no brain power to start researching everything related to this issue I was completely in the dark about, because I literally cannot spend the hours online required for it and (2) I am extremely low income due to said brain injury and I'm trying to build something here that was literally impossible to build on the scammer cesspit that is IG (who do nothing about scammers, probably because they think astrologers are scammers, anyway).
I look forward to the day I can spend money on your newsletter. So mote it be.
thank you for reading, and wishing you all the best on your continued recovery!
I am staying, because, like you, I looked at other platforms, like Ghost and Behiiv, and I can't afford them. I have a very small following, so I'm not making much. I'm also on a fixed income. I can afford FREE, though I am trying to upgrade some of my Substack subscriptions as I can.
I, too, was appalled by Substack's response to the outcry, but it just comes down to money. I couldn't guarantee that my subscribers would follow me to Patreon, even.
You're right: We are stuck with terrible choices everywhere we try to pivot. We have to just pick the least of the worst, and that means something different to each person.
"We have to just pick the least of the worst, and that means something different to each person."
so well put.
so well written! & articulates a lot of things I've been mulling over too as a Substack writer/publisher with values that feel so out of alignment with their exec team. at the same time, I feel really grateful to have built a community of subscribers on here, and love supporting artists and writers who are able to make a living off of the platform.
my same exact feelings, hannah. the astrology for writers discord, for example, is a community i am so, so deeply grateful for.
I'm with you, Jeanna. I do believe there are times and places where I can have some control over my dollars to an extent that it's worth it to me to make some sacrifices, but this isn't that time or place. In my life as a whole there are ways I can make a discernible impact, and there are lots of ways that I can't. Not everywhere is susceptible to my limited power and influence. (Though as a Capricorn I'm quite convinced that we would all be better off if they were. Ha!) SIGH.
the perpetual capricorn MOOD, asha!
Thank you so much for this, it's all stuff I've been wrestling with too. I do really appreciate how Substack gave me a place to make money off my newsletter (which I'd had on Mailchimp for years) without requiring me to pay. But I don't like the notion that if I stay, I'm supporting Nazis or anti-trans folks, which I vehemently do not. I've been dancing on the outskirts of this issue, because the fact is, the money I get from my newsletter helps keep my lights on too.
here's to paying our rent, julie!
Thanks for this. I don't yet have income from Substack but personally as a marketing platform I appreciate the in-app discoverability. My subscriber growth comes from people finding me within Substack. I work in marketing for my day job so I categorize Substack alongside other social platforms which are inherently unethical like Meta and X.
100% agree with putting them in with Meta and X these days.
Thank you Jeanna! I’m so grateful for all that you articulate here. Especially about our very tax dollars compromising any idea of purity here or anywhere. 🙏🏾
especially with what's going on in palestine, i just can't get over the inherently compromised position we are in as inhabitants of Empire, and how we just have to do what we can, where we can, however we can.
I’ve been meaning to become a paid subscribe to your newsletter and this was the push I needed to figure it out. I so appreciate your perspective.
💗
I agree so much, thank you for articulating the paradox, tension, and f*ckery of our times.
It is a frustrating paradox, but one we have to deal with as best we can!
So thoughtful and smart, thank you this.