I became aware of what Letters were probably 5-6 years ago when I watched the Gore Vidal v. Norman Mailer debate. You know, it's those short essays people publish in The New Yorker! It's akin to the fancier, more artistic op-ed section of the newspaper.
Until today, it hasn't occurred to me I could probably write one. I likely read enough news and have enough original (or at least more nuanced) insight into many issues that others have not had the time to delve into. Why not give my own analysis or exegesis of what I'm seeing go around in the world around me? If people think it's helpful, interesting, or thought-provoking, then great! Part of the reluctance to do it is that it seems you have to have a pretty big ego to think your thoughts are important enough for some people (often not many!) to listen or read them for hours at a time. And, even worse, I struggle to determine how best to communicate the intentions behind what I write. Yet, if my time streaming has taught me anything, it's to do what you enjoy doing and if people come along with you, then even better.
So, what will this substack be about? Essentially they will be reflections of what I spend my time doing all day: reading and formulating thoughts. Just, this time, I'll write them down on the internet instead of in my RSS feed annotator.
What do I read about?
Philosophy
Everyone reading this will know me from my background in philosophy. Certainly, this is my primary interest and nearly every single one of my posts will be philosophical in nature in some capacity.
Whether I post actually essays/papers on here? I'm unsure they are suited for a format like substack, and my papers are probably mostly of interest only to those familiar with the field. Do you really want to read “Negotiating the Dummett/Sluga Debate on Frege's Context Principle” or “An Analysis of David Lewis' Metaphilosophy”? To those who answered yes, you're in the 1% who got very antsy about reading the paper, while the rest of 99% nearly fell asleep.
Yet, I plan to compose more accessible pieces on philosophy in areas that are relevant to other domains of study or current events. Similarly, I might do brief literature reviews on a variety of controversial issues and detail just where the disagreements lay.
News and Politics
I read a lot of news. I mean a lot. I read nearly every story of six primary news outlets: the New York Times, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera, The Economist, The Guardian, and The Globe and Mail.
It's occurred to me that this is almost certainly more than most political streamers read, and they seem to be confident enough in espousing political rhetoric and argument, so why shouldn't I be?
I should readily say that I'm an avowed socialist. Yet, I'm a pragmatic one who believes in achieving the aims of socialism in the way that secure the greatest well-being and respect for everybody involved. Thus, I believe in seriously reforming political systems, within political systems.
With respect to politics, I hope to publish a daily summary of news from outside of the United States with a list of links to all the news stories.
I also will occasionally comment on either breaking news stories (though this will be very rarely) or give analysis on a very particular issue (like filibuster reform, bills against teaching CRT, etc.).
Culture
Finally, I love culture. Specifically, I love an annoying, snobby culture (the very same culture the people in the Letters write about!). Thus, I will inevitably annoy some people with my tastes in media (which, at the time of writing, I believe to be subjective); yet, I really enjoy fictional media and I hope I can share my own experiences and insight.
Think: regular movie reviews; occasional book reviews; the very rare game review.
In summary, I hope to really put a lot into this. Let me say up front this is another way I can substitute for streaming every single day. I find it exhausting and draining, but I can sit and write my thoughts out all day, all the time. And, if I am able to be more eloquent and get my thoughts across to you in a more concise way, dear viewer, why not supplement my streams with this newsletter?
I am not sure what I will put behind a paywall, but I can promise it won't be anything expensive (probably $5). Think of it less as paying for a service, and instead as a donation to help someone out to pay for their tuition and groceries. If more can come of this and it can actually be a sustainable thing--well, that's just a dream.
So, if you wanna help me out right away and really give me into drive with this project, feel free to subscribe to it!
Thanks,
Rem