Since it's MLK day: I have a dream that one day in the future, journalists will cover events for what they are instead of "narratives", but then I remember that what that will take are good editors willing to take a stand for actual news and that doesn't exist much in the present day. The core problem is "churnalism", Tim Poole has broken that down before, wherein modern publications aren't really publications anymore. They're websites that earn money-per-click and so narratives and fantabulism is incentivized, as that takes in more clicks. Editors aren't concerned about integrity anymore and journalists are under pressure to "get clicks", which leads to that lowest common denominator. So, in the end, you just get a bunch of sites like Slate an the Atlantic that exist to affirm people's priors, they exist on the right too (Breitbart comes to mind, boy did that turn to crap), but it's just a big feedback loop of garbage. I don't know what the solution is, but the journalists profession is broken and it's my dream that the 4th Estate can unf*ck itself sometime before the republic ends.
"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father’s died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!”
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi — from every mountainside.
Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring — when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children — black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics — will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
It's good to hear you got good results. I'm 59 with family history of "ass-cancer" including a younger brother a couple of years ago (so far, so good for him). I've had four colon movies taken starting at 40 - I have another in about 2 years. Stay on top it and don't fret too much. Removing pre-cancerous polyps is normal. Love you daily letter and look forward too it everyday. Yes, I'm a subscriber :-)
The Covid paranoia has caused people to become superstitious. Even if their superstitions are based on science, they are an emotional and psychological crutch. They cling to talismans like masks, and rituals like social distancing to make them feel safe. It’s a result of letting fear rule your life. It leads to paranoia, you attack anyone who threatens your “safety,” like the people who won’t get vaccinated. In past times that kind of paranoia usually ended with witch hunts and societal purges. I hope we can come out of the hysteria without too much damage done.
Since it's MLK day: I have a dream that one day in the future, journalists will cover events for what they are instead of "narratives", but then I remember that what that will take are good editors willing to take a stand for actual news and that doesn't exist much in the present day. The core problem is "churnalism", Tim Poole has broken that down before, wherein modern publications aren't really publications anymore. They're websites that earn money-per-click and so narratives and fantabulism is incentivized, as that takes in more clicks. Editors aren't concerned about integrity anymore and journalists are under pressure to "get clicks", which leads to that lowest common denominator. So, in the end, you just get a bunch of sites like Slate an the Atlantic that exist to affirm people's priors, they exist on the right too (Breitbart comes to mind, boy did that turn to crap), but it's just a big feedback loop of garbage. I don't know what the solution is, but the journalists profession is broken and it's my dream that the 4th Estate can unf*ck itself sometime before the republic ends.
They always seem to forget this part:
"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father’s died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!”
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi — from every mountainside.
Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring — when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children — black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics — will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
Hey Sean, happy you’re a-ok. Best
It's good to hear you got good results. I'm 59 with family history of "ass-cancer" including a younger brother a couple of years ago (so far, so good for him). I've had four colon movies taken starting at 40 - I have another in about 2 years. Stay on top it and don't fret too much. Removing pre-cancerous polyps is normal. Love you daily letter and look forward too it everyday. Yes, I'm a subscriber :-)
"Everything’s better with some Sam Elliott."
Except for "Road House."
Glad you have a healthy start to 2022.
The Covid paranoia has caused people to become superstitious. Even if their superstitions are based on science, they are an emotional and psychological crutch. They cling to talismans like masks, and rituals like social distancing to make them feel safe. It’s a result of letting fear rule your life. It leads to paranoia, you attack anyone who threatens your “safety,” like the people who won’t get vaccinated. In past times that kind of paranoia usually ended with witch hunts and societal purges. I hope we can come out of the hysteria without too much damage done.