Ah but Terry, won’t you feel better … validated even … once you get that badge. At least until you starting pining for that next badge, the one that’s filled in … that’s the one! Reminds me of the John Prine song, “Your flag decal won’t get you into heaven anymore.”
Ha! It's a difficult one, Tom. Today, for the first time, I came across a 'stack that has a purple badge -- over 200k subscribers -- and I felt a twinge of envy. But, and I think this is the critical thing, I'm not prepared to do all the things I probably should do for that kind of growth. I just want to write what I want to write, and as long as there are people enjoying it and interacting, thats good for dopamine hits in itself! Not familiar with John Pine, so will have to cha=eck that out. Thanks!
Yeah, we agree on the goals. John Prine! He’s pretty awesome (was). Check out “Hello in There,” “Souvenirs,” ah, you can’t go wrong. Or you’ll hate him!
wow! I didn't like souvenirs much, but loved the lyrics. Loved Hello in there. Appreciate the lyrics of Flag decal, but not the music so much. The poignancy of Hello in there reminds me a bit of David Ackles. Are you familiar with him? https://terryfreedman.substack.com/p/updated-in-praise-of-david-ackles
Love the humor Terry 😄 I sometimes feel that you don't intend to be funny. On first impression, you come across as a proud pessimist with deep seeded optimistic tendencies ...Right! Shrink spectacles aside, I love articles that include movie ref, quotes and ratings, as I do, because I am a proud optimist with deep seeded pessimistic tendencies. This had been a long time coming but glad I am here! Oh yes, thanks for the Edit comparison, and it's nice to know we are not so bad on our own.
Agree! In tech this would fall into the bucket of a whiteboard brainstorm session idea that shouldn't have made it to a release without thorough user and use case testing for the pitfalls.
We write because we love the creative process, have something of value to say, AND are willing to put in the hours to hone our craft. The inanity of numbers and badges have no significance. You are writers. Ignore the games and just write. Writing is not a popularity contest. Sharon at 🍁Leaves
Thank you, Mr Freedman. Rebecca Holden sent me your way. I have been enjoying your mutual correspondence, and I look forward to reading other posts of yours. Are you in the UK? I am in California. I write mostly fiction and travel impressions. I hope you find time to read a post or two. I suggest the Abilene Trilogy pinned on the home page, a good example of my work. Thanks! Sharron at 🍁Leaves
Agree, the feature will become a bug for many who will resent being part of the same things which they sought an escape from.
It eats into goodwill and imposes degrading games and signaling for one narrow vision of growth, which ignores that everybody's got a personal long-tail long game they should cultivate. Unique ideas and interests could be eclipsed by a monolithic vision of what writing success will mean on this site if they push this.
Thank you for writing this. Your thoughts about writers gaming this feature did not even occur to me, but it is certainly possible (and infuriating). Sigh.
I totally agree, Terry! Ugh. This is the first I'm hearing about the badge thing. It just sounds gross and totally inauthentic. Thanks for writing about it.
Unfortunately those of us who are independent minded are likely to be subsumed under the weight of those who stick to the party line. They had a chance to become the new NY Times but they choose to become the NY Times, lol.
I don't think I feel any more overwhelmed than I already do! I like the wide choice of reading on Substack we have. I'm not completely sure what you mean by your NY Times comment, perhaps because I'm a Brit. Would appreciate an explanation if you have time.
What a great comment! I will answer incompletely here and at length as I develop a post. A few thousand of us smelled a rat in March of 2022. We communicated on Twitter from around the world. Each of us suspected based on science we knew that Covid 19 wasn’t about a virus but about control. This was an educated crowd of international skeptics. Physicians, attorneys, writers, thinkers, parents and grandmothers like me. We saw terrible danger in the Covid issue and tried to warn those we could based on science basics. These suspicions grew, forming the understanding we have now. As we wrote about our suspicions truth began to emerge in ways we had predicted. Mainstream media all over the planet had promulgated lies - propaganda - on the public, including and especially The NY Times. This is necessarily a huge story. Perhaps the biggest ever in history. Can’t fit it in a comment. If you read from some of my earlier posts and follow those I recommend and read you will see what we have come to understand. It is not a pretty picture. It is very overwhelming to say the least.
Besides visibiltiy issues, I am concerned that this new direction will attract people looking for a quick buck and Substack will end up like Medium, flooded with articles like "How I got the purple badge in X months!" 🤢
Yes, that's a really good point, Elizabeth. One of the reasons I stopped reading Medium articles was that I tired of receiving articles like "How I made $34,598 from a single post". I didn't believe them, especially as the most I ever made was, I think, $2.38. (The other reason was the incessant preaching and lecturing.)
Yes, that's true, Elizabeth. A lot of the articles seemed to me like the reading equivalent of eating cardboard -- not that I make a habit of eating cardboard!
Exactly, Carol. I think it's hard enough for a lot of writers to hit the 'Publish' button (me included, and I've been doing it for ages), without the additional emotional baggage of feeling unworthy because of being badgeless!
When I read about the badges my heart sunk a little as I'm new to publishing my work, and consequently unknown. Plus, I don't write about hype topics, so difficult to gain significant traction.
Badges will help those already doing well, but I can't see how they help the vast majority of us. The idea plays off of group mentality, which at times can be positive, but often spirals into negative consequences. I don't even think YouTube should have likes and dislikes!
I agree, Renee. I'm not New to publshing, but still relatively unknown on this platform. I think it's based on the Matthew idea: to those who have, etc.
I love Substack, for one I'm learning from writers such as yourself. The versatility of the platform is fantastic, but this new element of badges is disconcerting, indeed. However, I'll lean into the idea of excellence vs success and be grateful for what Substack does so well.
I wonder if the past thursday substack thread dealt with this subject.
Agreed. In all honesty this particular feature seemed odd given Substack’s track record of well thought out additions. Reinstating a hierarchy based on popularity is a quick way to lose aspiring writers.
Well, I don't know, Corey. I can see it's a form of social p[roof, but I try to judge newsletters by things like the quality of their writing rather than how big they are. But I do get sick of all the so-called humble bragging that happens on Twitter and Linkedin, and it would be a great shame if Substack encourages that sort of behaviour.
I'm inclined to agree, Corey. I was trying to give the benefit of the doubt. You only have to look at the number of people who follow really nasty pieces of work on other platforms to realise that social proof can be a malign force
Ah, yes. Those who thrive on controversy, mistake thoughts for ideas, and loudly endorse free speech while trying to silence people who disagree with them. Oy.
Ah but Terry, won’t you feel better … validated even … once you get that badge. At least until you starting pining for that next badge, the one that’s filled in … that’s the one! Reminds me of the John Prine song, “Your flag decal won’t get you into heaven anymore.”
Ha! It's a difficult one, Tom. Today, for the first time, I came across a 'stack that has a purple badge -- over 200k subscribers -- and I felt a twinge of envy. But, and I think this is the critical thing, I'm not prepared to do all the things I probably should do for that kind of growth. I just want to write what I want to write, and as long as there are people enjoying it and interacting, thats good for dopamine hits in itself! Not familiar with John Pine, so will have to cha=eck that out. Thanks!
Yeah, we agree on the goals. John Prine! He’s pretty awesome (was). Check out “Hello in There,” “Souvenirs,” ah, you can’t go wrong. Or you’ll hate him!
wow! I didn't like souvenirs much, but loved the lyrics. Loved Hello in there. Appreciate the lyrics of Flag decal, but not the music so much. The poignancy of Hello in there reminds me a bit of David Ackles. Are you familiar with him? https://terryfreedman.substack.com/p/updated-in-praise-of-david-ackles
Love the humor Terry 😄 I sometimes feel that you don't intend to be funny. On first impression, you come across as a proud pessimist with deep seeded optimistic tendencies ...Right! Shrink spectacles aside, I love articles that include movie ref, quotes and ratings, as I do, because I am a proud optimist with deep seeded pessimistic tendencies. This had been a long time coming but glad I am here! Oh yes, thanks for the Edit comparison, and it's nice to know we are not so bad on our own.
Agree! In tech this would fall into the bucket of a whiteboard brainstorm session idea that shouldn't have made it to a release without thorough user and use case testing for the pitfalls.
We write because we love the creative process, have something of value to say, AND are willing to put in the hours to hone our craft. The inanity of numbers and badges have no significance. You are writers. Ignore the games and just write. Writing is not a popularity contest. Sharon at 🍁Leaves
i was just looking at YOUR 'stack Sharron!
Thank you, Mr Freedman. Rebecca Holden sent me your way. I have been enjoying your mutual correspondence, and I look forward to reading other posts of yours. Are you in the UK? I am in California. I write mostly fiction and travel impressions. I hope you find time to read a post or two. I suggest the Abilene Trilogy pinned on the home page, a good example of my work. Thanks! Sharron at 🍁Leaves
"Mr Freedman"? So formal! Yes, UK. You will enjoy this, then, Ms Bassano: https://open.substack.com/pub/terryfreedman/p/the-great-american-language?r=18suih&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Yeah. I loved this. And the discussion that followed. Thanks for sending it!
Agree, the feature will become a bug for many who will resent being part of the same things which they sought an escape from.
It eats into goodwill and imposes degrading games and signaling for one narrow vision of growth, which ignores that everybody's got a personal long-tail long game they should cultivate. Unique ideas and interests could be eclipsed by a monolithic vision of what writing success will mean on this site if they push this.
Well put, Edward: "which they sought an escape from"
Thank you for writing this. Your thoughts about writers gaming this feature did not even occur to me, but it is certainly possible (and infuriating). Sigh.
I totally agree, Terry! Ugh. This is the first I'm hearing about the badge thing. It just sounds gross and totally inauthentic. Thanks for writing about it.
"Gross and inauthentic" : absolutely agree
Love it, thanks!
https://youtu.be/8SjwO17gsqU
https://youtu.be/Fd41cVwl9FY
I speak music better than I speak words.
“Who needs music when you got words?”
https://youtu.be/Uqb02qUFtCg
Thanks, KW, will check these out
Agree. Looks like we are about to get snowed under by SubStack.
https://open.substack.com/pub/on/p/bulletin-writers-welcome-to-substack?r=boqs0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Unfortunately those of us who are independent minded are likely to be subsumed under the weight of those who stick to the party line. They had a chance to become the new NY Times but they choose to become the NY Times, lol.
I don't think I feel any more overwhelmed than I already do! I like the wide choice of reading on Substack we have. I'm not completely sure what you mean by your NY Times comment, perhaps because I'm a Brit. Would appreciate an explanation if you have time.
What a great comment! I will answer incompletely here and at length as I develop a post. A few thousand of us smelled a rat in March of 2022. We communicated on Twitter from around the world. Each of us suspected based on science we knew that Covid 19 wasn’t about a virus but about control. This was an educated crowd of international skeptics. Physicians, attorneys, writers, thinkers, parents and grandmothers like me. We saw terrible danger in the Covid issue and tried to warn those we could based on science basics. These suspicions grew, forming the understanding we have now. As we wrote about our suspicions truth began to emerge in ways we had predicted. Mainstream media all over the planet had promulgated lies - propaganda - on the public, including and especially The NY Times. This is necessarily a huge story. Perhaps the biggest ever in history. Can’t fit it in a comment. If you read from some of my earlier posts and follow those I recommend and read you will see what we have come to understand. It is not a pretty picture. It is very overwhelming to say the least.
Thanks
Besides visibiltiy issues, I am concerned that this new direction will attract people looking for a quick buck and Substack will end up like Medium, flooded with articles like "How I got the purple badge in X months!" 🤢
Yes, that's a really good point, Elizabeth. One of the reasons I stopped reading Medium articles was that I tired of receiving articles like "How I made $34,598 from a single post". I didn't believe them, especially as the most I ever made was, I think, $2.38. (The other reason was the incessant preaching and lecturing.)
And the utter lack of creativity!
Yes, that's true, Elizabeth. A lot of the articles seemed to me like the reading equivalent of eating cardboard -- not that I make a habit of eating cardboard!
I completely agree. This sort of lords and peasants setup always ends in tears. Another way for introvert writers to be even more shy and unseen.
Exactly, Carol. I think it's hard enough for a lot of writers to hit the 'Publish' button (me included, and I've been doing it for ages), without the additional emotional baggage of feeling unworthy because of being badgeless!
Completely agree. Badges aren't necessary for all the good points you and other commenters have made.
Thanks, Melissa. Let's hope Substack quietly shelves the idea.
Agreed. I made a face when I read that update.
😂 I should think a lot of people did!
Hear! Hear!
Agreed.
When I read about the badges my heart sunk a little as I'm new to publishing my work, and consequently unknown. Plus, I don't write about hype topics, so difficult to gain significant traction.
Badges will help those already doing well, but I can't see how they help the vast majority of us. The idea plays off of group mentality, which at times can be positive, but often spirals into negative consequences. I don't even think YouTube should have likes and dislikes!
I agree, Renee. I'm not New to publshing, but still relatively unknown on this platform. I think it's based on the Matthew idea: to those who have, etc.
I love Substack, for one I'm learning from writers such as yourself. The versatility of the platform is fantastic, but this new element of badges is disconcerting, indeed. However, I'll lean into the idea of excellence vs success and be grateful for what Substack does so well.
I wonder if the past thursday substack thread dealt with this subject.
I atended that, but I don't recall discussion on badges but I missed a lot because I was traveling
The discussion last week, November 10, happened on the badge announcement page, and it was overwhelmingly negative:
https://on.substack.com/p/badge
Duh! I attended that discussion myself. I remembered it as taking place on a different day. How strange! Thanks for the reminder
Agreed. In all honesty this particular feature seemed odd given Substack’s track record of well thought out additions. Reinstating a hierarchy based on popularity is a quick way to lose aspiring writers.
I totally agree, Josh. I have to say, they seem to have gone a bit crazy recently, with new features coming out every five minutes!
So much for humility. And undoubtedly, people will flock to newsletters with thousands of subscribers.
Well, I don't know, Corey. I can see it's a form of social p[roof, but I try to judge newsletters by things like the quality of their writing rather than how big they are. But I do get sick of all the so-called humble bragging that happens on Twitter and Linkedin, and it would be a great shame if Substack encourages that sort of behaviour.
Social proof for who, though? It seems more for readers than authors. Sadly, the demand for social proof nowadays is exasperatingly malignant.
I'm inclined to agree, Corey. I was trying to give the benefit of the doubt. You only have to look at the number of people who follow really nasty pieces of work on other platforms to realise that social proof can be a malign force
Nasty? As in vulgar content or poor quality?
Nasty as in people who spread lies about people, about them down, try to get them cancelled, conspiracy theorists etc.
Ah, yes. Those who thrive on controversy, mistake thoughts for ideas, and loudly endorse free speech while trying to silence people who disagree with them. Oy.