Yesterday, I directly asked free subscribers to join as paid. Your response was heartening. But some emails from former subscribers had me thinking about ways to improve.
Paid subscriber here. I don’t read you for your political commentary and person thoughts on Donald Trump. There are other sources for that. I read you for your relentless hunt to uncover the Unreported Truths re: vaccines, CDC, FDA, Fauchi etc. Your area of expertise, having come from a liberal background, is valuable to me since I’m as far right as they get. Please continue to thumb your nose at both sides; we need it. This is a smart audience you have; continue to challenge us!
The priceless aspect of this platform is how it creates this kind of dialogue between writers and readers. Actually, I guess there *is* a price you can put on it -- and Substack does. But well done, Substack, for creating this kind of two-way communication, and well done, Alex, for taking the time to listen to your audience!
I used to love talking about politics. My wife and grown children didn't. One day I realized that I had zero influence on them when it came to politics and that it was actually counterproductive to espouse my views on current events. Now we talk politics not at all, and life is much better.
I can't talk politics at work (University Medical Center), so the only place I have true 'freedom of speech' is at the local Sportsmen's (hunting/fishing) Club. There anyone can say anything about anything. It is refreshing!
I would love if you did more on the topic of psychotic behaviors brought on by marijuana. I think your book Tell Your Children was best book I read this year. I just wish I had read it when my kids were in junior high. This topic should be discussed in depth before one more state decides to decriminalize it.
You do not write too often and the length is fine. Greenwald needs an editor to make his great stuffer even better. You are fine
Hard to avoid political commentary about Trump when he is simply the most obvious target of the “ Justice” department. The rest of us from Taibbi to the January 6th people are just watching this destruction of what we thought were our rights.
Back to covid! How did we permit the government to shut churches rather than have bishops and other religious prelates do the same thing voluntarily?
Our rights are under assault. Trump is simply the largest target. They prosecuted the man not the crimes.
I subscribed! I was testing you out for a while before I committed my money to you, and found that after several months of consistent value, I should show my support. I get the cost argument, but if you think about how much you spend on things that are completely trivial that add no value to your life in the long run...really, $6/month is too much? How much did you just spend at Starbucks?
People are complaining that you write too much...? If they don't want to read every single email, they are FREE to delete when they don't have the time. Honestly, no matter what you do, haters gonna hate. People will ALWAYS find something to complain about. I'm surprised that your subscribers would be the type to complain about something like too much thought...so while you may have lost money through their exiting, maybe you lost the right people.
I for one am extremely grateful for the depth of each of your emails. Everything in our culture is catered to people who have no attention spans and want you to just get to the point right now...but how on earth are you supposed to actually explore a topic without a deep dive? I would personally find that to be irresponsible journalism.
Finally, for the love of GOD, please don't censor yourself or change your ways because that's what your subscribers want (dialogue is healthy, but please don't fall into the people-pleasing trap!). That is exactly why I read your pieces, because you are unafraid to speak your mind and make your case, regardless of what the droves are saying.
Paid sub here. I guess I'm kinda old school (or maybe it's just human) but I don't have to agree with everything someone says to find value in how that someone thinks. Been here since the very beginning and don't plan on going anywhere even though $ is extremely tight in this booming economy and ever increasing greatness that surrounds me all brought forth by Mr Biden (aka Dipshitler) and his administration.
I subscribed early and renewed. Yours was my first paid Substack subscription. You kept me sane during 2 years of madness! I agree re: politics, you never change anyone's mind, you just make them mad.
Millions of people changed their minds about Trump between 2016 and 2020, in his favor, and millions more have done so since then, also in his favor. So opinions do change. If you have something positive or negative to say about Trump that's relevant, or even if you think he would be the better president in the next match-up, you should say it.
Your plan to not comment on politics is probably a good one, although I agree with the guy who said "hold everyone's feet to the fire". I'm a Trump supporter - not because I like him but because I think he's philosophically the best match to me. But I always read your comments about him with trust and appreciate your making me think about the issues. I trust you from your virus and other reporting. Thus I'm more open to your critique of Trump, abortion, etc. I enjoy your articles and miss them when they are a few days apart. You are one of the things I'm subscribed to that I make a point to read. I'm enjoying your fiction books, too!
I don't know if I'm a unicorn or not, but I actually would like to see more articles every week. I don't mind the long stuff because I don't have a mayfly's attention span. I also subscribe, thanks to you, to Eugypius's substack and your stuff is Cliff Notes compared to most of his stuff.
Also, my wife rolls her eyes when I tell her I want to read her something you wrote because she wrote you off as a lefty-loser when you would go snark on Trump as well as your past behavior while on Tucker's show a while back - we came very close to canceling over that. Like many of us, she just had had enough. That being said, I'm going to read her your missive today and see if perhaps she'll come back on board.
So I'm a paid subscriber and have enjoyed most of your content- aside from as you put it, political opinions.
I am conservative politically and didn't vote for Trump in 2016- (didn't vote for Hillary and never would EVER), but did vote for him in 2020.
I get he has major flaws and mean tweets. I also didn't like the way he deferred to fauci, birx, and the cdc in 2020, and I was vocal about it.
I think many of us who don't like your criticism of Trump, see your hated of him similar to the hatred of him from msnbc, and CNN. It seems like Trump broke you.
On one hand, you recognize how biden and the left have ruined our nation, but act like Trump is still the bad guy. You'd rather vote for the destruction of our nation than mean tweets.
It seems like you are a critical thinker and deduce facts except for when it comes to Trump.
I think this is why so many push back on you. It doesn't make sense.
I love that you actually read the comments. Thank you! And thank you for less politics in the future. You are way too valuable to get written off by some due to tribal politics. We need you to keep fighting the good fight.
If you signed up yesterday, thank you! Some thoughts on our partnership and ways I can make Unreported Truths better
Paid subscriber here. I don’t read you for your political commentary and person thoughts on Donald Trump. There are other sources for that. I read you for your relentless hunt to uncover the Unreported Truths re: vaccines, CDC, FDA, Fauchi etc. Your area of expertise, having come from a liberal background, is valuable to me since I’m as far right as they get. Please continue to thumb your nose at both sides; we need it. This is a smart audience you have; continue to challenge us!
The priceless aspect of this platform is how it creates this kind of dialogue between writers and readers. Actually, I guess there *is* a price you can put on it -- and Substack does. But well done, Substack, for creating this kind of two-way communication, and well done, Alex, for taking the time to listen to your audience!
[some of you don't like my political commentary, especially my views on Donald Trump.]
So you need to censor yourself? Seems out of alignment.
Personally, I'd prefer you didn't like any politician.
Hold EVERYONE'S feet to the fire.
I used to love talking about politics. My wife and grown children didn't. One day I realized that I had zero influence on them when it came to politics and that it was actually counterproductive to espouse my views on current events. Now we talk politics not at all, and life is much better.
I can't talk politics at work (University Medical Center), so the only place I have true 'freedom of speech' is at the local Sportsmen's (hunting/fishing) Club. There anyone can say anything about anything. It is refreshing!
I would love if you did more on the topic of psychotic behaviors brought on by marijuana. I think your book Tell Your Children was best book I read this year. I just wish I had read it when my kids were in junior high. This topic should be discussed in depth before one more state decides to decriminalize it.
I don’t get anything better for$6/month than this. This is the only media where I read the comments. This community is respectful and intelligent.
I don’t have to agree with someone 💯 of the time on everything to still find their writing or reporting insightful. Alex is one of them.
You do not write too often and the length is fine. Greenwald needs an editor to make his great stuffer even better. You are fine
Hard to avoid political commentary about Trump when he is simply the most obvious target of the “ Justice” department. The rest of us from Taibbi to the January 6th people are just watching this destruction of what we thought were our rights.
Back to covid! How did we permit the government to shut churches rather than have bishops and other religious prelates do the same thing voluntarily?
Our rights are under assault. Trump is simply the largest target. They prosecuted the man not the crimes.
I subscribed! I was testing you out for a while before I committed my money to you, and found that after several months of consistent value, I should show my support. I get the cost argument, but if you think about how much you spend on things that are completely trivial that add no value to your life in the long run...really, $6/month is too much? How much did you just spend at Starbucks?
People are complaining that you write too much...? If they don't want to read every single email, they are FREE to delete when they don't have the time. Honestly, no matter what you do, haters gonna hate. People will ALWAYS find something to complain about. I'm surprised that your subscribers would be the type to complain about something like too much thought...so while you may have lost money through their exiting, maybe you lost the right people.
I for one am extremely grateful for the depth of each of your emails. Everything in our culture is catered to people who have no attention spans and want you to just get to the point right now...but how on earth are you supposed to actually explore a topic without a deep dive? I would personally find that to be irresponsible journalism.
Finally, for the love of GOD, please don't censor yourself or change your ways because that's what your subscribers want (dialogue is healthy, but please don't fall into the people-pleasing trap!). That is exactly why I read your pieces, because you are unafraid to speak your mind and make your case, regardless of what the droves are saying.
I personally would like to see more, not less. Keep up the good work.
Paid sub here. I guess I'm kinda old school (or maybe it's just human) but I don't have to agree with everything someone says to find value in how that someone thinks. Been here since the very beginning and don't plan on going anywhere even though $ is extremely tight in this booming economy and ever increasing greatness that surrounds me all brought forth by Mr Biden (aka Dipshitler) and his administration.
Thank you for all you put into this Alex.
I subscribed early and renewed. Yours was my first paid Substack subscription. You kept me sane during 2 years of madness! I agree re: politics, you never change anyone's mind, you just make them mad.
Millions of people changed their minds about Trump between 2016 and 2020, in his favor, and millions more have done so since then, also in his favor. So opinions do change. If you have something positive or negative to say about Trump that's relevant, or even if you think he would be the better president in the next match-up, you should say it.
Your plan to not comment on politics is probably a good one, although I agree with the guy who said "hold everyone's feet to the fire". I'm a Trump supporter - not because I like him but because I think he's philosophically the best match to me. But I always read your comments about him with trust and appreciate your making me think about the issues. I trust you from your virus and other reporting. Thus I'm more open to your critique of Trump, abortion, etc. I enjoy your articles and miss them when they are a few days apart. You are one of the things I'm subscribed to that I make a point to read. I'm enjoying your fiction books, too!
Thank you!
I don't know if I'm a unicorn or not, but I actually would like to see more articles every week. I don't mind the long stuff because I don't have a mayfly's attention span. I also subscribe, thanks to you, to Eugypius's substack and your stuff is Cliff Notes compared to most of his stuff.
Also, my wife rolls her eyes when I tell her I want to read her something you wrote because she wrote you off as a lefty-loser when you would go snark on Trump as well as your past behavior while on Tucker's show a while back - we came very close to canceling over that. Like many of us, she just had had enough. That being said, I'm going to read her your missive today and see if perhaps she'll come back on board.
Let's see how this goes.
So I'm a paid subscriber and have enjoyed most of your content- aside from as you put it, political opinions.
I am conservative politically and didn't vote for Trump in 2016- (didn't vote for Hillary and never would EVER), but did vote for him in 2020.
I get he has major flaws and mean tweets. I also didn't like the way he deferred to fauci, birx, and the cdc in 2020, and I was vocal about it.
I think many of us who don't like your criticism of Trump, see your hated of him similar to the hatred of him from msnbc, and CNN. It seems like Trump broke you.
On one hand, you recognize how biden and the left have ruined our nation, but act like Trump is still the bad guy. You'd rather vote for the destruction of our nation than mean tweets.
It seems like you are a critical thinker and deduce facts except for when it comes to Trump.
I think this is why so many push back on you. It doesn't make sense.
I love that you actually read the comments. Thank you! And thank you for less politics in the future. You are way too valuable to get written off by some due to tribal politics. We need you to keep fighting the good fight.