Just a comment: I prefer the written word. No podcasts, videos, zoom calls for me. Write it down, either in a book or online. If it's video or similar, please be sure that it is transcribed for folks like me, preferably by an actual human. Botscribing can be incomprehensible. As for content, I will read on any topic if the writing is competent, which your writing most assuredly is. Almost any topic, I should say.
I enjoy your writings. I recognize that this is a minority opinion, but I think you would be a terrific podcaster. I like the Canadian perspective you bring to your newsletters and I can imagine you engaging in insightful conversations with a range of guests, mainly Canadian.
Yes to history! I’m drowning in analysis of the current state of affairs, so I appreciate a thoughtful historical perspective. Yes to the written word! I find podcasts are often too long and self-indulgent; at best they’re merely entertaining.
Excellent brief. There are so many good substacks now about the USA. Timothy Snyder, Robert Reich, Anne Applebaums and Heather Cox Richardson. The niche that is missing is one which explains how Canada differs from the USA FOR Americans. They second is finding neutral ground for Canadians to talk about what are values were and are now, what we want for the country and how we get there when powerful forces are fighting democracy, the rule of law and post WW institutions.
Re: H—Many writers and former journalists are going this route. I've seen several decide that *now* is the time to make the jump, which either means that you'd be onto something, or you'd be facing a lot of competition.
As someone who used to dabble in regular blogging, it always made a lot of sense when my team turned our regular investigations into published posts. If you're already doing the research, just turn it into a post; if you've already turned it into a post, it would only take a bit of tweaking to make it a part of a book or serial. You could also turn posts into podcast discussions, perhaps with expert guests.
You can also continue to get paid to speak, and should try to find ways to appear on other relevant podcasts, videos, and maybe the odd cross-post. In other words, should you go this route, you'd have to start doing more networking.
Will reflect some more on your questions / survey. Some initial thoughts about what you do best:
1) your posts on insights central to your thinking and passions are hugely valuable: most recently, the imagination piece has had a huge impact on my circle of colleagues
2) your collaborations with individuals who bring deep expertise but who benefit enormously by accessing your powers of synthesis, meaning-making and exposition.
3) your historical insights and capacity to draw connections from them to our present-day. Parenthetically, i think very few of those stories from history offer little insight into today’s issues. This is especially true of the history of technology change (not just bubbles, but also the factors enabling some technologies to flourish and others to founder). How do humans introduce and apply new technologies?
4) your courage in telling us what you think without being dissuaded by the risk that some of your supporters will disagree. You are typically trenchant without being disagreeable
5) your ability to adapt to different platforms, media, and channels and their ground rules. That Norwegian speech was really good - crisp, accessible and enjoyable…
I especially like the idea of serial posts that could become a book.
I hear you. And I so wish Substack would allow more variety in forms of payments. For individual articles. For groups of writers. Or even just a lower minimum (mine's set at the lowest permitted.) The subscription model as it currently applies is just too expensive for most people.
I would try to make it work because I really value your posts in the form you’ve been presenting them. I’m not a huge history buff so the connection to a present day issue or phenomenon is a big hook for me. Connecting Musk to the Fords for example.
The serialized book idea sounds very intriguing and I do think you should be doing more podcast appearances if you can. The return to the verbal form is undeniable and would be an important channel for you and your work.
Would you be willing to put some thought into how Canada should respond to the present reality? Collectively, Europe is in a much better position than Canada, as it has a greater population and bigger economy and crucially is not geographically tied the United States. My perspective is that Canada needs to unleash its economy to become much richer than it is now. What is the path forward?
My only suggestion is that I think a lot of us are looking for hope. So perhaps you can find a bunch of historical cases of people effecting change when the situation is hard. It might be inspiring to a lot of us, looking to read something that helps us imagine a way forward that is positive. Having said that, I recognize you don't want to solely focus on resistance. Best of luck!
I agree entirely. It's essential we remember we've been in worse times and gotten through. And sometimes were shocked at how good what followed was. (My go-to illustration: Warren Buffett always credits where and when he was born as the greatest stroke of luck in his life. And he's right. He was set to catch the long post-war boom. But the irony is he was born in Nebraska in 1930, so both in the Dust Bowl and at the start of the worst Depression in modern history, which was, of course, followed by a Second World War. So from the short-term perspective of a young Warren, it was the worst, most awful time to be born ... yet in the longer-term, it turned out to be the best time to be born.
I’m more likely to read your pieces, as opposed to video or podcasts. It’s just available whenever I am, and I’m a huge fan of your writing. It allows the full thought process that goes into your think pieces, although the Justin Ling chat was great. I’m a big fan of his, too!
I can't remember if I pay for this or not. I believe I do.
Nevertheless, put me down for a vote against audio and video.
As to the subject matter, generally interested in anything you write about. Find some of the history stuff a little pat which perhaps would be remedied for longer entries or multi-post series.
I’m with Eleanor Thomas: “I prefer the written word. No podcasts, videos, zoom calls for me. Write it down, either in a book or online.”
And I’d pay for it, as you have already demonstrated that you’re worth it (although I continue to freeload for the moment. Adopting you will mean that someone else has to go. She Who Must Be Obeyed has spoken!)
Love the Dr. Suess and your talk about big projects. I was a lawyer who used to do big deals and love that your talk reinforced my gut. Thank you for asking about content. Following on your video, I think we need more thinking and planning.
What I want, is written content with occasional video. I love footnotes or references to other materials. What I really want to read about and talk about are: 1) what Canadian values need to be reinforced to keep billionaires like Musk from undermining our political processes and society; 2) how we can transition away from the "religion" of constant economic "growth" into an economy that is able to provide for the basic needs of Canadians? As part of this discussion, we have to decide what those basic needs should be and whether they should be provided by governments and at what level. This discussion also requires us to address what are Canadians' obligations to their country and others living in Canada. 3) We need to have a candid discussion about immigration and the integration of immigrants into Canadian society. I am thinking a bit of about the Danish approach. Speaking as an older well educated immigrant, Canada is open, but does not do a good job of integrating immigrants into Canadian society. Immigration is a flashpoint in many democracies and it may be time to tackle the issue head on. 4) How to reimagine multilateral organizations (and how to change them to keep with the times) and our relations with the world to support the spread of human rights and address the global issues that will doom us all and which Trump and his fellow oligarchs will ignore or make worse if they have the resources to do so.
There already are discussions about resisting the US by boycotts and the like. But I think we need to make sure we are not tainted by the same economic and social assumptions that got Trump elected. I guess all of the foregoing is saying that we need to start telling ourselves a new story and to start changing our direction /
Just a comment: I prefer the written word. No podcasts, videos, zoom calls for me. Write it down, either in a book or online. If it's video or similar, please be sure that it is transcribed for folks like me, preferably by an actual human. Botscribing can be incomprehensible. As for content, I will read on any topic if the writing is competent, which your writing most assuredly is. Almost any topic, I should say.
I enjoy your writings. I recognize that this is a minority opinion, but I think you would be a terrific podcaster. I like the Canadian perspective you bring to your newsletters and I can imagine you engaging in insightful conversations with a range of guests, mainly Canadian.
Yes to history! I’m drowning in analysis of the current state of affairs, so I appreciate a thoughtful historical perspective. Yes to the written word! I find podcasts are often too long and self-indulgent; at best they’re merely entertaining.
Excellent brief. There are so many good substacks now about the USA. Timothy Snyder, Robert Reich, Anne Applebaums and Heather Cox Richardson. The niche that is missing is one which explains how Canada differs from the USA FOR Americans. They second is finding neutral ground for Canadians to talk about what are values were and are now, what we want for the country and how we get there when powerful forces are fighting democracy, the rule of law and post WW institutions.
I like the format. Please don’t switch to podcasts.
Re: H—Many writers and former journalists are going this route. I've seen several decide that *now* is the time to make the jump, which either means that you'd be onto something, or you'd be facing a lot of competition.
As someone who used to dabble in regular blogging, it always made a lot of sense when my team turned our regular investigations into published posts. If you're already doing the research, just turn it into a post; if you've already turned it into a post, it would only take a bit of tweaking to make it a part of a book or serial. You could also turn posts into podcast discussions, perhaps with expert guests.
You can also continue to get paid to speak, and should try to find ways to appear on other relevant podcasts, videos, and maybe the odd cross-post. In other words, should you go this route, you'd have to start doing more networking.
True. And I'm unspeakably bad at that...
Adapt or die, old dogs, new tricks, etc. There's at least one other guy who created a successful YouTube channel out of nothing in his 50s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Beato#YouTube_career
Will reflect some more on your questions / survey. Some initial thoughts about what you do best:
1) your posts on insights central to your thinking and passions are hugely valuable: most recently, the imagination piece has had a huge impact on my circle of colleagues
2) your collaborations with individuals who bring deep expertise but who benefit enormously by accessing your powers of synthesis, meaning-making and exposition.
3) your historical insights and capacity to draw connections from them to our present-day. Parenthetically, i think very few of those stories from history offer little insight into today’s issues. This is especially true of the history of technology change (not just bubbles, but also the factors enabling some technologies to flourish and others to founder). How do humans introduce and apply new technologies?
4) your courage in telling us what you think without being dissuaded by the risk that some of your supporters will disagree. You are typically trenchant without being disagreeable
5) your ability to adapt to different platforms, media, and channels and their ground rules. That Norwegian speech was really good - crisp, accessible and enjoyable…
I especially like the idea of serial posts that could become a book.
More soon
Dude’s gotta eat but so do I. I can only continue reading for free, meaning, those who can afford a paid subscription, should.
I hear you. And I so wish Substack would allow more variety in forms of payments. For individual articles. For groups of writers. Or even just a lower minimum (mine's set at the lowest permitted.) The subscription model as it currently applies is just too expensive for most people.
I would try to make it work because I really value your posts in the form you’ve been presenting them. I’m not a huge history buff so the connection to a present day issue or phenomenon is a big hook for me. Connecting Musk to the Fords for example.
The serialized book idea sounds very intriguing and I do think you should be doing more podcast appearances if you can. The return to the verbal form is undeniable and would be an important channel for you and your work.
Would you be willing to put some thought into how Canada should respond to the present reality? Collectively, Europe is in a much better position than Canada, as it has a greater population and bigger economy and crucially is not geographically tied the United States. My perspective is that Canada needs to unleash its economy to become much richer than it is now. What is the path forward?
My only suggestion is that I think a lot of us are looking for hope. So perhaps you can find a bunch of historical cases of people effecting change when the situation is hard. It might be inspiring to a lot of us, looking to read something that helps us imagine a way forward that is positive. Having said that, I recognize you don't want to solely focus on resistance. Best of luck!
I agree entirely. It's essential we remember we've been in worse times and gotten through. And sometimes were shocked at how good what followed was. (My go-to illustration: Warren Buffett always credits where and when he was born as the greatest stroke of luck in his life. And he's right. He was set to catch the long post-war boom. But the irony is he was born in Nebraska in 1930, so both in the Dust Bowl and at the start of the worst Depression in modern history, which was, of course, followed by a Second World War. So from the short-term perspective of a young Warren, it was the worst, most awful time to be born ... yet in the longer-term, it turned out to be the best time to be born.
I’m more likely to read your pieces, as opposed to video or podcasts. It’s just available whenever I am, and I’m a huge fan of your writing. It allows the full thought process that goes into your think pieces, although the Justin Ling chat was great. I’m a big fan of his, too!
I can't remember if I pay for this or not. I believe I do.
Nevertheless, put me down for a vote against audio and video.
As to the subject matter, generally interested in anything you write about. Find some of the history stuff a little pat which perhaps would be remedied for longer entries or multi-post series.
I like your idea of publishing books as serials. It worked for Charles Dickens. I’m not a big fan of podcasts - I like reading.
I’m with Eleanor Thomas: “I prefer the written word. No podcasts, videos, zoom calls for me. Write it down, either in a book or online.”
And I’d pay for it, as you have already demonstrated that you’re worth it (although I continue to freeload for the moment. Adopting you will mean that someone else has to go. She Who Must Be Obeyed has spoken!)
I have thoroughly enjoyed your Substack, though I am only a freeloader. I have also enjoyed your books. I am a fellow historian.
Love the Dr. Suess and your talk about big projects. I was a lawyer who used to do big deals and love that your talk reinforced my gut. Thank you for asking about content. Following on your video, I think we need more thinking and planning.
What I want, is written content with occasional video. I love footnotes or references to other materials. What I really want to read about and talk about are: 1) what Canadian values need to be reinforced to keep billionaires like Musk from undermining our political processes and society; 2) how we can transition away from the "religion" of constant economic "growth" into an economy that is able to provide for the basic needs of Canadians? As part of this discussion, we have to decide what those basic needs should be and whether they should be provided by governments and at what level. This discussion also requires us to address what are Canadians' obligations to their country and others living in Canada. 3) We need to have a candid discussion about immigration and the integration of immigrants into Canadian society. I am thinking a bit of about the Danish approach. Speaking as an older well educated immigrant, Canada is open, but does not do a good job of integrating immigrants into Canadian society. Immigration is a flashpoint in many democracies and it may be time to tackle the issue head on. 4) How to reimagine multilateral organizations (and how to change them to keep with the times) and our relations with the world to support the spread of human rights and address the global issues that will doom us all and which Trump and his fellow oligarchs will ignore or make worse if they have the resources to do so.
There already are discussions about resisting the US by boycotts and the like. But I think we need to make sure we are not tainted by the same economic and social assumptions that got Trump elected. I guess all of the foregoing is saying that we need to start telling ourselves a new story and to start changing our direction /