I plead guilty for being the person who said your decision to invest here was more emotional than financial. You concluded that I thought your decision was not rational. Many people think emotionality and rationality are mutually exclusive, but in fact, they aren't, as emotionally based decisions can be rational (link below). Our emotions play an important part in our decisions and can be valuable, but they can also lead us astray. So a combination of emotion and logic usually lead to the best decisions, which it sounds like you used. You are both financially and emotionally invested in Substack, and it shows with your lengthy and useful analysis and suggestions for improvement. I think THEY should pay YOU! :)
I'm in no doubt that Substack have our best interests at heart, but ultimately they are beholden to VCs. VCs who themselves may prioritise short-term profits and unsustainable growth over user well-being. Substack might like to put us in charge but would they let it?
We need longterm sustainability of the platform. Not grow fast, pay off investors and die young. I've invested years in hosting content on platforms now graveyards of dead links and holes where stories once were. Ask any startup how long it promises to look after our hosted stories and you'll be lucky to get an answer.
The best things Substack has going for it is the decentralised nature of email and a lack of dodgy advertising models. If Substack asked for investment to buy the VCs out then I'd not hesitate to go all in.
If they don't create a platform that cares for writers over VCs, I have no doubt there is already someone waiting in the wings to do so.
As it stands I'm only in a position to offer a barrow load of hope and faith in this platform I have enjoyed for years.
Substack has already done so much for independent writers like myself, and long may it continue. I REALLY want Substack to succeed.
In regards to "The first kind will be powered by AI and ads, and the second by humans and subscriptions. The first will disempower their users, the second will put them in charge." - It does seem like there's some sort of algorithm to Notes, have you seen anything about it so far? Hopefully it's simpler than Twitter's recommendation algorithm.
I plead guilty for being the person who said your decision to invest here was more emotional than financial. You concluded that I thought your decision was not rational. Many people think emotionality and rationality are mutually exclusive, but in fact, they aren't, as emotionally based decisions can be rational (link below). Our emotions play an important part in our decisions and can be valuable, but they can also lead us astray. So a combination of emotion and logic usually lead to the best decisions, which it sounds like you used. You are both financially and emotionally invested in Substack, and it shows with your lengthy and useful analysis and suggestions for improvement. I think THEY should pay YOU! :)
https://exploringyourmind.com/emotional-and-rational-decisions-which-are-better/
Great post thankyou!
I'm in no doubt that Substack have our best interests at heart, but ultimately they are beholden to VCs. VCs who themselves may prioritise short-term profits and unsustainable growth over user well-being. Substack might like to put us in charge but would they let it?
We need longterm sustainability of the platform. Not grow fast, pay off investors and die young. I've invested years in hosting content on platforms now graveyards of dead links and holes where stories once were. Ask any startup how long it promises to look after our hosted stories and you'll be lucky to get an answer.
The best things Substack has going for it is the decentralised nature of email and a lack of dodgy advertising models. If Substack asked for investment to buy the VCs out then I'd not hesitate to go all in.
If they don't create a platform that cares for writers over VCs, I have no doubt there is already someone waiting in the wings to do so.
As it stands I'm only in a position to offer a barrow load of hope and faith in this platform I have enjoyed for years.
Substack has already done so much for independent writers like myself, and long may it continue. I REALLY want Substack to succeed.
But I'd also like a backup plan.
Less word monitoring and no censorship should do it
‘Long term’ you’ll be hearing this a lot when describing WEF, IMF, WHO et al tactics
Yes! Let's abandon the visions of the post-human world for a pro-human one!
In regards to "The first kind will be powered by AI and ads, and the second by humans and subscriptions. The first will disempower their users, the second will put them in charge." - It does seem like there's some sort of algorithm to Notes, have you seen anything about it so far? Hopefully it's simpler than Twitter's recommendation algorithm.
Good article!
My number one personal practice for staying civil is to not drink alcohol.
Well, you did it. You convinced me. I invested in Substack. Not as much as you did, but I seriously suspect I am more risk-averse than you are.
This is really good Nikita, and a lot of it really does match how we think about the product. Thank you for writing it.