The beginning of the end
The beginning of the end
Or why you and I are here
TL;DR
From now on, I will rarely check comments on my original content on social media to focus my interactions on Substack.
Update 04/01/24
In case you didn't know, Substack has a Nazi problem, or better said, it has an economic problem that manifests itself by making a joke of their terms and conditions as it guarantees access to Nazis to the Substack platform. In addition, shortly after I found out about this I discovered Substack also allows content espousing anti-trans rhetoric, argh!!!
I am of the opinion that healthy boundaries must be established and enforced on social media. That is why I use Substack's billing service to limit comments and deliberately exclude racist, anti-trans, etc. people. I do it mainly so that neither I nor the dissident voices I welcome (often harassed elsewhere) are disturbed by these violences. I am of the idea of nipping a problem in the bud before it gets bigger and kicking a Nazi out as soon as they arrive in a space with the intention of taking it over.
However, Substack neither agrees with those boundaries and nor appears to have any intention of considering them.
So, I'm looking for a new home for this mailing list. But, because it took me approximately nine months to organise and establish this Substack to my liking due to chronic fatigue, this move is going to take some time too. Hence, I'm going to take temporary measures before I properly solve this dilemma.
Hence, paid subscriptions are going to remain enabled but they won’t grant any extra benefit since now all subscribers will be able to comment on my posts. That’s because since I limited my comment engagement to Substack, I got rid of all the pesky trolls I had on social media. However, if you do want to support my work, you can make a donation here or contact me to determine how they want to support my work (financially, in kind, etc.) in a resonant manner.
I love writing and write almost every day for myself. I used to post regularly on my blog and social media, but I don't do it anymore because what social media offers is insufficient.
About nine months ago, I realised that Substack allowed me to have a blog associated with a mailing list and a paywall I could use for comments. All that worked perfectly with what I needed: a free way for people to access my publications without having to be on Facebook (or another social network) with a powerful filter to discourage people who don't know how to or don't want to have a good time in the comments section. Having to pay to comment is a strong deterrent for those who only want to fuck around in that section.
Paid subscriptions acknowledge my work and help me survive, though obtaining them is not my primary goal. I want to have a space to engage with negotiable fees (because Substack is awesome and allows discounts). I don’t want payments to mean one is exempt from being aware of their behaviour. Paying for a subscription doesn't grant anyone the right to vomit their reactivity in the comments.
For that to work in the way I want it, comments will be disabled outside Substack, i.e., on my posts on social media sharing original content. That way, I can post, share, and engage with people who are in the mood for some juicy interaction.
I write to transmit and receive erotically (as per Audre Lorde's definition), and this post is an invitation to enjoy and make use of this yarning space as long as you commit to maintaining its essence.
How you can take part in this game
Appreciate in silence. It is entirely valid to meditate on what's written and perhaps read it many times without reacting with a "like" or writing a comment.
Acknowledge that the possibility of having to dissolve your identity (i.e. kill your ego) to interact in the comments is always present. So, read calmly, meditate, do some introspective work and take your time before you engage in the comments.
Understand that this is not a competition to see who replies faster nor to identify who has the best answer for a piece of writing.
Take responsibility for your own experience and be willing to interact as an adult.
Be willing to receive (new) information and put aside what you assume to be "the truth." Offer a "beginner's mind".
Play with words, yarn and create art with the conversation, explore alternative realities and new possibilities.
Express the physical sensations and/or the emotions you felt whilst reading.
If you had stories arising during your reading, share them.
Share what you feel and express yourself in a vulnerable way. For example, if you have a fear, or you feel confronted or you find certain emotions hard to feel, admit it.
What am I NOT looking for in the comments?
Insincere flattery or ass-kissing.
Pontification of absolute truths or consensus.
Small talk.
Solutions (unless I specifically ask for them).
Opinions about me and what I must do (unless I specifically ask for them).
Scientific/logical/rational evidence of every single thing that is wrong in my content (unless I specifically ask for it).
Reactivity (commenting without thinking, arguing without any attempt to have emotional sobriety, i.e the way is regularly done on social media)
Notes
Content on my Substack will be uncensored and published long before the edited versions on my social media. Subscribe for free to receive my posts in your email as soon as they are published and to get access to the archive. My social media posts will have the comments disabled so commenting will only be possible on Substack by means of paying for a subscription. Find more information about the paid subscription in the next section.
Content by Bayo Akomolafe, Tyson Yumkapotra, Animist Arts and Remember Institute inspired the articulation of many elements of this post. Although they are not the first people or groups to outline those elements, they are the last bunch to refresh my memory in that regard.
Although I had the idea to create this space nine months ago, it took me all this time to carry it out. That is the impact of my disability since I estimate it would previously take me at most a week to complete the same process.
I have had a blog for many years. In there, you can find my previous writings. I plan to update it with what I upload to Substack. But since Medium, which is the site my blog is on, doesn't allow me to disable comments, I'll just ignore them.
From the moment I had the idea of a Substack, I knew I wanted to create something bilingual. A single mailing list was not the right fit. Hence, I created two Substacks to have spaces to post both in English and Spanish.
Realistically speaking, I can't post very frequently, so I'll start with a minimum of one post per month, and I'll take it from there.
Please find the right level of involvement for you. It is entirely valid to subscribe for free and not to be interested in commenting. It is also valid to pay for a subscription and never comment; maybe you just want to support my work and occasionally read what I write. Also, if you pay for a subscription, it doesn’t mean you have to participate intensely, reading and commenting on all my writings (unless that’s what you want!). It's okay to take a month to meditate over a post of mine and comment three months after I publish it. I will gladly read what you have to say and interact with you.
I have likely made errors or omissions in this post so I will keep updating it to clarify any issue arising.
About the paid subscription
If the subscription fee is outside your budget, do contact me for a discount or to get a free subscription, especially if you are a disabled, unemployed, indigenous, trans and/or black person.
This Substack operates under the premise of NOTAFLOF (no one turned away for lack of funds), so you can pay what you can. What I do ask from you is that, before asking for a discount, you first consider the privileges you have compared with me. I am poor as fuck. I live on less than 6USD/5GBP per week in Mexico. My disability has not allowed me to work reliably since late 2016. My only income comes thanks to the solidarity some friends and family have shown to me. So, do ponder very well where you are and where I am financially before requesting a discount. That is, if you buy two Starbucks a month without giving it a second thought, you are not an ideal candidate to ask for a freebie.
Aside from surviving, my financial plan doesn’t aim for money hoarding. Profit is not my god. This isn’t because I am such a great person, nope. My body and in fact, almost all of my being, came to that decision and refused to be an integral part of capitalism. My mind is just coming to terms with that idea (but it has no other choice).
I invest in circular economy and community efforts as much as I can, hoping my money travels a bit before heading back to the system. To dismantle even more my attachments, I also ritually burn money from time to time. Hence, keep in mind that investing in a subscription for this Substack can give you a taste of that experience of burning money.
In addition, it’s my practice to give 10% of my gains to the Land (the ground under my feet). This means I will be giving that percentage to the Calpulli Tlazohteotl Cihuacalli, to which I belong. Thus, in matters of energy, part of the money of your subscription will go directly to the maintenance of the energetic network rooted in the great city of Cholollan (Cholula, Mexico). Because of that energetic flow, you will be more anchored to that particular piece of land which in turn can bring more sensitivity towards her. So, please keep that in mind when you consider paying for a subscription. Even if you rarely read my publications or barely comment, investing in an effort that divests so much from the hegemonic capitalistic objectives has an impact. Paying for a subscription to this Substack is a high-intensity move, so please contact me if you need to know more about this type of energy exchange.
The contents of this publication are distributed for free, though they are copyrighted ©.
If you enjoyed this post or benefitted from it in any way, please consider sharing it or making a one-time donation.
Familiarise yourself with the boundaries of my Substack before commenting.
