"There will be an ironclad no-assholes policy, enforced with the apparent capriciousness of a bolt of lightning." 😂 And with this declaration, I knew I had to become a paid subscriber.
Yep, and let’s add zero anonymity. Put your real name next to your words. We want your personality and wisdom to shine here not your hidden Id puking all over the place.
Well meaning people, Patriots and persons of candor don’t hide from the sunshine 🌈
I actually disagree with this. Anonymity can sometimes make it easier for people to speak more candidly. Sometimes people have opinions that wouldn't be welcome in their social network, even though their opinions might be very insightful. I want to hear those opinions! Different people come here for different reasons, and under different circumstances.
It's also a logical fallacy to discount what someone says based on who they are. It's better to let words speak for themselves, regardless of who says them, or whether they have remained anonymous or not.
As long as they follow the rules of engagement (e.g. no ad hominems), they should be welcome.
Some people are in the public eye and have a giant target on their back with a lot to lose. I take it you have the luxury of not living like that, good for you, but have empathy for those who are not in the same circumstance as you. If someone is anonymous and follows the rules, what is the problem exactly?
I agree with you Sum. We want conditions to reward candid and constructive discussion. I think Sam’s very welcome “no asshole” policy protects the forum from the worst aspects of anonymity. Forcing everybody to “out” themselves will surely silence some legitimate voices.
You have engaged me sir and I shall reply in wordy pretension. It is not concise because its length is more for my pleasure than your own. 😉
I understand your point, and taken. All are welcome. Everyone should be allowed to speak and be not afraid if they come in kindness (and $100). Within the rules.
For it is Sams party and he sets both the table and the rules; no assholes; no frottage, etc. (though these “likes” might be considered frottage of my ego.) and he seems to not consult me directly. Sam?
My “no anonymity”, is but a suggestion. By all means if you feel that complete persona disclosure would be economically, politically or personally detrimental speak with ‘voix cachée’. And I will think no less of you nor your opinions.
But… (if a discourse has no but how shall it sit well with its audience.)
Rules are important, for they set boundaries and make the painting possible. But I have observed over the decades “the discourse always degrades”; CB radio, Donahue to Downey, BBS, AOL chat rooms, MySpace, Facebook, Instagram, X (the App formally known as useful) Threads… and on and on it goes, ‘where it stops’ those on SubStack yet not know. And anonymity is often one of main knives that kills these exchanges.
But here we speak of rules.
With every rule or law that is set in the world some thing is lost for there is always that which rests inside the rule and that which is excluded. You must measure what you want with what you are willing to give up. And I shall sacrifice anonymity on the alter if it might bring us together.
And what is our goal here. I believe to create a community of not just like minds but people. And let’s set rules that might encourage this endeavor. I want to Speak with people, to spend time with fellow travelers, not chatter away pretending to solve the world’s problems ~ We might by accident but let us break bread during the attempt.
“It's better to let words speak for themselves, regardless of who says them..” Too true, but ‘words’ separated from a conversation are boilerplate, just let me skip to the end and sign already.
Consider your library at home, your treasured tomes where you share time with authors across the ages. What if all the books had no names. I believe they would be of cold comfort. No longer a cure for loneliness, sharing time with those across the ages.
It would all be just data. But friends, that is where we are headed. The machines will soon do our talking for us. Let’s not join them.
And we are about to enter a time where even the arc of our lives in ‘meatspace’ will be populated by machines with robot teachers, sexbots and then ending in Ai assisted spongebaths.
And let us be frank, so much of what we do online is masturbatory. Stroking our egos by keystroke, interacting with Text from those we don’t know, will never meet and even then we don’t really listen, we’re just thinking of the next precocious thing to say.
Let us spend our time here together speaking not just with our thumbs and minds but with eyes, smiles and hearts.
It is so very nice to meet you all… now tell me something clever.
And last but not least, Sam said it was a dinner party: and as grandma always said…
“In polite society, one just does not attend the table with a sac over the head”.
When I finished reading this I thought “Amen!” and then I giggled a bit because, ya know, Sam Harris, but it’s nice to know I won’t wreck my mental hygiene if I venture into the comments occasionally. I am very grateful for you Sam Harris!
Yes, simply let truth and honesty moderate. You are not the arbiter of the truth, you simply allow truth to prevail, as you understand it. And honestly, I trust your intuitions about truth more than anyone alive today, and at this point I will personally thank you for your work over the decades; starting with The End of Faith, and culminating with Waking Up, you have positively affected my life profoundly 👍
This will be refreshing. I find myself scrolling through Instagram comments and always regret it. The barrier to entry should hopefully dull the comments from bots as well.
Finally some Terms of Service I can read all the way through 🤪
Autocratic rule is highly efficient, after all
"There will be an ironclad no-assholes policy, enforced with the apparent capriciousness of a bolt of lightning." 😂 And with this declaration, I knew I had to become a paid subscriber.
That's funny, that's exactly what made my mind up as well!
Right!
Thank you for this signal in the increasingly deafening noise.
Yep, and let’s add zero anonymity. Put your real name next to your words. We want your personality and wisdom to shine here not your hidden Id puking all over the place.
Well meaning people, Patriots and persons of candor don’t hide from the sunshine 🌈
I actually disagree with this. Anonymity can sometimes make it easier for people to speak more candidly. Sometimes people have opinions that wouldn't be welcome in their social network, even though their opinions might be very insightful. I want to hear those opinions! Different people come here for different reasons, and under different circumstances.
It's also a logical fallacy to discount what someone says based on who they are. It's better to let words speak for themselves, regardless of who says them, or whether they have remained anonymous or not.
As long as they follow the rules of engagement (e.g. no ad hominems), they should be welcome.
Some people are in the public eye and have a giant target on their back with a lot to lose. I take it you have the luxury of not living like that, good for you, but have empathy for those who are not in the same circumstance as you. If someone is anonymous and follows the rules, what is the problem exactly?
I agree with you Sum. We want conditions to reward candid and constructive discussion. I think Sam’s very welcome “no asshole” policy protects the forum from the worst aspects of anonymity. Forcing everybody to “out” themselves will surely silence some legitimate voices.
Done 👍🏻
Sacrificing anonymity
You have engaged me sir and I shall reply in wordy pretension. It is not concise because its length is more for my pleasure than your own. 😉
I understand your point, and taken. All are welcome. Everyone should be allowed to speak and be not afraid if they come in kindness (and $100). Within the rules.
For it is Sams party and he sets both the table and the rules; no assholes; no frottage, etc. (though these “likes” might be considered frottage of my ego.) and he seems to not consult me directly. Sam?
My “no anonymity”, is but a suggestion. By all means if you feel that complete persona disclosure would be economically, politically or personally detrimental speak with ‘voix cachée’. And I will think no less of you nor your opinions.
But… (if a discourse has no but how shall it sit well with its audience.)
Rules are important, for they set boundaries and make the painting possible. But I have observed over the decades “the discourse always degrades”; CB radio, Donahue to Downey, BBS, AOL chat rooms, MySpace, Facebook, Instagram, X (the App formally known as useful) Threads… and on and on it goes, ‘where it stops’ those on SubStack yet not know. And anonymity is often one of main knives that kills these exchanges.
But here we speak of rules.
With every rule or law that is set in the world some thing is lost for there is always that which rests inside the rule and that which is excluded. You must measure what you want with what you are willing to give up. And I shall sacrifice anonymity on the alter if it might bring us together.
And what is our goal here. I believe to create a community of not just like minds but people. And let’s set rules that might encourage this endeavor. I want to Speak with people, to spend time with fellow travelers, not chatter away pretending to solve the world’s problems ~ We might by accident but let us break bread during the attempt.
“It's better to let words speak for themselves, regardless of who says them..” Too true, but ‘words’ separated from a conversation are boilerplate, just let me skip to the end and sign already.
Consider your library at home, your treasured tomes where you share time with authors across the ages. What if all the books had no names. I believe they would be of cold comfort. No longer a cure for loneliness, sharing time with those across the ages.
It would all be just data. But friends, that is where we are headed. The machines will soon do our talking for us. Let’s not join them.
And we are about to enter a time where even the arc of our lives in ‘meatspace’ will be populated by machines with robot teachers, sexbots and then ending in Ai assisted spongebaths.
And let us be frank, so much of what we do online is masturbatory. Stroking our egos by keystroke, interacting with Text from those we don’t know, will never meet and even then we don’t really listen, we’re just thinking of the next precocious thing to say.
Let us spend our time here together speaking not just with our thumbs and minds but with eyes, smiles and hearts.
It is so very nice to meet you all… now tell me something clever.
And last but not least, Sam said it was a dinner party: and as grandma always said…
“In polite society, one just does not attend the table with a sac over the head”.
I start to hope this is going to be the first place where I read the comments and don't immediately regret it.
Guess I can get rid of the popcorn machine?
made me chuckle
Perfect. I like this dinner party already.
When I finished reading this I thought “Amen!” and then I giggled a bit because, ya know, Sam Harris, but it’s nice to know I won’t wreck my mental hygiene if I venture into the comments occasionally. I am very grateful for you Sam Harris!
Yes, simply let truth and honesty moderate. You are not the arbiter of the truth, you simply allow truth to prevail, as you understand it. And honestly, I trust your intuitions about truth more than anyone alive today, and at this point I will personally thank you for your work over the decades; starting with The End of Faith, and culminating with Waking Up, you have positively affected my life profoundly 👍
Same here. Harris and the 5th column and Coleman Hughes etc have all helped me navigate this crazy decade. Voices of intelligence, wisdom and sanity.
“To invite people to dine with us is to make ourselves responsible for their well-being for as long as they are under our roofs.”
Love this. Source of the quote, please?
“The Physiology of Taste” by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. A fantastic book. This is one of his aphorisms
Thank you!
You’re looking at me. I get it. I will only post every other thought.
Slightly trembling with ecstatic fear at the prospect of being smitten whilst wearing formal attire. I’ll try to be on my best behavior!
Note to self: no (more) frottage.
A point of clarification, Sam, should we expect fewer Making Sense episodes and are the two streams going to be kept separate?
Oh no! I love Making Sense podcasts. Please keep those coming
*two points.
This will be refreshing. I find myself scrolling through Instagram comments and always regret it. The barrier to entry should hopefully dull the comments from bots as well.
As unsettling as that atmosphere may sound, I bet the borscht is going to be utterly exquisite.
😮😂
Duly noted.
Welcomed.
Encouraged!
Thank you.
And keep at least one eye on your mental health!