Two New Essays on "The Sacred Victim" over the next few days
And some light housekeeping.
*The image above is an original creation of digital art by my friend Leah Falco. To view more of her work, please visit Leah’s online gallery at this link.
Greetings, subscribers.
Over the next few days, I will be sharing new posts of essays I’ve written for “Carrying a Message Further”, which is Part II of the “All We Are” series I began publishing in the spring of 2021.
A little housekeeping….
HOW TO VIEW THIS POST
First, I want to make sure that subscribers know what to do if they receive an email of one of my longer posts, and get a message at the bottom that says the email was cut short.
Below is an image I created to help you with that.
At the top right of the email, you have two options. You can click on the Substack app on your phone (if you’ve installed it) or you can click on the “open in browser” button to go directly to the article on the Ground Experience Substack page.
THANK YOU!
Second, but not least!
I want to thank you all very much for subscribing. I feel motivated by the fact that people are willing to sign up to receive posts from the Ground Experience page. I tend to spend a long time researching and writing for several pieces at once, working to discover a synthesis of ideas that I’m climbing towards as I work on each piece, so I appreciate your patience with my not putting out posts as regularly as I would like.
That said, I will aim to publish more shorter pieces that have almost no hyperlinks, which is much easier than the usual type of post I write, which includes a lot of hyperlinks. The research process often takes the largest slice of time, as I read, listen to, and watch every single source I eventually link to in the writings. The hardest part is waiting for left-of-center media sources to pick up a story I’ve known about for a long time because I know that if I use a source that some might reflexively think of as “right wing”, (and therefore “bad”), they will get turned off.
The ease with which people who identify strongly with one side of the political spectrum dismiss with contempt—and without investigation—ideas that do not immediately resonate with their current beliefs is a great concern to me because I’m noticing that people on all sides who refuse to give a sincere listen to different views are often misinformed, regardless of their level of education. This is especially true if there is a strong revulsion for disconfirming data or countervailing narratives mixed in with the belief that the “other side” is the only one influenced by propaganda.
For now, I am hoping to reach left-of-center audiences more than any other group, knowing full well that some of the ideas I currently hold (like freedom of speech and expression and the rejection of group identity essentialism) are already resonant with people who lean center right.
It’s important for me to point out that left-of-center is still is my home base, especially in my professional life, and due to the fact that left-of-center is the part of the political spectrum that directly impacts my work and my long-term personal relationships, I want to make sure that people on that side of the line will at least consider opening themselves up to some of the perspectives I am presenting on behalf of others and myself. Hence, the level of care I need to put into finding credible (and acceptable) sources during the research process.I will be actively thinking about what I can bring to paid subscribers so that they can experience my appreciation in a substantial way. Though the Ground Experience page was not set up for me to make a living, there are expenses involved in this small independent journalism endeavor, including subscriptions to other Substacks, the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and others across the political spectrum, and the maintenance of websites I host that have similar themes I’ve been exploring here.
Currently, I am employed full-time as a college professor, and do not at this time write as part of my livelihood (though that could change, who knows!) But, it very much is a labor of love that I hope might bring some value to readers, as we are all still trying to make sense of a rapidly radicalizing and polarizing world.
It’s possible that down the road, once I’m finished with the “All We Are” writings, I will eventually wrap up the Ground Experience project, having said all I have had to say. For now, I’m going to keep soldiering on.
For, I have not yet completed my thoughts! More to come!
Again, thank you all for your support.
Sincerely and Most Warmly,
