From reading some of my stories, you may have suspected that I’m not very electronically adept. For example, I’ve mentioned that I don’t carry a phone—not even a flip phone. I hate filling out computer forms. Anything with passwords bugs me out and, without a phone, so does text authentication. Yes, I know this stuff is simple. I just don’t want to use it.
Mark, I've been in IT since 1991. I work with computers everyday. They can be great tools for whatever you are doing, when they work as expected, but they can be an absolute white-hot poker kind of a pain in the rear as well. Mostly because the person(s) who designed the program, application, or web page was an idiot. As I get older, my patience level for stupid stuff (like computers) gets lower. But that's OK, it's balanced by a corresponding rise in my blood pressure. Ying and Yang, right?
As with so much of what you write, Mark, I can relate. I HATE passwords. (Thinking of writing a Luddite-book about avoiding them.)
I do have a non-internet phone. This drives me nuts whenever I'm forced to change a password, or when my adult children try to send pictures I desperately want to see.
I get so pissed off about passwords that I *think* I might need some kind of psychiatric intervention, and my Facebook-addicted wife is damned sure that I do.
All that said, I'm seeing your $5 a month, and raising you $5 more. It's a pittance for some of the best writing I've come across in a great while.
Fellow Luddite here. I feel your pain, Mark! Subscribed yesterday at $80. Keep the change: you’re worth it. I do wonder if you’re able to read the comment I included with my subscription.
I feel the exact same way about technology. I can barely use my iphone and it's so old my friends tease me relentlessly. I was living in NYC during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. We lost electricity and cell phone coverage. The line to use the phone booth across the street wrapped around the block, but when it was their turn many people could not use the phone. They didn't know the numbers to call. All they knew was the speed dial.
I am a Founder at $150. LOL Happy to do it. I have been trimming my paid substacks lately as it had gotten out of hand. But it is the only resource I have found for an honest discussion on many topics, especially covid. Supporting independent writers like you and the free speech required to do it be the highest and best use of my funds.
Just subscribed! You've been a voice of sanity these last two or so years. I followed quite a few people (in fact I think I found you on Alex Berenson's Substack*) but you were the only one that was truly able to see through the propaganda. Thank you.
*He is a fascinating person but I ultimately found his reliance on flawed, manipulated, or outright made up data to be off-putting.
I'd just like to add one small practical followup obliquely related to the 'digital minimalism' theme. Anyone who shared my frustration with the earlier Substack experience on a browser and migrated to apps for reading posts may find that the option to upgrade to a paid subscription does not seem to be (directly) available from their profile or other account settings in the app. My own attempts on a tablet did not achieve anything more useful than populating the account with duplicate free subscriptions. It was only by accessing my account via a web browser that I was eventually presented with upgrade options. Others may of course have found a way to upgrade to a paid subscription on their apps but for anyone who was unable to get past the limited choice between subscribing and unsubscribing, logging into your account on a browser provides one solution.
Mark, I've been in IT since 1991. I work with computers everyday. They can be great tools for whatever you are doing, when they work as expected, but they can be an absolute white-hot poker kind of a pain in the rear as well. Mostly because the person(s) who designed the program, application, or web page was an idiot. As I get older, my patience level for stupid stuff (like computers) gets lower. But that's OK, it's balanced by a corresponding rise in my blood pressure. Ying and Yang, right?
Dearest Mark. I’m delighted to be one of your paid subscribers and eagerly await your next article. God bless you.
As with so much of what you write, Mark, I can relate. I HATE passwords. (Thinking of writing a Luddite-book about avoiding them.)
I do have a non-internet phone. This drives me nuts whenever I'm forced to change a password, or when my adult children try to send pictures I desperately want to see.
I get so pissed off about passwords that I *think* I might need some kind of psychiatric intervention, and my Facebook-addicted wife is damned sure that I do.
All that said, I'm seeing your $5 a month, and raising you $5 more. It's a pittance for some of the best writing I've come across in a great while.
Fellow Luddite here. I feel your pain, Mark! Subscribed yesterday at $80. Keep the change: you’re worth it. I do wonder if you’re able to read the comment I included with my subscription.
I feel the exact same way about technology. I can barely use my iphone and it's so old my friends tease me relentlessly. I was living in NYC during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. We lost electricity and cell phone coverage. The line to use the phone booth across the street wrapped around the block, but when it was their turn many people could not use the phone. They didn't know the numbers to call. All they knew was the speed dial.
I am a Founder at $150. LOL Happy to do it. I have been trimming my paid substacks lately as it had gotten out of hand. But it is the only resource I have found for an honest discussion on many topics, especially covid. Supporting independent writers like you and the free speech required to do it be the highest and best use of my funds.
You had me at “…passwords bugs me out.”. Just subscribed, look forward to Thursday!
You are totally awesome
Just subscribed! You've been a voice of sanity these last two or so years. I followed quite a few people (in fact I think I found you on Alex Berenson's Substack*) but you were the only one that was truly able to see through the propaganda. Thank you.
*He is a fascinating person but I ultimately found his reliance on flawed, manipulated, or outright made up data to be off-putting.
I'd just like to add one small practical followup obliquely related to the 'digital minimalism' theme. Anyone who shared my frustration with the earlier Substack experience on a browser and migrated to apps for reading posts may find that the option to upgrade to a paid subscription does not seem to be (directly) available from their profile or other account settings in the app. My own attempts on a tablet did not achieve anything more useful than populating the account with duplicate free subscriptions. It was only by accessing my account via a web browser that I was eventually presented with upgrade options. Others may of course have found a way to upgrade to a paid subscription on their apps but for anyone who was unable to get past the limited choice between subscribing and unsubscribing, logging into your account on a browser provides one solution.