Proof reading problem: delete the comma after “Vikram”. It’s not there in the Sedaris recording. The athletic blond fellow is not Vikram who wears a turban (how do you know he’s blond if he’s wearing a turban?).
I'm sorry, but this NYC style kind of small talk seems awkward, especially having lived in the same building for five years with these people. Small talk is noticing the daffodils starting to bloom. The new place down the street. Wasn't that a crappy snowstorm? Can you believe the cost of stamps is going up? Is it that talking to your neighbors has become a weird thing?
I'd like to recommend the short treatise "Free Speech and Postmodernism" by Stephen Hicks (2008). It is particularly pertinent w.r.t. the recent events on university campuses.
Thank you! I actually only noticed that a moment ago myself. And for book recommendations, actually, it's thefrontpage@thefp.com. But I got the gist, and I appreciate your looking out for me! Cheers!
This is but one form of "Small Talk" in the rural Midwest....with two hands firmly on the steering wheel..........a wave to a total stranger. I think this is done, just in case you really do know them [chances are good that you do].
Even beyond “uff-da,” “you betcha” and “oh, fer cute,” Minnesotans have a distinct way of speaking. How to Talk Minnesotan will help you learn the intricacies of the North Star state's communication style.
It's.... extremely true, though. I worked among building superintendents, handymen, and tradesmen in NYC. Even there, far more mutual respect in Harlem than in TriBeCa, NoHo, and SoHo.
David Sedaris is always a joy to read. He often talks about things we have all noticed but haven't quite crystalized in our head. Thank you, TFP, for not just hammering us with politics day in and day out. Always with that one topic would be boring.
Much prefer the prophet series. How about a column on Saul Alinsky? 'Rules for Radicals' seems to be the handbook for all of the chaos and illiberal messaging coming from the left. Yes, the left.
Where is the right using Saul Alinsky's tactics? Do you mean the absurd campus protests? Women are being denied reproductive rights? Biden's 'great American come back' as jobs reports for the last six months have been revised to the downside? Lawfair as a means to crush a political opponent? Not sure what Republicans are doing but Saul Alinsky isn't it.
"Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules."
*"Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. There is no defense. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage."
"Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."
"Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules."
*"Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. There is no defense. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage."
"Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."
So many 'prophets' worth a conversation. I find it interesting that TFP can't or won't do the leg work. They are in the journalism business, aren't they?
Which culture is this digest intended to reach? Like everything else, lately, I feel like I'm reading a piece written through one specific lens and only the author's name is different. It seems like most of the contributors are from very specific mold of 2 or 3 key ingredients.
Each of those factors impact perspective in many ways. It would be similar to attempting a faith-based newspaper and only writing from the Catholic perspective, yet your subscribers are Jewish, Catholic, Mormon, Baptist, Buddhist, Protestant, Hindu, with some who are undecided or committed atheists, sprinkled in. They're all feeling like someone who has no true understanding is writing at them, through the lens of a spectator who comes with many assumptions.
The connections only occur when there is a shared human concern or interest. The paper is expanding. But, its target audience seems to have shrunk along the way. I find I'm subscribing for the perspectives and information shared in the comments. I paid to subscribe to Common Sense and I wonder where it went.
It’s been clear to me for many months now that the target audience is not the typical person who writes in TFP comments. Bari has a vision in mind and it’s not pleasing the likes of Unsaint Finbar. It’s not conservative, MAGA or pro-Trump. Bari is solidly center-left and so is Nellie and the rest of the staff. They are not moving any further right than they already are. The other major factor is being Jewish and pro-Israel. From what I remember of Bari’s resignation from the NYT, it had more to do with the ever increasing antisemitism in the office and it being tolerated by management. Thus, Bari leaves and starts her own mini NYT where she’s the boss and she determines the content and the editorial POV. Bari and Nellie do not seem to want to please anyone but themselves and their friends and colleagues, who for the most part seem to all be either Jewish, gay or family members. You can like what they do, or not like what they do, your choice. But you are not going to affect the content either way.
The Prophets series apparently got them 1,000 more subscribers. They didn’t say if these are paid subscribers, however. When TFP announced they were #1 on Substack, what they didn’t tell you is that did not mean #1 overall or #1 in number of subscribers or paid subscribers (that last seems to be Heather Cox Richardson). A deep dive into the stats shows that that particular week TFP was the #1 Substack for political commentary, however Substack decided to define it.
TFP said they had 630,000 subscribers at that time and that they wanted a million. Now they have 631,000 (still only 77,000 paid as far as I can tell). The million is probably a goal for the number of eyeballs to sell to an investor for the capital they seek to raise to expand the business.
I love David Sedaris and enjoy Frank Bruni. But they do follow the trend of TFP contributors being either gay or Jewish or both. It is what it is. Like it or leave it. Your choice.
Thank you. You really spelled out exactly what I was sensing and alluding to. When subscription renewal time comes around, I'm going to spend my hard-earned money elsewhere. I get enough frustration at my job. I don't need to pay for tone-deafness, as well.
Couldn't agree more, Nicole Ann. If I wanted to read the NYT, I wouldn't have bothered subscribing to FP, which is becoming narrower and more culturally parochial with every posting. (Frank Bruni? Really? Spare us...)
True, but read my reply to Nicole. Bari and Nellie wanted to get away from the antisemitism at the NYT, not the POV. Frank Bruni is gay. David Sedaris is Jewish and gay. Ben Kawaller is gay. Oliver Wiseman is Jewish. Suzy Weiss is Jewish and family. The majority of the TFP staff/writers seem to be either Jewish, gay, family or some combination thereof. TFP is Bari’s microphone where she puts out her POV without a boss to get in her way. Like it or leave it. Your choice.
Really? I could have sworn he was Jewish. Oh well, still one of the three. If there are any straight unrelated gentiles on staff they are few and far between. Personally, I really don't care. But it does seem to be a noticeable trend.
Of course it's my choice. But you seem to have forgotten that Bari's declared focus for Common Sense was anti-woke -- far broader than a mere safe space for Jews and gays.
Center Left is anti-woke. Woke is far left. If you’re anti-woke, it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily conservative or even right of center. Most TFP commenters don’t seem to get that. It’s very apparent that Bari has enacted her anti-woke POV using her friends and colleagues who happen to be Jewish/gay/family. It’s her world. I don’t see it as a “safe space” for these people, but more the crowd she hangs with and the people she knows.
Personally, I’m anti-woke. But I have been accused many times in these comments of being a knee jerk far left liberal. Many TFP commenters define anti-woke as conservative right wing to the point of MAGA Trump voter. They have a very different definition of anti-woke, which is why they don’t understand what Bari is doing, and they don’t like it.
You should promote this movie before it is banned - you have the reach and you are uncancellable at this point. It may otherwise suffer the same fate as the Great Barrington declaration…
'The first step in a fascist movement is the combination under an energetic leader of a number of men who possess more than the average share of leisure, brutality, and stupidity. The next step is to fascinate fools and muzzle the intelligent, by emotional excitement on the one hand and terrorism on the other.'
We love this column!
delightful essay by David Sedaris - we do need more small talk, esp post COVID, and he gives many illuminating and oddball examples.
Proof reading problem: delete the comma after “Vikram”. It’s not there in the Sedaris recording. The athletic blond fellow is not Vikram who wears a turban (how do you know he’s blond if he’s wearing a turban?).
I'm sorry, but this NYC style kind of small talk seems awkward, especially having lived in the same building for five years with these people. Small talk is noticing the daffodils starting to bloom. The new place down the street. Wasn't that a crappy snowstorm? Can you believe the cost of stamps is going up? Is it that talking to your neighbors has become a weird thing?
"We want to know what Free Press readers listen to, binge-watch, and read in the small hours of the morning."
Power Line Comes to mind
https://www.powerlineblog.com/
The Post Millennial
https://thepostmillennial.com/
Asharq Al-Awsat
https://english.aawsat.com/
Bret Weinstein
https://www.youtube.com/@DarkHorsePod
(For Mn. news)
Garage Logic
https://www.youtube.com/@GarageLogicPodcast
Andrew Klavan
https://www.youtube.com/@AndrewKlavan
_______________________________________
I Really Need A Life! :-)
I do not like this feature very much, FYI TFP editors.
I'd like to recommend the short treatise "Free Speech and Postmodernism" by Stephen Hicks (2008). It is particularly pertinent w.r.t. the recent events on university campuses.
Thank you! I actually only noticed that a moment ago myself. And for book recommendations, actually, it's thefrontpage@thefp.com. But I got the gist, and I appreciate your looking out for me! Cheers!
This is but one form of "Small Talk" in the rural Midwest....with two hands firmly on the steering wheel..........a wave to a total stranger. I think this is done, just in case you really do know them [chances are good that you do].
How To Talk Minnesotan | Full Length Film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiSzwoJr4-0&t=210s
Aug 1987
#Minnesota #HowToTalkMinnesotan #TwinCitiesPBS
Even beyond “uff-da,” “you betcha” and “oh, fer cute,” Minnesotans have a distinct way of speaking. How to Talk Minnesotan will help you learn the intricacies of the North Star state's communication style.
(Snip)
Time Stamp
____________________________________________________
This come from a time when I come watch PBS without a LARGE tumbler of whisky at hand.
News flash! It's damn nearly everywhere! Particularly amongst older working guys, with or without the trucks.
It's.... extremely true, though. I worked among building superintendents, handymen, and tradesmen in NYC. Even there, far more mutual respect in Harlem than in TriBeCa, NoHo, and SoHo.
David Sedaris is always a joy to read. He often talks about things we have all noticed but haven't quite crystalized in our head. Thank you, TFP, for not just hammering us with politics day in and day out. Always with that one topic would be boring.
So now The Free Press, formerly named Common Sense, is going to change its name once again. New name? People Magazine.
National Inquirer coming next
Never got to hear David—too many ads for trees!!
Don’t waste your time folks I listen and it was a complete and total waste. Enough of navel viewing stupidity pretending to be witty.
I don't think there will ever be reader recommendations
Well I did send one and it was to ditch the pinned comment. Which they did.
Much prefer the prophet series. How about a column on Saul Alinsky? 'Rules for Radicals' seems to be the handbook for all of the chaos and illiberal messaging coming from the left. Yes, the left.
"'Rules for Radicals' seems to be the handbook for all of the chaos and illiberal messaging coming from the left. Yes, the left."
And also being used by The Right.
BTW he liked to hang around The Outfit (Chicago Cosa Nostra)
"And also being used by The Right."
Where is the right using Saul Alinsky's tactics? Do you mean the absurd campus protests? Women are being denied reproductive rights? Biden's 'great American come back' as jobs reports for the last six months have been revised to the downside? Lawfair as a means to crush a political opponent? Not sure what Republicans are doing but Saul Alinsky isn't it.
His Book 13 ules for Radicals.
Examples:
"Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules."
*"Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. There is no defense. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage."
"Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."
My particular favorite (See Memes)
My thoughts as well. How is the right using Alinsky's book?
"Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules."
*"Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. There is no defense. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage."
"Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."
My particular favorite (See Memes)
Ok, Orange man.
?
So many 'prophets' worth a conversation. I find it interesting that TFP can't or won't do the leg work. They are in the journalism business, aren't they?
I think the series got a lot of good feed back. The comments confirmed that.
Which culture is this digest intended to reach? Like everything else, lately, I feel like I'm reading a piece written through one specific lens and only the author's name is different. It seems like most of the contributors are from very specific mold of 2 or 3 key ingredients.
Each of those factors impact perspective in many ways. It would be similar to attempting a faith-based newspaper and only writing from the Catholic perspective, yet your subscribers are Jewish, Catholic, Mormon, Baptist, Buddhist, Protestant, Hindu, with some who are undecided or committed atheists, sprinkled in. They're all feeling like someone who has no true understanding is writing at them, through the lens of a spectator who comes with many assumptions.
The connections only occur when there is a shared human concern or interest. The paper is expanding. But, its target audience seems to have shrunk along the way. I find I'm subscribing for the perspectives and information shared in the comments. I paid to subscribe to Common Sense and I wonder where it went.
It’s been clear to me for many months now that the target audience is not the typical person who writes in TFP comments. Bari has a vision in mind and it’s not pleasing the likes of Unsaint Finbar. It’s not conservative, MAGA or pro-Trump. Bari is solidly center-left and so is Nellie and the rest of the staff. They are not moving any further right than they already are. The other major factor is being Jewish and pro-Israel. From what I remember of Bari’s resignation from the NYT, it had more to do with the ever increasing antisemitism in the office and it being tolerated by management. Thus, Bari leaves and starts her own mini NYT where she’s the boss and she determines the content and the editorial POV. Bari and Nellie do not seem to want to please anyone but themselves and their friends and colleagues, who for the most part seem to all be either Jewish, gay or family members. You can like what they do, or not like what they do, your choice. But you are not going to affect the content either way.
The Prophets series apparently got them 1,000 more subscribers. They didn’t say if these are paid subscribers, however. When TFP announced they were #1 on Substack, what they didn’t tell you is that did not mean #1 overall or #1 in number of subscribers or paid subscribers (that last seems to be Heather Cox Richardson). A deep dive into the stats shows that that particular week TFP was the #1 Substack for political commentary, however Substack decided to define it.
TFP said they had 630,000 subscribers at that time and that they wanted a million. Now they have 631,000 (still only 77,000 paid as far as I can tell). The million is probably a goal for the number of eyeballs to sell to an investor for the capital they seek to raise to expand the business.
I love David Sedaris and enjoy Frank Bruni. But they do follow the trend of TFP contributors being either gay or Jewish or both. It is what it is. Like it or leave it. Your choice.
Thank you. You really spelled out exactly what I was sensing and alluding to. When subscription renewal time comes around, I'm going to spend my hard-earned money elsewhere. I get enough frustration at my job. I don't need to pay for tone-deafness, as well.
The Comments section is the best thing about TFP. And also Rupa Subramanya’s pieces. She is a treasure.
Yup. And I suspect that many of the more observant commenters will quietly vote with their feet as well.
Couldn't agree more, Nicole Ann. If I wanted to read the NYT, I wouldn't have bothered subscribing to FP, which is becoming narrower and more culturally parochial with every posting. (Frank Bruni? Really? Spare us...)
Frank Bruni writes a regular column for the NYT.
That's my point -- FP's founders sound increasingly like the publication they fled.
True, but read my reply to Nicole. Bari and Nellie wanted to get away from the antisemitism at the NYT, not the POV. Frank Bruni is gay. David Sedaris is Jewish and gay. Ben Kawaller is gay. Oliver Wiseman is Jewish. Suzy Weiss is Jewish and family. The majority of the TFP staff/writers seem to be either Jewish, gay, family or some combination thereof. TFP is Bari’s microphone where she puts out her POV without a boss to get in her way. Like it or leave it. Your choice.
David Sedaris is indeed gay, and was raised Greek Orthodox.
Really? I could have sworn he was Jewish. Oh well, still one of the three. If there are any straight unrelated gentiles on staff they are few and far between. Personally, I really don't care. But it does seem to be a noticeable trend.
Of course it's my choice. But you seem to have forgotten that Bari's declared focus for Common Sense was anti-woke -- far broader than a mere safe space for Jews and gays.
Is it possible that you may be projecting values onto the FP and some of its writers that meet your expectation? Not theirs. Possible?
Center Left is anti-woke. Woke is far left. If you’re anti-woke, it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily conservative or even right of center. Most TFP commenters don’t seem to get that. It’s very apparent that Bari has enacted her anti-woke POV using her friends and colleagues who happen to be Jewish/gay/family. It’s her world. I don’t see it as a “safe space” for these people, but more the crowd she hangs with and the people she knows.
Personally, I’m anti-woke. But I have been accused many times in these comments of being a knee jerk far left liberal. Many TFP commenters define anti-woke as conservative right wing to the point of MAGA Trump voter. They have a very different definition of anti-woke, which is why they don’t understand what Bari is doing, and they don’t like it.
https://youtu.be/bOAUsvVhgsU
You should promote this movie before it is banned - you have the reach and you are uncancellable at this point. It may otherwise suffer the same fate as the Great Barrington declaration…
'The first step in a fascist movement is the combination under an energetic leader of a number of men who possess more than the average share of leisure, brutality, and stupidity. The next step is to fascinate fools and muzzle the intelligent, by emotional excitement on the one hand and terrorism on the other.'
Bertrand Russell
One could say the same for Commies like Russell.
Did you watch the youtube link to climate change?