Though I'm certainly irritable and acerbic enough by nature, that wasn't the intended tone here. Mildly sarcastic and provocative, rather - and also trying to point out the writer's dilemma, especially when the funding is voluntary:
Write what the current "followers" (I do not like that term, but it's the accepted one and I can only spit in the wind so much) lap up and pay you for, or write something they might find objectionable and risk losing a source of income.
And risk/chance getting followers you might not want to be associated with or take money from too, or get new ones that appreciate the diversity of thought and freedom of debate.
It certainly is tricky, and I don't think I would be able to wrangle it myself, not even if I cured my faiblesse for purple prose.
Perhaps I sound irritated or irritating (Swedish use the word "irriterande" for both) because I feel the ideas Gato often put forth needs challenging, preferably by himself, as that makes one a better thinker no matter what the idea in question is: the religion/bringing up kids f.e. is a perfect "Gordian knot" of an issue where ones ideals and principles get challenged since they will almost inevitably come into conflict.
And resolving conflicts is a good thing, I think.
(Thanks for pointing this out by the way - and for the compliments, my wife says I suck at being complimented - I think I'll struggle with tone for life, and it's no different if I'm writing in another language either; I rarely fail to come across as irritated and petulant.)
Rikard, you seem to have given Gato a list of things that are important and worth writing about.
I am a little confused by your somewhat irritated tone.
I read many of your comments across different substacks. I appreciate your input.
Though I'm certainly irritable and acerbic enough by nature, that wasn't the intended tone here. Mildly sarcastic and provocative, rather - and also trying to point out the writer's dilemma, especially when the funding is voluntary:
Write what the current "followers" (I do not like that term, but it's the accepted one and I can only spit in the wind so much) lap up and pay you for, or write something they might find objectionable and risk losing a source of income.
And risk/chance getting followers you might not want to be associated with or take money from too, or get new ones that appreciate the diversity of thought and freedom of debate.
It certainly is tricky, and I don't think I would be able to wrangle it myself, not even if I cured my faiblesse for purple prose.
Perhaps I sound irritated or irritating (Swedish use the word "irriterande" for both) because I feel the ideas Gato often put forth needs challenging, preferably by himself, as that makes one a better thinker no matter what the idea in question is: the religion/bringing up kids f.e. is a perfect "Gordian knot" of an issue where ones ideals and principles get challenged since they will almost inevitably come into conflict.
And resolving conflicts is a good thing, I think.
(Thanks for pointing this out by the way - and for the compliments, my wife says I suck at being complimented - I think I'll struggle with tone for life, and it's no different if I'm writing in another language either; I rarely fail to come across as irritated and petulant.)