A few people have asked why I stopped taking money from my paid subscribers, which seems counterproductive to the Kirkpatrick bank balance, especially with another baby on the way.
I very much like your climbing writing, but your new cultural commentary is another level of enjoyment for me. Keep writing/saying the quiet part out loud. We are all thinking it deep down and it needs to be said by someone who can both think and write. Perfect man for the job. Well done sir!
I don’t necessarily agree with everything you say but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to read it. Even if I don’t agree, it has made me look at my own arguments and reassess why I feel the way I do about a subject. I don’t want to live in an echo chamber and I want to hear alternative points of view as sometimes they even change my mind. Please continue to challenge me/us!
Don't worry, I don't agree with myself 50% of the time, and can see that most of what people believe appears to serve an honourably goal, that they're on the right side of history (history is not a football game), even if it proves to be irrational, and counter productive in the long term. We live in an age of magic thinking, which is fairy tale without a happy ending (there is neither magic or thinking involved). For example, what kind of monster could argue that rent caps are a bad idea, or stopping big corporations dominating rental market, or increasing the power of tenants over landlords, or banning Airbnb, or criminalising landlords for refusing tenants on welfare. When a few years down the line, when there is a rental crisis, do you think anyone ever remembers to check back on all the nasty people who spoke up, who were on the wrong side of history.
With today’s events, it will be interesting to see how those who championed Truss explain their way out of this one. Everything they said has been recorded in one way or another - I hope they are not allowed to rewrite history.
Sergey Lavrov pointed out she was an empty suit when she was foreign security, but even so, the UK has just experience a coup by international finance. The real people to get angry with are the ones who believed that Boris had to go because of a garden party, right in the middle of the greatest crisis to face Europe in our life time. People get the government they deserve, but until they ween themselves of the MSM, and stop being so emotional, tribal, dogmatic, and become more rational, they'll simply keep getting the government they're assigned (democracy is dead, and it doesn't even know it yet).
That bit about dissolving, that’s actually kind of frightening based on the recent Hotshot Wake Up Podcast where he discusses the background function of the Recreation gov site. The bill that created the framework to allow the current site design related to the fee structure is up in 2023 and definitely needs to be clarified. The podcast is behind his paywall on Substack.
Loving your writing and your podcast. Your opinion points are where I’m at these days. Similar sense of humour to. Anyway enough sucking up to you I’m making myself sick.
It's completely understandable and respectable. But know that your non-climbing related pieces are also wildly engaging and thought-provoking, especially the ones where one doesn't necessarily agree with everything. You emulate a naturally immersive & piercing style that reminds me of Hunter S. Thompson's private letter collections, which, if you haven't, you should definitely check out.
I very much like your climbing writing, but your new cultural commentary is another level of enjoyment for me. Keep writing/saying the quiet part out loud. We are all thinking it deep down and it needs to be said by someone who can both think and write. Perfect man for the job. Well done sir!
I don’t necessarily agree with everything you say but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to read it. Even if I don’t agree, it has made me look at my own arguments and reassess why I feel the way I do about a subject. I don’t want to live in an echo chamber and I want to hear alternative points of view as sometimes they even change my mind. Please continue to challenge me/us!
Don't worry, I don't agree with myself 50% of the time, and can see that most of what people believe appears to serve an honourably goal, that they're on the right side of history (history is not a football game), even if it proves to be irrational, and counter productive in the long term. We live in an age of magic thinking, which is fairy tale without a happy ending (there is neither magic or thinking involved). For example, what kind of monster could argue that rent caps are a bad idea, or stopping big corporations dominating rental market, or increasing the power of tenants over landlords, or banning Airbnb, or criminalising landlords for refusing tenants on welfare. When a few years down the line, when there is a rental crisis, do you think anyone ever remembers to check back on all the nasty people who spoke up, who were on the wrong side of history.
With today’s events, it will be interesting to see how those who championed Truss explain their way out of this one. Everything they said has been recorded in one way or another - I hope they are not allowed to rewrite history.
Sergey Lavrov pointed out she was an empty suit when she was foreign security, but even so, the UK has just experience a coup by international finance. The real people to get angry with are the ones who believed that Boris had to go because of a garden party, right in the middle of the greatest crisis to face Europe in our life time. People get the government they deserve, but until they ween themselves of the MSM, and stop being so emotional, tribal, dogmatic, and become more rational, they'll simply keep getting the government they're assigned (democracy is dead, and it doesn't even know it yet).
Got to say Andy, as much as I enjoy your pieces on climbing, I really engage with these opinion pieces too. Keep it up.
That bit about dissolving, that’s actually kind of frightening based on the recent Hotshot Wake Up Podcast where he discusses the background function of the Recreation gov site. The bill that created the framework to allow the current site design related to the fee structure is up in 2023 and definitely needs to be clarified. The podcast is behind his paywall on Substack.
Loving your writing and your podcast. Your opinion points are where I’m at these days. Similar sense of humour to. Anyway enough sucking up to you I’m making myself sick.
We're all mugged by the reality of our perilous position sooner or later (unfortunately).
It's completely understandable and respectable. But know that your non-climbing related pieces are also wildly engaging and thought-provoking, especially the ones where one doesn't necessarily agree with everything. You emulate a naturally immersive & piercing style that reminds me of Hunter S. Thompson's private letter collections, which, if you haven't, you should definitely check out.
sempre più "un grande" my dear Andy! respect!