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Cat Valente's Blatherings on Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and the State of the World

Top posts of the year

And their main takeaways

On Recent Developments at Substack

2574 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24

🎭️ Culture Online Platforms Social media Free speech Community Building

Acknowledgement of issues with Substack's management of diverse opinions and policies on monetization
The dilemma of deciding whether to stay on Substack despite hosting problematic content or to leave and potentially lose audience
Concern about the online space being dominated by harmful voices if good actors continually leave platforms hosting problematic content

Twenty Years Ago Today, My Life Began

982 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24

🎭️ Culture Writing Books Personal Growth Literature Art

Twenty years ago today, the author's first chapbook was published.
The author expresses gratitude for the support and belief of key people in her life.
Reflecting on 20 years in publishing, the author acknowledges the transformative power of books on readers and the tumultuous journey of personal growth.

Not So Fast, Smart People...

550 implied HN points • 31 May 23

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Opinion

It's easy to mock fascists, but the problems we face are partly our fault.
Blaming media or politicians isn't the solution; we must take responsibility.
We contribute to the state of affairs by being complacent and not voting.