An announcement: a weekly philosophy club for paid subscribers (and those who want to be comped)

I am excited to explore with you

I meant to do it for a few months, and I am finally doing it. I am announcing a perk for the paid subscribers (and also any of you who wants to partake but can’t afford a paid subscription). It’s a very special one.

We are going to do a weekly “philosophy club,” an online get-together where we talk about things that matter, brainstorm together, have unique presentations, investigate disagreements, and things like that.

None of it will be recorded (well, by the CIA maybe, but not by me and  not by anyone on the call. I will be explicitly asking to not record.) We will talk in real time, and it will stay in that time, just like things were before everything went online, digital, etc. We will enjoy each other, our conversations, thoughts, feelings, explorations, and debates.

There is a premise to this that is very special to my heart.  Regardless of anyone’s opinion on any topic that comes up, and absolutely regardless of whether opinions agree or disagree with mine, the expectation for all of us is to come at it from a position of respect for other people’s souls. There is no obligation to be convinced of anything but a definite obligation to come at it from the position of strength, love, and respect for other people’s souls.

This format (maintaining respect for other people’s souls regardless of whether their opinions are similar or not) is very powerful.  Actually, before “COVID” happened, I started a couple of projects that involved soulful, in-person conversations about the topics that the participants disagreed on. I was figuring out how to launch a bigger “dialogue” project (all in person) when suddenly, it was March 2020, two weeks to flatten the curve, and you know the rest.

A funny story. One time, in 2019, to put myself to test and have a meaningful conversation with a human being who supported ideas that I despised, I organized a conversation about the role of technology and invited a holder of worldviews that were completely opposite of mine, namely a transhumanist. He was not an uppity transhumanist siting on a load of money but a regular person who believed in the joys of singularity, “uploading” of consciousness to the machine, etc.

So we did it, and I learned a lot. Naturally, during the conversation, the transhumanist and I didn’t agree on anything—but after the event, a few of us went to a nearby bar, drank beer and broke bread. And as I was breaking bread with the person whose views I had no kind words for whatsoever, I felt awe of just how mysterious all of our paths are as we walk our journeys, seeking acknowledgement and love, walking in ridiculous zigzags sometimes and yet, ultimately, seeking acknowledgement and love. (An important distinction and a subject of a future article is the difference between the people who hold sincere opinions that I find lamentable—and the people actively seeking to harm. For practical purposes, those two are not the same.)

Looking back at the past 3.5 years, it feels more important than ever to talk—talk for real, talk with respect for the soul, “see” each other and make each other feel heard.

The announcement with details is coming. I may give it a name, we’ll see.

This is going to be a weekly unrecorded call for paid subscribers, staring next week. If you want to be comped on my Substack, either because you have supported me in the past, or are supporting me in other ways, or simply can’t afford a paid subscription, all you need to do is send me an email asking to be comped.

Strong opinions are totally fine by me regardless of whether I agree. What’s off limits is missionary activities and weasel talk.

If bad actors come to disrupt, they won’t be able to stay because respect for the soul is something that makes them scream and crawl out of their skin. With good energy in the room, disagreements are easy to handle, they are educational when handled with curiosity and spiritual strength. Disruption, on the other hand, is something that is intended to poop on good intention and shrink people’s souls. And that, we are not going to allow. On my end, I’ve dealt with a tremendous amount of bad actors in the past three years, and I usually pray for their healing and their highest good by the Creator—but they have no place in the house of love. And because it takes a village to make peace and defend it, if they come, it will be a good experience for all of us to grow our souls, to protect each other, and do it with love.

I only took one picture in my life with a pony, and this is it

---

If you are in the position to do so, I encourage you to become a paid subscriber or donate. I love you in any case, but it helps A LOT, and I am currently in a dire need to get more donations and paid subscribers while keeping my posts free. Thank you from my heart for your support!