RMiddleton

When the news event happened I wasn't immediately sure who it was. I'm old & the name resembles some from other contexts to me. And I even consume left political media. As I'm writing this I have a video paused about The Daily Wire's Mr. Birchum being appropriated as queer, even though the animated show is part of Ben Shapiro's attempt to “win the culture war.” I heard that & thought: “Culture War? A strange game, the only winning move is not to play.” I paused the video, came here, & started typing.

“You're in the war whether you want to be or not,” I can imagine someone telling me. And as I say I do consume left media. I'm a frequent viewer of The Majority Report, but I wouldn't be if it was entirely dunks on right wing media. I appreciate the interviews with authors, academics, & labor leaders more than the partisan attacks. Like, I'm happy if Hasan Piker appeals to young people but I can't watch him much—strikes me as maniacally immersed in online politics. I don't think “the battle” (or war) is online. Yeah you can say that's what swung '24; I'll still say that appealing to the oppressed & disengaged is more important. I believe it's a much larger number of people for one thing. And I want a politics of substance more than of rhetorical skill. Both are needed but I choose substance over rhetoric for the long term. “But, Rob, the American voters don't understand substance.” That's the challenge that I care about. I'm not in a culture war because I refuse to enlist. Not on those terms. I believe if we are always fighting on their terms then we are losing. I focus on self improvement, and respecting others. That's the content I want to share. That's my strategy, my battle, or my war. But those bellicose terms do not apply because I see victory by force as defeat. I'm a lover not a fighter. I do what I love. I seek to inspire others not convince.

Liberation is the goal. I don't believe freedom can be imposed. I do understand that tyranny is being imposed & must be opposed. I believe the way to achieve lasting liberation is only by the majority of people choosing it. I think that people must be awakened & inspired. The person I'm most concerned with is myself. I work to liberate my mind & emotions. I have ambition to share my journey with others. My path to freedom has been long, winding, & slow going. While I do not fault others for their methods, I seek to avoid commercial distribution. I watch plenty of YouTube videos but I know I won't feel comfortable with my output until it no longer subjects viewers to the harm of commercial platforms. The only sponsors I seek are individual donations. I never look at detailed metrics on any platform I use. These are my choices in order to keep my values in focus. The “race to success” is less important than my life satisfaction.

I describe the actions that work for me. I am grateful for the many others fighting for me & all of us in the ways that work for them. Respect for diversity is a core value in the better world we are building together.

Thanks for reading.