Purity is for my inner-most sanctum. I do not wish to soil my personal sanctuary by invitation. I dislike many forms of social media. I dislike their algorithms that drive content that defiles my personal peace. I do enjoy a good discussion where there is common vernacular sufficient to provide for mutual understanding. SubStack has plenty of trash, but it also has gems, some raw and uncut and others superbly polished. I am thankful I have found a place to engage and dialogue; I learn from this. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X)… not the roads of Caesar’s Rome, but the bloodied colosseums of rigged entertainment along the paradigm of Fox News.
This lands because you’re naming a real failure mode most “resistance” spaces never examine: purity as disappearance.
The Roman road point matters because infrastructure is never neutral, but it’s also never fully owned once it exists. Empires build pathways to move control efficiently — and then discover those same pathways move meaning just as fast, and with far less permission. History is full of examples where belief outran power on roads meant for legions.
The key distinction you make — terrain vs. trap — is crucial. Withdrawal doesn’t starve the machine; it simply vacates the ground where perception is actively being shaped. That’s not integrity, it’s forfeiture.
I also appreciate the Bunker vs. Triage Tent framing. Messy rooms aren’t proof of failure — they’re proof of contact. You don’t measure a hospital by how healthy the waiting room is. If the already-deprogrammed are the only ones allowed in, nothing actually changes.
Your stance on paywalls and class is another important signal. Keeping core work public while letting paid space function as a workshop avoids the priesthood model that’s hollowed out so many movements. “Subscription vanguardism” is a real rot, and it’s refreshing to see it named plainly.
One thing I respect is that you don’t romanticize the algorithm — you acknowledge it as hostile terrain that still has to be crossed. That honesty matters. Using the roads doesn’t mean pretending the empire isn’t taxing the journey; it means accepting the cost without surrendering the destination.
This isn’t collaboration.
It’s traversal under fire.
That’s how ideas actually spread — and why purity movements tend to evaporate while insurgent ones leave residue behind.
PMC? Please clarify what the acronyms are. I run into this issue frequently when reading. Same thing last night while reading. Just bypassed a few things and tried to assume what meaning was. Don’t assume ppl know wtf you’re writing about w/o initial full words and meaning
I'm finding your pieces hard to get through even though I'm intrigued by the topics because they seem to be unedited AI-generated semantics. Even more dizzying is your and other comments that also seem to be AI-generated, evoking dead internet vibes.
Please let me know if I'm off-base here, or would love to hear about why/when you choose to engage with LLMs in your writing process? If you already have a post on this that I missed please point me to it.
I didn't mean it as a jab/insult at all, I use AI for various research projects. I just have no idea who the author behind the page is when I cannot see a glimmer of you behind something that (appears) completely AI-generated with little to no edits. I'm on Substack to engage with other writers. As AI might phrase it, "that's not a fair exchange, that's attention extraction." hahaha.
I don't find LLMs to be very good writers-- so many phrases that mean so little-- and in fact most people's first drafts in general are bad so I expect people to edit their work and lay bare the 'synthesis' you're talking about. That's why I was inquiring. I was half expecting you to tell me I was wrong and this was your style though that was unlikely.
Also I specifically asked if you could elaborate on your process with AI if that was the case, but you didn't so NOW I mean it as a little more of a jab, lol. I fully agree with the point of the post, I just struggled to get through it, so reading between the lines was far down the to do list. Precision does not a compelling narrative make.
And if the irony is the point then good! Glad to be discussing it.
Dialogue is crucial. I try to advance the use of a winner doesnt take all primary that would foster intaparty dialogue and a reduction yet retention of the power assymetry between centrists and activists within a major party.
You know better. Back in the very beginning a couple of times I wondered, are they right? They seem so sure of themselves and anyone can twist anything into a bit of a reasonable point of view. But don’t fall for it, they know they’re wrong.. they just don’t want to be exposed and they’re using everything and anything. We know now, they only mean to confuse, and they are not right. Don’t give into their bully strategies. They know one thing, that good & decent people will admit they’re wrong or believe you when you tell them they’re wrong, at least long enough to find out more information and by then they have moved on and are doing more damage.
Use The Platform Just check your Consciousness Not Easy But the Real Game Inside The Self Awareness! Anger sadness etc they the game win!!! Rise above it What we focus on We Create!!! LLL
I wanted the messy ones too, I broke the mould in one article and became partisan with a Robin Hood rewrite for the online right, I promptly lost even good real world friends who were of opposite opinions to me but starting to question, and reading my stuff. I enjoyed writing it though. Ultimately I decided I am not a gun for hire and times are challenging, sometimes it is time to pick a side. I love the triage tent idea, not lock the wanderers or wounded out. Are the war though, I thought it was a well known principle to use the enemies rope to hang them
REMINDS ME OF God's admonition to: OCCUPY (Don't just sit and twiddle our thumbs) Thank you for occupying. What I always like most is being able to use the enemy's tools to bring truth in the midst of all the lies. There are still victims being held captive by the lies, who can be led out of it, and into the light of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is the true goal of occupying till I come, Jesus said.
Purity is for my inner-most sanctum. I do not wish to soil my personal sanctuary by invitation. I dislike many forms of social media. I dislike their algorithms that drive content that defiles my personal peace. I do enjoy a good discussion where there is common vernacular sufficient to provide for mutual understanding. SubStack has plenty of trash, but it also has gems, some raw and uncut and others superbly polished. I am thankful I have found a place to engage and dialogue; I learn from this. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X)… not the roads of Caesar’s Rome, but the bloodied colosseums of rigged entertainment along the paradigm of Fox News.
We the people created the internet. When your enemy is trying to grab your gun do you give it to him or shoot him with it?
Bread and circus but who’s the baker and who are the clowns when we all show up for the same show?
This lands because you’re naming a real failure mode most “resistance” spaces never examine: purity as disappearance.
The Roman road point matters because infrastructure is never neutral, but it’s also never fully owned once it exists. Empires build pathways to move control efficiently — and then discover those same pathways move meaning just as fast, and with far less permission. History is full of examples where belief outran power on roads meant for legions.
The key distinction you make — terrain vs. trap — is crucial. Withdrawal doesn’t starve the machine; it simply vacates the ground where perception is actively being shaped. That’s not integrity, it’s forfeiture.
I also appreciate the Bunker vs. Triage Tent framing. Messy rooms aren’t proof of failure — they’re proof of contact. You don’t measure a hospital by how healthy the waiting room is. If the already-deprogrammed are the only ones allowed in, nothing actually changes.
Your stance on paywalls and class is another important signal. Keeping core work public while letting paid space function as a workshop avoids the priesthood model that’s hollowed out so many movements. “Subscription vanguardism” is a real rot, and it’s refreshing to see it named plainly.
One thing I respect is that you don’t romanticize the algorithm — you acknowledge it as hostile terrain that still has to be crossed. That honesty matters. Using the roads doesn’t mean pretending the empire isn’t taxing the journey; it means accepting the cost without surrendering the destination.
This isn’t collaboration.
It’s traversal under fire.
That’s how ideas actually spread — and why purity movements tend to evaporate while insurgent ones leave residue behind.
— RIB
Thank you Ethan. Good stuff!
PMC? Please clarify what the acronyms are. I run into this issue frequently when reading. Same thing last night while reading. Just bypassed a few things and tried to assume what meaning was. Don’t assume ppl know wtf you’re writing about w/o initial full words and meaning
I didn’t necessarily need a whole explanation thx tho. but at least if your using acronyms cite the actual words somewhere in the post.
Hahahaha
I'm finding your pieces hard to get through even though I'm intrigued by the topics because they seem to be unedited AI-generated semantics. Even more dizzying is your and other comments that also seem to be AI-generated, evoking dead internet vibes.
Please let me know if I'm off-base here, or would love to hear about why/when you choose to engage with LLMs in your writing process? If you already have a post on this that I missed please point me to it.
I didn't mean it as a jab/insult at all, I use AI for various research projects. I just have no idea who the author behind the page is when I cannot see a glimmer of you behind something that (appears) completely AI-generated with little to no edits. I'm on Substack to engage with other writers. As AI might phrase it, "that's not a fair exchange, that's attention extraction." hahaha.
I don't find LLMs to be very good writers-- so many phrases that mean so little-- and in fact most people's first drafts in general are bad so I expect people to edit their work and lay bare the 'synthesis' you're talking about. That's why I was inquiring. I was half expecting you to tell me I was wrong and this was your style though that was unlikely.
Also I specifically asked if you could elaborate on your process with AI if that was the case, but you didn't so NOW I mean it as a little more of a jab, lol. I fully agree with the point of the post, I just struggled to get through it, so reading between the lines was far down the to do list. Precision does not a compelling narrative make.
And if the irony is the point then good! Glad to be discussing it.
Remind Patrick about PARADOX. Perhaps his mind could contain two contradicting thoughts and get the message!
Dialogue is crucial. I try to advance the use of a winner doesnt take all primary that would foster intaparty dialogue and a reduction yet retention of the power assymetry between centrists and activists within a major party.
What no feedback? Check out Are there really no silver bullets?
The Purity spiral is a new term for me, but it’s something I’ve been fighting for a long time.
Great perspective! If we don’t walk and talk the Roman road, how do we ever get anyone to join us on it?
The hospital test: you don't shame the sick for showing up. (Works for survivors too, or ought to.)
You know better. Back in the very beginning a couple of times I wondered, are they right? They seem so sure of themselves and anyone can twist anything into a bit of a reasonable point of view. But don’t fall for it, they know they’re wrong.. they just don’t want to be exposed and they’re using everything and anything. We know now, they only mean to confuse, and they are not right. Don’t give into their bully strategies. They know one thing, that good & decent people will admit they’re wrong or believe you when you tell them they’re wrong, at least long enough to find out more information and by then they have moved on and are doing more damage.
Use The Platform Just check your Consciousness Not Easy But the Real Game Inside The Self Awareness! Anger sadness etc they the game win!!! Rise above it What we focus on We Create!!! LLL
I wish we all (including me) understood and remembered that last sentence more
So confused- how is Patrick even commenting if he’s deleted all his Social Media? Pot meet kettle, kettle this is pot.
I wanted the messy ones too, I broke the mould in one article and became partisan with a Robin Hood rewrite for the online right, I promptly lost even good real world friends who were of opposite opinions to me but starting to question, and reading my stuff. I enjoyed writing it though. Ultimately I decided I am not a gun for hire and times are challenging, sometimes it is time to pick a side. I love the triage tent idea, not lock the wanderers or wounded out. Are the war though, I thought it was a well known principle to use the enemies rope to hang them
REMINDS ME OF God's admonition to: OCCUPY (Don't just sit and twiddle our thumbs) Thank you for occupying. What I always like most is being able to use the enemy's tools to bring truth in the midst of all the lies. There are still victims being held captive by the lies, who can be led out of it, and into the light of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is the true goal of occupying till I come, Jesus said.