The Elite Capture of Substack

I find Matt’s reason for posting to be a refreshing change from most other writers. There’s nothing wrong with using Substack as a vehicle for promoting your work, of course, but it’s nice to see purpose beyond targeting economic incentives. I like the idea of writing to attract others with whom your work and thought resonate. Others who may have i... See more

Who you read—and pay to read—is a budding social signal, a way to broadcast sophistication and align you with a niche intellectual tribe.

Substack’s promise is that the best writing will rise to the top. But, in reality, the best writers—on Substack or anywhere else—aren’t just creators of content; they’re mirrors for aspiration, revealing something... See more