Posted on 08/03/2024 10:29:16 AM PDT by ProgressingAmerica
From time to time, I like to re-evaluate things and see if there is something I am missing. Mostly, this is a lengthy process of elimination based off of the realities of life. I usually do this in quiet where nobody can see. But let's examine it openly this time.
For example, I'm not a billionaire. I'm lucky to have more than $1000 in the bank at a lot of times which does perhaps put me ahead of a lot of people, but the reason I mention the money means I don't have a future creating a movie. So culturally, this isn't something I can do. I also don't have an exceptional idea for a movie so my motivation to do some cross-country stint, leaving my family behind while raising excitement and awareness and money is a non-starter.
Ok, maybe something less expensive is the best bet. Music certainly doesn't require cubic money like making a movie does, but musical instruments aren't exactly cheap and setting up a proper built-for-music sound room does not sound appealing. Further, my interests would not make for great listening. Also, I do not even sing in the shower nor do I currently play any instruments so the years of experience required for either side of the music just isn't there. A movie is out, and music is out.
Now, I could write a book. But I have questions as to if what I would write would be totally new and unique when compared to two really good books already out there that I am aware of, both of which were not very well received. My main interest is in the beginnings and evolution of Progressive ideology which could make for a book that would be loaded with footnotes. But is there actually an reason to do this when it isn't something anybody wants? The first of those books is Theodore and Woodrow, but the real star of the show was produced by the scholars at Hillsdale College. That book is called America Transformed: The Rise and Legacy of American Progressivism and it is a tour-de-force that lays down some very irrefutable evidence about the evils of progressivism, as well as progressivism's origins.
If nobody is going to trust Hillsdale, I don't have a chance. They aren't going to trust me when they're looking at the book shelf or Amazon dot com. Writing a book is definitely out, plus the origin book I would want to write exists (in a lot of ways) anyways. There is nothing for me to do here.
How about a blog! Surely that would work. Except, you're reading my blog right now which I don't use all that much anymore. When big-tech went rogue and political I watched my readership numbers dwindle due to the censorship. Now I mainly just use the blog for occasional musings and as a clearing house to announce new audio books. So the blog has lost its value when nobody will see it anyways no matter what I put on here. Which gets to the last one:
Audio books. In the last year, I've fostered the creation of about a dozen collaborative audio books. I say fostered, because I had to change my role at LibriVox for the time being. I lost my ability at home to do my own recordings in the short term (which has already been longer than I had hoped for) and at the soonest opportunity I do plan to get back to recording again. However, with roughly one new audio book a month I think I'm doing really well. As for my reach? It is not uncommon for a new audio book to get 10,000 downloads/listeners in the first few months as the books get established.
I never got numbers like that with the blog.
And recording audio books only cost me a microphone and some minor sound deadening for a nominal quality boost. Not a bad investment at all for a very measurable return on my personal time, giving me great value.
So, realistically, I'm in the best or most strategic place I can currently be in.
But wait! What about as an influencer with a YouTube VBlog/VLog? Or Rumble. Nah. Takes too much time and I get more hits through LibriVox anyways. Why would I accept less when I already have more?
Well, there you have it. If you think I overlooked an item, feel free to suggest it. Perhaps I'll re-evaluate in a few years or something. Now do I think I'm moving the Himalayan mountains or anything? Nope. I'm simply looking for what one single person can do, what's the maximum that I personally can do to have an impact on the culture. Through a process of elimination, I think I have reached the available height.
All of these are political activism, not cultural activism.
Politics is downstream from culture. - Andrew Breitbart
Culture is the correct thing to prioritize, politics when you/I can.
LibriVox? Never heard of LibriVox. Is that a conservative or libertarian echo chamber?
Be generous with your friends and neighbors and with charity work. Be of good cheer and spread it. Stop thinking politics is going to do anything good except by accident, that’s not its purpose. Its purpose is to use YOU to enrich and empower politicians, their family members and friends in high places because they can return favors with riches. Not even Trump can do much about the state of affairs. To change the world, change yourself.
For a short list of recent audio books:
History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution, by Mercy Otis Warren (in 3 volumes) https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4176756/posts
Children’s book of patriotic stories: The spirit of ‘76 by Dickinson and Dickinson https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4135466/posts
Memoir, Correspondence and Miscellanies, Volume I, from the papers of Thomas Jefferson https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4078147/posts
The Life and Times of Joseph Warren https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4189418/posts
Books almost complete: Patrick Henry, Benjamin Rush, “The Lives of the Signers”(Declaration; Short biographies), several others.
I would like to do more with regard to other Founders as well, for those who might find such a thing interesting.
Withdraw consent from this culture, in any way you can. Not a dime to Hollywood. Not a dime to professional sports. Not a dime to big music labels. Don’t patronize any business which has stated explicitly collectivist views. Explain your position - politely - to anyone who asks. Never argue with the uninformed, it doesn’t work. Just state what you believe and why. Those who have ears to hear will listen, and understand.
Stop giving to MOST 501c3’s...you are just funding the left mostly
Excellent advice.
Before the days of the Internet I was planning to write a few non-fiction books on my favorite subjects.
What I learned from the Internet was that I was not the smartest person in the room—all of my favorite subjects had already been written about by folks—and many had done an excellent job.
We need to be brutally honest with ourselves.
Profess prior love for Trump but now you are voting for Heels Up. The democrats will love you.
“Never argue with the uninformed, it doesn’t work.”
Agreed
Takes lots of folks many years to come to that honest realization.
A great piece of wisdom to share with younger family members.
Heya ProgressingAmerica, how are you? My wife and I drove up to Portsmouth, NH today to walk around Fort William and Mary, but the place is in such bad shape they had to fence it off, and pieces of it fell into the sea in a recent storm. Apparently, it is dangerous to walk around, and I guess it kind of looks like it to me.
Ah, well. We listened to my audio version of “The Capture of Fort William and Mary on our drive up, and now we know more about it than the vast majority of Americans. Thanks for recommending it. It is short, too, just over an hour, so it took the ride up.
I finished the “Elementary catechism on the Constitution of the United States: for the use of schools” and am awaiting PL completion. That was also fun.
Then, on to Hancock!
Same with Heritage Foundation, ACLJ, American Enterprise Foundation,, Mark Levin, or Regnery Publishing.
I’m doing well in general. We have been getting many visits over the summer from friends and family, one more to go at the end of the month.
That little Capture recording came out really well. I’m glad it ended up as a solo instead of a group book because I think solos are always higher quality, and ultimately that book would not be high-traffic no matter what. Practically nobody knows about the event. Nobody knows the Founders involved with it.(There’s not a G. Washington involved, for example) All there is is that Wikipedia page about the event (Which I created, BTW) that relies on accidentally discovering it through whatever ways people discover these things. So for those who do discover, then they find that audio book, it’s a gem waiting to be shared.
I’ve been working on pushing toward completion the 10 (currently) audio books I have going, I suspect Patrick Henry’s bio will be the first up of the Founder-related works I’m sitting on. We had someone stalling but I’m clearing that out in the next few days since the appropriate time frames have past.
I’ll look for the PL completion on Stansbury’s, and then that Hancock book will be really important, his name is an interestingly high-profile name and yet nobody knows a thing about him. It’ll be good to have a strong solid voice doing the work that anybody can download.
I have little doubt that Hancock was way better of a man (like Warren) than we know and the whole thing will do Hancock the justice he deserves.
An Illegal’s federal paycheck, aka credit card?:
Is this what drove Fast Food Prices so high?
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4255795/posts?page=34#34
My gosh! I had no idea you had ten books in the works right now...
Egad!
I well several states away, but I suppose that would be rather odd to randomly call up and hope to get an audience.
It’s not like these things get lost though. LibriVox has a phone app, a YouTube channel, as well as their website. All of which drives a lot of traffic. That and LibriVox books also get linked directly through Wikipedia. - which is a lot of traffic too.
Networking is a known and accepted business practice. It is written about a lot online if you want to familiarize yourself with it.
Here’s how it might go: sign up on LinkedIn, and research who is on staff or faculty at Hillsdale, Heritage, etc. Choose someone whose interests line up with yours. Email that person and tell them what you have been doing, and ask if there is a way for you to gain greater distribution through their organizations, since BigTech is suppressing conservative content. If they can’t relate, ask them if there is anyone else or any other way that they can suggest.
By no means just share every digital keystroke you have worked so hard to assemble, because it’s what you have to “sell” or trade, so don’t just give it all away. But you could send them a sample if requested. For instance, if they wanted to provide a link to your digital manuscripts, you could ask for a fee per click. That’s annother thing to research first — how to do a fair licensing agreement.
This isn’t advocacy for surrender, is it?
I don't mean have children or become a public school teacher, I mean teach Sunday School or Children's Church or start a small craft class aimed at kids or young adults.
I teach a six week "practical kitchen skills" class twice a year. Most of my student in the summer are high school students who are going off to start their lives as adults but my winter class gets a lot of young people who are already out on their own.
Do I talk politics?
No.
Do I teach people how to be independent and think for themselves?
Yes.
Teach basic home maintenance. Car maintenance. How to win friends and influence people. Read stories at the local libraries. Not just to kids. Adults like to have stories read to them as well. (Which fits in with your audio books).
Interact with your community. Local. Because global is way downstream from local. And if bad things happen, local is who you will have to depend on for help.
What kinds of tools would we be using during this teaching you are speaking of?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.