This is so true. The result is, unfortunately, that every other person becomes the same. Know one and you know them all. Ironically, while they think they're unique and their personality is so layered and colourful, you've seen ten like them just the past week.
You just laid out closing arguments for why something approaching 98+% of writers should really have editors. Took the jury about six minutes come back with a guilty verdict. Well done.
I find this to be a problem of social media and, more often than not, uncurious people. You can use an anecdote to prove a point -as an example of an idea, a metaphor, a joke, a change of pacing, whatever- but why do people think the anecdote IS the point? Don't they wanna talk about the world in which I assume those super profound and helpful emotional moments happen? I guess when people just look at their belly button they forget that what's important is around it, not in it.
Holy fuck, thank you for this. I had to restack it.
I'm sick of these pseudo-vulnerable people who virtue signal so hard in an attempt to construct their own echo chamber in which their opinions feel validated and their rose-tinted worldview has no danger of collapsing and/or imploding.
It's just cliches on top of cliches on top of platitudes, hidden behind 15 different masks and 38 different personality traits.
I'm very much FOR people expressing themselves and their dreams and breaking their fears and/or patterns through internet copium - by God, if it makes your life better, do it - but I just feel like the real sincerety hides underneath the pretense of sincerety as seen on - you guessed it - Instagram and TikTok (which Substack totally isn't btw).
God free us from the curse of 'substack thoughtful'
(I can't count how many drafts I've allowed to rot unpublished because I can see that syrupy half-scold tone creeping into my own writing, it is a disease and I'm not immune)
This piece perfectly spelled-out exactly what I've been noticing and feeling (no holds barred!) about this weird, self-suck phenomena. I want to think that it is people going too far with the maxim of "writing what they know" yet not knowing when to - well - stop; or at the very least, switch things up a bit? I think we are all likely guilty of doing this type of writing at one point or another (I know I am!), especially as a new writer not really sure where to start and they are only (maybe?) using these stocky titles as a prompt helping them forward. You know what I mean? I love seeing people write about themselves, things they've learned, experienced they've gained - and all that jazz. HOWEVER, I absolutely, completely, and utterly agree with the frustrations of the overused phrasing and trying to sound so prolific over fairly basic advice nuggets.
WOW. This was Fucking fantastic. You articulated something I've been feeling and dancing around with my friends lately, without really being able to put my finger on it.
This is so true. The result is, unfortunately, that every other person becomes the same. Know one and you know them all. Ironically, while they think they're unique and their personality is so layered and colourful, you've seen ten like them just the past week.
You just laid out closing arguments for why something approaching 98+% of writers should really have editors. Took the jury about six minutes come back with a guilty verdict. Well done.
I find this to be a problem of social media and, more often than not, uncurious people. You can use an anecdote to prove a point -as an example of an idea, a metaphor, a joke, a change of pacing, whatever- but why do people think the anecdote IS the point? Don't they wanna talk about the world in which I assume those super profound and helpful emotional moments happen? I guess when people just look at their belly button they forget that what's important is around it, not in it.
Holy fuck, thank you for this. I had to restack it.
I'm sick of these pseudo-vulnerable people who virtue signal so hard in an attempt to construct their own echo chamber in which their opinions feel validated and their rose-tinted worldview has no danger of collapsing and/or imploding.
It's just cliches on top of cliches on top of platitudes, hidden behind 15 different masks and 38 different personality traits.
I'm very much FOR people expressing themselves and their dreams and breaking their fears and/or patterns through internet copium - by God, if it makes your life better, do it - but I just feel like the real sincerety hides underneath the pretense of sincerety as seen on - you guessed it - Instagram and TikTok (which Substack totally isn't btw).
Namaste yearned
Oops! Posted too soon! ‘ namaste yearners’ is now my new sign off! Love it! 😻
Oh, how I wish I’d said this!
God free us from the curse of 'substack thoughtful'
(I can't count how many drafts I've allowed to rot unpublished because I can see that syrupy half-scold tone creeping into my own writing, it is a disease and I'm not immune)
This piece perfectly spelled-out exactly what I've been noticing and feeling (no holds barred!) about this weird, self-suck phenomena. I want to think that it is people going too far with the maxim of "writing what they know" yet not knowing when to - well - stop; or at the very least, switch things up a bit? I think we are all likely guilty of doing this type of writing at one point or another (I know I am!), especially as a new writer not really sure where to start and they are only (maybe?) using these stocky titles as a prompt helping them forward. You know what I mean? I love seeing people write about themselves, things they've learned, experienced they've gained - and all that jazz. HOWEVER, I absolutely, completely, and utterly agree with the frustrations of the overused phrasing and trying to sound so prolific over fairly basic advice nuggets.
Thank you for writing this. It was so necessary
Thank youuu ❤️
I am all of these things, I will never make you happy.
I don’t like ‘notes on’ but it’s so ubiquitous I should stop letting it grate on me…
Well, let me tell you about my van build and how wonderful my van life is, where I go to the bathroom and the three things... hey.
Hey!
Hey, where are you going? I have to tell you what I learned!
Come back. Come back. come back
WOW. This was Fucking fantastic. You articulated something I've been feeling and dancing around with my friends lately, without really being able to put my finger on it.
Thank you! ❤️
OK, but Emily is this a think piece on the insincerity of Substack writing?
I almost couldn’t finish reading the article I was so excited to write that in the comments :)
By the way, I really enjoy the things that you’ve written or at least the two that I’ve read so far. Please continue.
Thank you!!
I love the phrase “curating the moodiness “ but one of my friends has banned the word “curating “.
Can we add the people who go on about their “journey” and the flex about how they gained 1,200 subscribers in a month?
Great post!