33 Comments
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Nate Mariano's avatar

I just subscribed to this newsletter. Politely... I can't tell if this is a joke or what.

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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

We have trouble figuring that out ourselves!

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Notes from the periphery's avatar

You should create a franchise model, like Subway, then enjoy the rentier good life

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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

We're looking for our Jared right now.

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Notes from the periphery's avatar

Ha! 🤭

Justin isn’t just a mere mortal anymore. Justin is a concept, a symbol, a brand, a lifestyle.

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Louis Noble's avatar

EK: You could probably do something like that in a book, too, if you wanted to. Couldn’t you?

Ezra keeping him honest here. You like to see it.

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Justin Smith-Ruiu's avatar

Exactly, what a mess that 2027 JSR is!

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Seersucker's avatar

Let me guess, Hélène, you explained to JSR that we can do this the easy way or the hard way.

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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

I think it's safe to say many of our long-time readers would have loved to be flies on the wall for that little conversation!

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Brendan's avatar

I happen to have known several Kennys Koontz over the years, one of whomst was the nephew and protege of Dean Koontz, a writer of American copy.

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Jen Burke Anderson's avatar

Wow. Thank you, Hélène. I'm a recent subscriber to Hinternet, but it was one of the few things I was sure to recommend from my own Substack (which is called Spiritual/Skeptical/Classical). I'd so enjoyed JSR's work in Liberties, and I've always meant to write in and personally thank him for the Generation X essay he wrote for Harper's about a year ago. I'd been struggling with his same sense of unacknowledged shove-out from the culture, and he nailed it so beautifully. A lot of us in his age bracket feel we've gone from invisible to Invisible. His essay made me feel better. I shared it with so many people. Looks like I missed the "first 100 followers" coupon, but do those of us in the lagging Pacific time zone get a break? ;) Wish I'd seen this missive sooner, that's all ... Hugs to you and JSR from San Francisco. - Jen Burke Anderson

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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

Thank you, Jen, for this very warm and encouraging message! We're so happy to have you reading us.

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Jen Burke Anderson's avatar

One more idea: responding to JSR’s comment (as channeled through your imagining of him being interviewed by Ezra Klein in the future) that the world belongs to the young and the elders must humbly step aside — given that people live longer now, and that people in their 40s, 50s, 60s, even 70s have a significant stake in the future too, does that notion still resonate? I question whether it does. Don’t we in the middle of our lives, while listening to and respecting the young, also have a responsibility to provide context for them and insist on the relevance of our own stories, realities, and

presence? How do we expect the young to fully cope if we don’t? What about those young people (thin on the ground though they might be) who crave the sort of perspective only we can provide? Why do we older adults abdicate our power so readily? I don’t think we should. Let’s stop kicking our own asses. Let’s believe in ourselves and our experience. We owe it to the world. Thus spake Jen Burke Anderson!

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Sirius White's avatar

I don't use any!! But I am willing to promote via my own substack! https://antidotetomagicalthinking.substack.com/p/the-map-is-not-the-territory

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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

Thank you, Paul. Oh what the heck, that’s a comp too, just because we’re feeling big-hearted today!

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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

Thanks, I didn’t necessarily mean right here, publicly, in the comments. Do you want me to go ahead and delete that comment now that I have the info?

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Sirius White's avatar

yes please :)

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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

Ah but first we’ll need you to send us your e-mail so we can id you!

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Sep 6
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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

Oh shoot, there's no “delete” option, only “report”, and I wouldn't want to do that! Maybe you can delete it?

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Sirius White's avatar

sorted!

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Sirius White's avatar

and thank you wonderful human x

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Bananies's avatar

Hmmmm…I have read in another post you are interested in new writers. Not sure what to think…is this real? I joined Substack a few months ago and again I’m not sure what to think. How does one go about contacting you if they might be interested in a conversation?

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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

The call for new writers is real, though much of what we do at The Hinternet intentionally blurs the line between fiction and non-fiction, as you have detected.

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Anders's avatar

So, you need my email? I followed on Twitter and Instagram (though, sadly, these days I'm more often poking around on the later).

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Mark Monday's avatar

Just followed on Twitter - @prom_emperor. Probably too late but thought I'd give it a shot!

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Bruce Cole's avatar

I just hit follow. Am I in the Top 100???

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Patrick Lawlor's avatar

I don't use X, but just followed you on Instagram.

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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

Thanks Patrick, we've just comped you for a year! --HLG

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nzrinyi's avatar

I've subscribed to both as well 🙂

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yan castaldo's avatar

Same with me!

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Hélène Le Goff's avatar

Comped!

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Unusual Sun's avatar

I stay away from Instagram, but followed on X.

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Harrison's avatar

Same here!

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