Thank you! So what's this all about?
Think of it as part of a larger experiment in developing engines and infrastructure for pro-democracy culture that can thrive in our metamodern media environment.
This is gabestein.com: the newsletter!, which is a completely irregular note primarily focused on the intersection of culture, media, politics, and technology written by me, vitalist technologist Gabriel Stein. Sometimes there’s random silly stuff. If you’re not yet a subscriber, you can sign up here. See the archives here, and polished blog versions of the best hits at, you guessed it, gabestein.com.
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So, what’s this all about then? More will be revealed, but at the moment, consider it part of a larger experiment in developing engines and infrastructure for pro-democracy culture that can thrive in our metamodern media environment. You can read a little more about that in the first issue.
My lane is decidedly on the media and infrastructural side of things. You can learn (too much) more about me here, but the cliff notes version is I’ve been thinking about how culture, technology, and media interact, and putting those ideas into practice, both personally and professionally, since…middle school? I’ve worked in big tech, journalism, startups, and now in academia. As a result, I think I bring to the table a unique ability to both sense-make and build, and I intend to explore both theory and practice in this experiment.
Like any experiment, I’m still figuring out the tone, the cadence, and, yes, the business model, if there is one. For now, consider this a place to discuss how we move forward in a world where podcasts seem to matter much more than get out the vote efforts.
I do hope it will be a discussion, not just a monologue. One critical part of the experiment is that it won’t rely on traditional social media for growth. Bluntly, though it needs to exist there, I don’t believe pro-democracy culture will ever develop and thrive in those spaces. I’m much more interested in building new networks on more resilient technologies, like email and messaging (though, of course, that could change).
As a result, to foster genuine conversation, and growth, I’ll need your help. Please share this with folks you know who are thinking similarly, and of course reach out if you’re on the same wavelength yourself and want to share what you’re working on.
But you don’t have to be a, uh, media obsessive (??) to participate. Culture is collective, and I would wager that you have a better sense of what’s going on. You are a critical part of the experiment, and my plan is to share your feedback, criticisms, ideas, and links (always with your permission, of course) regularly. So please don’t hesitate to get in touch anytime. Officially, my email for this project is correspondence@gabestein.com, but if you know where to find me elsewhere, that’s fine, too.
Finally, if you’re looking for more, my blog, gabestein.com, contains a lot of the foundational work I’ll be referencing. Here are some of the key pieces I recommend:
Hyperobjects, cynicism, and the post-left. Is a new kind of politics possible?
Back on the rails. Can the environmental movement — and our collective imagination — be rewilded?
Token retreat. Let's talk when the metaverse can directly feed the hungry, house people, or remove carbon from the atmosphere.
Again, thanks so much for being here. More soon.
Gabe