Archive (Page 5) • Open Mode • Buttondown

connecting a few more dots (more notes on social murder and Williams)

March 25, 2024

I said in my last post that I might try to connect the new-to-me ideas from Raymond Williams that I’m excited about with the social murder analysis I’ve been...

Explaining the explanations (or, neither their crises nor their normality!)

March 23, 2024

I’ve often had a strong gut-level suspicion that the pandemic would have played out differently if we weren’t in the Trump years. What I don’t mean is that...

No such thing as long covid?! Well fu-uh-uck you, pal!

March 16, 2024

I got real mad about this earlier today and had trouble focusing on some other things I had to do. (“I get mad, I get mad, I get mad.”...

The hits don't start volume 3 (me in Bill of Health)

March 12, 2024

Me again - greatest hits collection installment three. Installment 1 is here https://buttondown.email/nateholdren/archive/the-hits-dont-start-volume-1-me-in-...

The hits don't start, volume 2 (me in Peste)

March 12, 2024

Hey again friends, the greatest hits collection continues. The last post is here: https://buttondown.email/nateholdren/archive/the-hits-dont-start-...

The hits don't start, volume 1 (me in LPE)

March 12, 2024

hey everyone, I’ve written, I don’t know, a medium-sized handful of pieces about aspects of the pandemic. One of the sites I wrote for is currently offline...

I don't want to donate but if I really have to...

March 9, 2024

Hello friends, enemies, and indifferent strangers, I hope you’re all keeping as well as the hellworld permits. I’m writing with a note just for my own sake....

Enforced meaninglessness plus more on the first New Left

February 24, 2024

I think I’ve mentioned before on here that I no longer want to say ‘manufacturing consent’ about the pandemic because ‘consent’ to me conjures up a content...

"where are the unions?"

February 13, 2024

I’ve repeatedly wondered and heard others wonder something along the lines of ‘where is the labor movement on covid?!’ I think this wondering is appropriate...

is fast car a concrete universal? is this affirming what should be negated?

February 5, 2024

Sometimes I think I should drink more or try weed or something because when I’m under the influence I can have a thought or feeling instead having my mental...

jungle can be pandemic art

January 30, 2024

I mentioned the other day that I’d read a little Raymond Williams and found the idea interesting that part of the time-and-placeness of a time and place is...

Nonmasking derives from context not beliefs (ps - Bartleby feelings)

January 26, 2024

I had masking, and mostly not masking, on my mind and thought I’d sit down to type about it because it was distracting me from some other tasks, and because...

update for accountability's sake

January 26, 2024

hey gang, I’m back to worsen your inboxes, sorry about that! Though, I mean, not to minimize how irritating I am but if this is the worst part of your week...

lil shorterish for once - is there any good pandemic art?

January 21, 2024

Hello again correspondents, Before I forget - the thought struck me that I could do a something like a letter to the editor kind of thing in this little...

no writing update - kitchen sink drama, sorry

January 14, 2024

Hello there good people, and the rest of you as well, I hope you’re all warm and well. Here in Des Moines we’re in an intense cold snap and snow fall. It’s...

writing update (no kitchen sink drama, sorry)

January 12, 2024

Hello again friends, comrades, and enemies, I hope you’re all weathering the world alright, not too hellworn. I’m alright. Honestly I’m very good personally...

thinking out loud about Simon Clarke and public health

December 27, 2023

Happy holidays all. I bet it'll be next year before we communicate again. I hope to remember to make a stupid 'wow a whole year ago' joke and more...

my talk from the capitalist state book event

December 17, 2023

Thank you to everyone who came to the book event today for the capitalist state book I have a chapter in. I thought all the presentations were great and the...

Bigger aspirations than system-compatible politics?

December 15, 2023

I assume everybody reading this thing already reads Abby Cartus’s newsletter. She’s got a great new post now about social murder and Søren Mau's book Mute...

one whole book

December 10, 2023

I hate to brag but I just finished a novel. Reading one I mean. That's right, one whole book. [Smirks, dusts hands] I read it sort of like chainsmoking in...