In for life
I really like the Bear platform, and I’ve said as much in the past. And I believe in putting my money where my mouth is, so I upgraded my account to Lifetime. I don’t regret the choice. Though why doesn’t my account information say that? Hmm…
Sometimes, I worry that doing such a thing actually endangers what you love because it sacrifices long-term earnings for a short-term burst of cash. I certainly hope that’s not the case with Bear. I chose Lifetime because I strongly believe in the suitability of Bear for genuine, substantive blogging — one that doesn’t have the cheap hucksterism of Substack.
God, I hate Substack.
I’m not one of those “the Internet must be free” types, but I do think that not every f’ing thing needs to be monetized. Blogging is a hustle now, and that’s a damned shame. We need more people writing for the love of writing, not selling their thoughts piecemeal, like someone unloading their garbage at a garage sale. Trust me, if you’re considering starting a Substack, you’re unlikely to make a fortune. Hell, you’re not even going to make a pittance. Your random thoughts aren’t worth paying for.
There was a time when blogging was done for its own sake. Sure, we overshared and got ourselves in trouble as a result, but it was worthwhile at the time to extend that sense of connection without an ulterior motive, and certainly not to make a buck.