It is half a day later since I opened this post, expecting nothing, gaining something that has thrown me back onto the conundrum of the Substack paywall. Thank you is too small for what your words hav given me. The "upgrade to paid" button I'm about to push is small payment for the freedom I feel stirring within as I begin to strip away the paywall that I have anguished over. I believe generosity is born in gratitude. I am not recommending this for everyone; however, that's the north star I am going to follow.
I really did go back and forth with the decision for about the past 3 months. The writing of this was a lightening of the load and felt right, FOR ME. I am also not advocating that all substackers should remove paywalls, I know this is a livelihood for some people and I understand the argument for 'I am not going to write for free'. However, like you, I felt a freedom stir.
"Generosity is born in gratitude." I like that. Thank you, Joyce for your warm comment, gratitude and generosity.
Once again, you have brought us erudite reflection to inspire change. The timing here on Substack could not be better. I have subscribed to a gift economy approach here on Substack. My content will always be free. When someone chooses to become a paid subscriber, it touches me as a gift and makes meaning for me about what I hope is an offering. This is not exchange but mutual beneficence. Those who choose to become paid subscribers were not compelled to do so by an external motivator (paywall) but from an inner impulse of mutual offering. I imagine they sense being a receiver and become, in turn, a provider. In receiving their offering, I am a provider of (what I hope to be) meaning-making in their lives. We become a circle of generosity and meaning-making in the lives of one another. We feed and are fed. The circle is endless and ever opening. There is no lack.
Hi Renée, I have been watching discussions which have arisen on Notes when people haven't been able to comment, even to say thank you for what they have read, and some responses stressed that most paid subscriptions come from the heart and a desire to support. If a cycle of generosity and meaning-making is the culture of Substack, then we are in a very good place. Thank you for your insightful comment.
You've written another beauty, Safar! I love the subtitle. It invites us to think about our gifts as contributions to the health of the whole organism of which we are a part. This really helps to break down the giver/receiver binary that you hinted about in the Chat. (And once the binary is broken, I wonder what it looks like to give gifts to oneself, as well as others? This seems especially important for any givers who are trying to disengage themselves from host/parasite relations. Then it's ok to cut off gifts to the other and redirect that energy as gifts to self, hopefully toward a healthier ecosystem.)
On Substack we seem to participate in two economies at once. First comes the community where people give freely the gift of attention, care, and response. Second comes the economy of exchange that pays (at the very least!) for other Substacks and other necessities. For some people, the order is reversed, but in either case, it is a delicate matter to try to do both. My answer was to ignore the exchange economy for six months by simply keeping payments off. But in my case it's time to wobble into the space between the two economies and see how to make it work.
Hi Tara, that's a good point about the more negative side of gifting. In permaculture, design is arranged around zones in relation to a home space, but recently there has been more interest in zone 00, designing for personal fulfilment. As the main ethical principles are earth and people care, by extension self-care is part of the design system. It makes sense a gift economy would include self-kindness.
I agree with you on the two Substack economies too and feel that tension. Thank you for your encouragement, it means a lot. Best of luck with your wobble into the space between!
Was that in the podcast where he distinguished between gift and theft economies? Something like you choose how to share your surplus rather than have someone come and tell you what you should be doing with it, if I remember rightly?
This is just beautiful. I am so glad I "Substack Stumbled" upon you this morning. 😊You share all of these ideas and TRUTHS so eloquently. There is a lot in here. I relate to much of what you talk about both on a personal level and because of what I am involved in within my community. While out running/"moving in nature" yesterday( some may not define it as running as I go slow to enjoy the GIFT of nature and because I can't run fast. 😉 ) I listened to Tara Brach's talk called a Generous Heart. The power of giving for our own wellbeing and for our world. Thank you for your offering here. Jo
I used to be a plodding runner too! My fav route was along a canal where the bird life was superb. It would have been very easy to fall in while watching a kingfisher!
I'll see if I can find that talk, it's a few weeks since this post, so it will be nice to reaffirm the message .
It is half a day later since I opened this post, expecting nothing, gaining something that has thrown me back onto the conundrum of the Substack paywall. Thank you is too small for what your words hav given me. The "upgrade to paid" button I'm about to push is small payment for the freedom I feel stirring within as I begin to strip away the paywall that I have anguished over. I believe generosity is born in gratitude. I am not recommending this for everyone; however, that's the north star I am going to follow.
Hi Joyce,
It and you are very bright stars to follow!
I really did go back and forth with the decision for about the past 3 months. The writing of this was a lightening of the load and felt right, FOR ME. I am also not advocating that all substackers should remove paywalls, I know this is a livelihood for some people and I understand the argument for 'I am not going to write for free'. However, like you, I felt a freedom stir.
"Generosity is born in gratitude." I like that. Thank you, Joyce for your warm comment, gratitude and generosity.
Thank you for this inspiring and thought-provoking text!
Welcome to the Fiertzeside, Lorraine, I'm happy it stirred you.
Thank you so much for the warm welcome!
Saf,
Once again, you have brought us erudite reflection to inspire change. The timing here on Substack could not be better. I have subscribed to a gift economy approach here on Substack. My content will always be free. When someone chooses to become a paid subscriber, it touches me as a gift and makes meaning for me about what I hope is an offering. This is not exchange but mutual beneficence. Those who choose to become paid subscribers were not compelled to do so by an external motivator (paywall) but from an inner impulse of mutual offering. I imagine they sense being a receiver and become, in turn, a provider. In receiving their offering, I am a provider of (what I hope to be) meaning-making in their lives. We become a circle of generosity and meaning-making in the lives of one another. We feed and are fed. The circle is endless and ever opening. There is no lack.
Hi Renée, I have been watching discussions which have arisen on Notes when people haven't been able to comment, even to say thank you for what they have read, and some responses stressed that most paid subscriptions come from the heart and a desire to support. If a cycle of generosity and meaning-making is the culture of Substack, then we are in a very good place. Thank you for your insightful comment.
"If a cycle of generosity and meaning-making is the culture of Substack, then we are in a very good place."
Agreed.
You've written another beauty, Safar! I love the subtitle. It invites us to think about our gifts as contributions to the health of the whole organism of which we are a part. This really helps to break down the giver/receiver binary that you hinted about in the Chat. (And once the binary is broken, I wonder what it looks like to give gifts to oneself, as well as others? This seems especially important for any givers who are trying to disengage themselves from host/parasite relations. Then it's ok to cut off gifts to the other and redirect that energy as gifts to self, hopefully toward a healthier ecosystem.)
On Substack we seem to participate in two economies at once. First comes the community where people give freely the gift of attention, care, and response. Second comes the economy of exchange that pays (at the very least!) for other Substacks and other necessities. For some people, the order is reversed, but in either case, it is a delicate matter to try to do both. My answer was to ignore the exchange economy for six months by simply keeping payments off. But in my case it's time to wobble into the space between the two economies and see how to make it work.
Hi Tara, that's a good point about the more negative side of gifting. In permaculture, design is arranged around zones in relation to a home space, but recently there has been more interest in zone 00, designing for personal fulfilment. As the main ethical principles are earth and people care, by extension self-care is part of the design system. It makes sense a gift economy would include self-kindness.
I agree with you on the two Substack economies too and feel that tension. Thank you for your encouragement, it means a lot. Best of luck with your wobble into the space between!
Was that in the podcast where he distinguished between gift and theft economies? Something like you choose how to share your surplus rather than have someone come and tell you what you should be doing with it, if I remember rightly?
I'll have a search and if I find it, I'll post a link in the Chat area.
This is just beautiful. I am so glad I "Substack Stumbled" upon you this morning. 😊You share all of these ideas and TRUTHS so eloquently. There is a lot in here. I relate to much of what you talk about both on a personal level and because of what I am involved in within my community. While out running/"moving in nature" yesterday( some may not define it as running as I go slow to enjoy the GIFT of nature and because I can't run fast. 😉 ) I listened to Tara Brach's talk called a Generous Heart. The power of giving for our own wellbeing and for our world. Thank you for your offering here. Jo
Thank you so very much, Jo. 😊
I used to be a plodding runner too! My fav route was along a canal where the bird life was superb. It would have been very easy to fall in while watching a kingfisher!
I'll see if I can find that talk, it's a few weeks since this post, so it will be nice to reaffirm the message .
I'm happy you dropped by. 🙏
Your reply made me smile. 😊. Thank you. And here's the link below.
https://www.tarabrach.com/a-generous-heart-2/
Jo 🙏