The other day I took a break from writing articles and asked my readers for some feedback on how I can best use this platform to do as much damage as possible to the oppression machine, and the response was pretty amazing. I received around a thousand emails, comments and private messages suggesting all kinds of ideas I’d never considered or hadn’t been paying enough attention to, and now I can honestly say in all sincerity that I’m more excited about this weird job of mine than I’ve ever been before.
Here in no particular order are some of the changes I’m looking at implementing:
I’m definitely going to start asking my audience for ideas and information more often.
It’s absolutely stupid that I’ve got this giant brain pool of interesting, wise and learned minds available to me who are always eager to chip in whenever I ask, yet I hardly ever avail myself of this resource. It’s like having a super power and never using it. I have this thought every time I ask my readers to contribute stuff, but this time I’ve made it very conscious: the Caitlin Johnstone project is going to be much more of a two-way conversation going forward, with far more guidance from my awesome readers.
For the record I have been reading most of the comments you guys make this whole time, though I don’t usually have time to respond. I’m sorry I’ve been grossly under-utilizing this powerful resource you’ve all been offering me.
I’ll be re-starting my podcast with a few changes, and adding a video version.
The two most common suggestions I received were podcasts and videos, and when I checked in with myself about these I was surprised to notice that I’m okay with it now. Being thrust into the public spotlight with my standard-issue 44 year-old female body and a mind where my capacity for speech was damaged by abuse has always been extremely daunting for me, so I’ve avoided public speaking and hidden behind the written word as much as possible while healing that stuff. But the healing seems to be mostly done as far as that’s concerned, and I feel much more capable now.
I actually did have a podcast going for a few months with my husband and co-conspirator Tim Foley, which I stopped because it just got too much for me. It pretty much consisted of a discussion about whatever essay I’d just written, but we decided that in our new incarnation it would be a lot more fun to talk about the news of the day and whatever else is on our mind instead. There are always tons of subjects and news stories I don’t have time to write articles about, so it’d be good to have an outlet where we can just chat about the latest developments in Kashmir or Hong Kong or the Democratic Party or whatever.
So the plan is to do a podcast released in both audio and video formats consisting of three segments: an introduction and a discussion about the things that have been on our minds that day regarding the human condition and the plight of our species, then a news segment, then answer some questions from the audience. Then maybe if we have time we’ll cut out little segments and circulate videos of them, too.
We’ll be rolling this out in the next few days, and we’ll keep it up for as long as it’s fun and productive. I’ll keep going with the near-daily written output like I’ve been.
Once I’m comfortable with the podcast I’ll try accepting interview requests again.
This one was another frequent suggestion. I’ve been turning down interview requests constantly because I’ve found them so stressful due to the aforementioned issues, but I think maybe that’s behind me now. I’ll probably try to bring Tim on with me too since he’s just as much a part of this whole project as I am, and I’ve always felt like I’m only presenting half of my magic whenever I’ve appeared alone. Might even start interviewing people myself on our new show, who knows.
I want people translating my stuff into as many languages as possible.
I’m going to keep tossing out reminders that anyone is free to re-publish any of my stuff whenever they want free of charge, and this includes translations into other languages. If you want to just translate and circulate my work and monetize it to pull in some money for yourself, by all means please do so. No need to ask. I’ll keep inviting people to do this, and just generally to share my work around if they feel so motivated.
I’ll probably use memes more.
Whenever I’ve got a solid line in an article that conveys a key idea I’m going to try and put it in a shareable graphic like I did at the end of my last article. A lot of people who won’t read a full article will still ingest a line of text presented in an interesting way.
I might start doing more humor/satire pieces.
This was another suggestion that came up a few times. Humor is a great way to get a message across, which is why the propagandists have been trying to use it. It’s always going to be a populist and anti-authoritarian medium though, so we should try and use it more. I find humor articles much easier and faster to write than serious research pieces, so if it’s an effective way to open some eyes I should definitely start looking in that direction more often.
I’ll start posting regular collections of random thoughts.
This was another cool suggestion I hadn’t thought of before. Lots of people don’t do Twitter, and even if they do they’re not paying attention to all my Twitter posts. Maybe once every week or two I’ll collect all my stand-alone thoughts that I put into tweets and other places and compile them in an article for anyone who’s interested.
Those are the changes I’m definitely going to look to implement, and there are a few other potentials I’m toying with as well. These all look very feasible without being too taxing on my time and energy. Thank you all so much for your wonderful suggestions, and thank you for caring so much that you desired to offer them. I try not to get all gushy and meta too often, but I really do have the best audience in the world and I deeply appreciate you guys. I am very excited about where this is all going.
_____________________
The best way to get around the internet censors and make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for my website, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking me on Facebook, following my antics on Twitter, throwing some money into my hat on Patreon or Paypal, purchasing some of my sweet merchandise, buying my new book Rogue Nation: Psychonautical Adventures With Caitlin Johnstone, or my previous book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what I’m trying to do with this platform, click here. Everyone, racist platforms excluded, has my permission to republish or use any part of this work (or anything else I’ve written) in any way they like free of charge.
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60 responses to “Some Changes I’ll Be Making Thanks To Your Suggestions”
Caitlin,
Re: Swiss cheese Biden,
IT’s TIME FOR BERNIE TO STEP ASIDE, to enable Warren to topple this disaster in the making.
I’ve called for it, here : MeridaGOround dot com
I wish you would call for it, too.
Is this the updated version of 2016´s «Bernie should step aside to allow Hillary to beat Trump »? Warren has very little chance of beating Trump. She is divisive, disingenuous & squishy on the issue we all care about, Medicare For All. It is she who should step aside.
Starting today I will translate your articles into German. First one is here: https://medium.com/@frankdubian/bidens-gehirn-ist-schweizer-k%C3%A4se-und-es-ist-gruselig-dass-wir-nicht-dar%C3%BCber-reden-16ad33a7397a
Wonderful translation. I have just read it. Maybe through it would be an idea to note that is translated – Esp. due to the personal note on the Swiss cheese article? Just a suggestion.
I am a reader from Portugal, and I would like to encourage you to follow up on the podcast and videos.
Another idea that would be equally interesting is the creation of a magazine/printed publication, which can be distributed free of charge or sold over the Internet.
Lately I have noticed that people are tired of the Internet (or rather, they are tired of “social networks”) and often the interesting content that is published ends up passing by the readers, to the point that very good people simply read the title of the article and share it on social networks just because yes, to pass the time, and do not even read the content of it.
I even believe that the message and the reasoning are better captured and worked through analog and printed material than in digital.
Greetings, and keep the good work.
The garish overexposed photo of you with the huge shades is offensive.
Thank you, Caitlin, for your intelligent insights and perspectives. We all need to keep sharing and discussing these issues with others around us, even though many are not initially receptive. As much as I dislike memes because I think they don’t get into the details and they dumb things down a bit too much, I think that the average person (certainly the average American) is unwilling or unable to do any deep reading or diving into these various topics, so memes are probably a good way to at least get them to know that a particular issue exists. Good luck with the podcasts, videos, and interviews. You rock! 🙂
“[M]y capacity for speech was damaged by abuse . . . .”
This is a common misconception, Caitlin. Speaking with an Australian accent is not directly correlated with a history of abuse. 😉 [Much love from Seattle!]
One other thing to think about is cross pollination. On some sites, the blogger will interview or be interviewed by another blogger, with the resulting interview posted on both websites. I’ve run across people I never would of heard about until they do an interview on a site I follow. So reaching out to peers of yourself, might increase exposure and readership/ viewers for both of you. Perhaps even one day a debate with a conservative website, especially if it was focused on potential points of agreement. Who knows
.
Great to hear the podcasts will be back. I missed them greatly. Sorry they caused pain and I hope the power of your mind, er, trumps all other reservations. They were truly great.
would you consider radio? we have Thin Air Community Radio in Spokane, WA
it has good talk shows, democracynow, thom hartmann, etc
i think it does pod casts
it is not interactive, but widely known, and kyrs.org is universally available live on its website
And 3CR in Melbourne.
democracy now and thom hartmann are very much ‘in the box’, this far and no farther children!! and Caitlin seems well outside – they wouldn’t want anything to do with her.
The important thing is to describe reality as it is.
In a sense, this is what you are doing Caitlin.
It is in a way similar to the prophets of old who were describing to the people reality as it was even if it was not a pretty picture while the ruling elites of those days were always telling people that all was well.
Isn’t it the same story today?
The difference maybe that according to many prophecies we are very near the Second Coming of Jesus and I pray the Rosary to hasten His return because I have really really seen enough.
Yes!
Sounds exciting. I’m looking forward to the upgraded Caitlin Show(s)!
Keep on broadcasting your truth awakening message until the lights go out on our world Caitlin. We all need to go down fighting for a better human world, no matter what happens or doesn’t happen. Our commitment to Love needs to be unconditional. This is what makes us truly human.
Good picture. X
Like so many others ‘C’ Im with you in all that you do but, please, don’t wander too far, or for too long, from the written word. Seeing a page of your text is like an unsullied kiss from the Ionian sea.
“He who would search for pearls must dive below …” Dryden
I hope that all of your projects work out well. Here on the Internet there are many dedicated humans trying to better humanity as well as revealing some of the very worst inhuman treatment being carried out by some governments. Some of these stories are gut-wrenching to say the least. Carry on Ms Johnstone!
Caitlin, I understand your queasiness about appearing in videos. A few years ago I did some work that involved being on network tv in the US to promote it. I loved my work but dreaded this exposure. For 24 hours before each event I was a basket case. You might already do this, (apologies for a superfluous suggestion if you do) but I found that getting a professional to do my hair and makeup helped a lot. It was like putting on a mask. I became more confident and articulate behind that mask. You are extraordinary and beautiful, with a brilliant mind, very different to the usual American “personality” and the more you’re seen, the more interest there will be, the better understanding of your ideas and message.
I look forward to your upcoming podcasts. and will share them with my adult kids and friends who are dotted around the globe.
Lastly, please, please keep talking about Julian. Since I’m no longer on twitter I see very little content about him. We need to wake people up. Thank you.
yes, deciding to become a public figure takes an unusual amount of courage…
Caitlin, just want to say – you are my go to daily read, completely love what you do. Your unique style and fearless approach to some of the big issues is inspiring and heartening when it feels like we are surrounded by a sea of suffocating complacency and ignorance.
Just keep on doing what you do, looking forward to the podcasts.
I’m definitely going to start asking my audience for ideas and information more often.
It’s absolutely stupid that I’ve got this giant brain pool of interesting, wise and learned minds available to me who are always eager to chip in whenever I ask, yet I hardly ever avail myself of this resource. It’s like having a super power and never using it. I have this thought every time I ask my readers to contribute stuff, but this time I’ve made it very conscious: the Caitlin Johnstone project is going to be much more of a two-way conversation going forward, with far more guidance from my awesome readers.
For the record I have been reading most of the comments you guys make this whole time, though I don’t usually have time to respond. I’m sorry I’ve been grossly under-utilizing this powerful resource you’ve all been offering me.
.
“I want people translating my stuff into as many languages as possible.
I’m going to keep tossing out reminders that anyone is free to re-publish any of my stuff whenever they want free of charge, and this includes translations into other languages. If you want to just translate and circulate my work and monetize it to pull in some money for yourself, by all means please do so. No need to ask. I’ll keep inviting people to do this, and just generally to share my work around if they feel so motivated”
Hello
many thanks for your huge intellectual energy, your force and your determination to spread your precious pieces all over the word;
I’m a regular reader of your very informative pieces
I highly appreciated your pieces on Propaganda and brainwashing of the masses
As a Paris based independent (yes independent from any academic conformism and indoctrination)in political science, in History in International relations and geopolitics, I’m writing and posting articles, comments and posts on Twitter, @elmir1975
on Facebook https://facebook.com/faouzi.elmir
and on my website http://www.siress-editions.com
My posts and articles are writing in French, English, German and sometimes in Arabic languages
I can post a resume of your daily newsletter in French,englis,german and even in Arabic if have a lot of time with link to your website
Once again, thank you for your very informative pieces
thank you very much for the link to the site of your writings! will definitely visit again and again in the future and share with others.
Many thanks. I will do my best in order to spread your writings among people in other countries and other languages.
Yippee!! I’m looking forward to the return of your podcast.
And it’s time go stop worrying about a 44 year old outer casing. Your inner values are much too precious and inspiring.
You are 100% correct in recognizing that the mainstream media is the ruling oligarchs most powerful mind control weapon. But while its common knowledge that just 6 companies control 96% of the Western media, many would be surprised to learn the extent to which these companies are owned by Zionist Jews, thus allowing control of television and broadcast media to be dominated by powerful Jewish and pro-Israeli interests pretty much without challenge. For instance, Zionist Jewish elites are at the top of the two largest broadcast media conglomerates are Time-Warner (Whose CEO is the ardent Zionist Gerald Levin) and Disney (Whose CEO is Michael Eisner), and Israeli Partisans also dominate ABC, CBS and NBC and the news divisions of each. Its also true that powerful Jews control the most influential newspapers in America, including the top three papers: The New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, as well as the three major newsmagazines: Time, Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report, and so on…
But instead of inviting an immediate and unrelentimg smear campaign by being explicit about Jewish Zionist control of the Western media (since the end of WW2), its far more important undersand mind control programming, or the specific the fake news media agenda that the oligarcgs are pushing to mindfuck us all: the MSM script is very easy to see: we are living under a Pro-Jew/minority vs. anti-White/majority media regime across the Western world these days.
And this means that BOTH far-right white supremacy & the communist antifa terrorists are imaginary threats, fake news enemies. Our real enemy is the ruling oligarchs and their carefully controlled mainstream media regime, which is simulataneously: 1) demonizing white working class people by manufcturing obsessive anti-racist outrage over Trump/Brexit issues and, 2) deifying minorities of all stripes and colours with woke progressive Identitarian virtue signalling. And the MSM is pushing this propaganda warfare non-stop 24/7 to keep the 99.99% divided against eachother over fake news bogeymen in order to conceal the real problem – the unaccontable power of the 0.01% at the top…
And while I hope I’m wrong here, most frightening of all is that an extreme concentration of this concealed power at the very top is being exercized by the most racially and religiously supremacist, the most privileged and the most genocidal social group on the planet, and this chosenite tribe just happens to have the protected status of eternal victims that can never be criticized by anyone, no matter what.
it is no more a carefully disguised “secret”.
True, the powerful don’t need to keep secrets if no one is allowed to criticize them.
Loved reading all the comments on your reach out post and it’s great to see your response. I wish we had a Caitlin to help us get through this UK Brexit period. If anyone knows of a writer who is un-peeling the layers of what’s going on here in the UK – with Caitlin authenticity and honesty and humour – please let me know!
Yes please. I would very much like to jump on that bandwagon. I have only come up with very dry and serious sources of information, in trying to get my head around this abdeckt monster. As an expat in Germany I really would like to be in the know.
Well, for the UK there are Craig Murray, George Galloway…, with their own styles but direct-speaking and with views quite similar to some of Caitlin’s, for example about Julian Assange.
Alexander Mercouris and his sidekick Alex Christoforou give a Conservative perspective that’s informed. (They annoy me with their tendency, among all Conservatives, decent and indecent, to label the fake Left as “Left,” period.) The very informative Craig Murray (Scottish) feels quite passionate about the politics surrounding Brexit and I expect that his perspective is progressive.
whatever BBC and Guardian try to tell you, you can flip and voila! you have what you need to know.
i know, they are stuffy as hell, and impossible to stomach LOLOL. often, though, the title and the first few lines betray their agenda and narrative framing.
Sounds good. Power to the people. If they are being kind.
I’m 66, don’t have a smart phone by choice because I refuse to part of what Ralph Nader calls “The head down generation”. I don’t use apps, I use obsolete paper maps. I’ll be able to navigate when the internet goes down. Don’t get too into stuff that requires a smart phone.They’re worse than a television for sucking your brain out of you head. If I may be so bold to suggest, not knowing your block…you write well enough that public speaking is probably a matter of coaching, being filmed while doing it and getting used to the necessary body language for being on camera or in front of an audience. I ran for Congress in a Democratic primary in 2006 (California CD 11). It only took me 1 or 2 coaching sessions to get comfy, I was told I won all the debates. At first, I wrote all my speeches out longhand, to organize my thoughts. Then I made notes, written with large letter in black sharpie, so I could glance at them. Finally, I just made an outline of bullet points in the order I wanted to present the concepts, then you just riff! If you get thrown a curve, work it in a bit and go back to answering the question you want to answer, providing it’s relevant, not answering the question you were asked, unless you strategically want to.
Since I don’t do much of the modern technology “stuff”, I prefer email, which is norton (my English motorcycle) marg (short for margarita) at Ay O heL dot commie I’m in the San Francisco Bat Area, presently north of the Golden Gate Bridge in California. I’m already a subscriber
I’m 66, don’t have a smart phone by choice because I refuse to be part of what Ralph Nader calls “The head down generation”. I don’t use apps, I use obsolete paper maps. I’ll be able to navigate when the internet goes down. Don’t get too into stuff that requires a smart phone.They’re worse than a television for sucking your brain out of you head. If I may be so bold to suggest, not knowing your block…you write well enough that public speaking is probably a matter of coaching, being filmed while doing it and getting used to the necessary body language for being on camera or in front of an audience. I ran for Congress in a Democratic primary in 2006 (California CD 11). It only took me 1 or 2 coaching sessions to get comfy, I was told I won all the debates. At first, I wrote all my speeches out longhand, to organize my thoughts. Then I made notes, written with large letter in black sharpie, so I could glance at them. Finally, I just made an outline of bullet points in the order I wanted to present the concepts, then you just riff! If you get thrown a curve, work it in a bit and go back to answering the question you want to answer, providing it’s relevant, not answering the question you were asked, unless you strategically want to.
Since I don’t do much of the modern technology “stuff”, I prefer email, which is norton (my English motorcycle) marg (short for margarita) at Ay O heL dot commie I’m in the San Francisco Bat Area, presently north of the Golden Gate Bridge in California. I’m already a subscriber
Wow, typos with no easy to spot spell check and edit options! I’ve been on faceborg too much!
Yep, share some tweets. I don’ have time for it personally. Memes too if you like them we we likely as well.
I join all those other fans who appreciate your in depth thinking and research, and your brave and honest sharing with all of us and the world. Refreshing to hear from someone knowlegable and no axe to grind.
Jack in Austin Texas
Thanks Caitlin. You’re an antidote to much that goes in this world
You help us connect with our humanity.
Best to you and Tim,
John
Yup, humor can work, it did for George Carlin and others who could cut mean, straight to the truth, truth and not be hanged for it.
whatever you do, please 1) stay open to your sincerely (as opposed to cynically) diverse audience, and 2) involve them in two way communications and serious collaborations (beyond allowing us to share your work for free). the most precious of your many talents is your real (as opposed to polite) humility (= willingness to listen, learn, and change with us, your audience). you are one of us!
Cait in you two great attributes come together : a wonderful way with words, and an unerring aim on oppressors. Your work unleashes hope. From hope comes change. Some one once used those very words to gain power, then failed to use it for good. He talked big, but acted small. There’s nothing small about you, or what you’re doing. May courage carry you onward.
Mmmmm memes ! As long as they link in with a more substantial stories that relate or are linked with the subject matter please … I find them funny for a second & some people it’s all they have for a argument which i find anoying for me and doesn’t expand the debate ( one of the many reasons i left FB )
Keep on that path and let that torch shine a light on all those dark corners
Good moves. You are a breath of fresh air in a toxic world.
Just keep on keeping on. You’re doing great!
I’m curious to see and hear Tim. It might be helpful for you to have a sidekick and foil.
I’m wondering what role(s) I may be able to play in the coming make-over of our ways of living, too.
http://www.johndayblog.com/2019/09/comforting-with-words.html
Wealthy Americans quite spending much a few months ago, and are “saving more”, protecting their assets. That is one of many indicators that recession won’t be staved off much longer. (The real economy never recovered after 2008, as you may be personally aware.)
https://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/the-wealthy-arent-spending-signaling-a-recession-looms_08302019
My read on Bernie Sanders “canceling bad medical debt” is that it appears populist, but will clearly serve as a bank bailout, making lenders whole(ish) on bad debt that they would otherwise have to write off. “Cancel” means “pay”. Shades of Obama’s bank bailout, Bernie knows how to play this game…
U.S. presidential contender Bernie Sanders proposed a plan on Saturday to cancel $81 billion in existing past-due medical debt for Americans, but offered no details on how it would be financed.
Sanders, an independent U.S. senator from Vermont, said in a statement that under his plan, the government would negotiate and pay off past-due medical bills that have been reported to credit agencies. The proposal, he said, would also repeal some elements of the 2005 Bankruptcy reform bill and allow other existing and future medical debt to be discharged.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-sanders-idUSKCN1VL0QL
you’re 110% correct about Sanders planning to bail out the bank/medical industry (including our own doctors!) on tax payers’ back.
his plan goes further than a one time bailout. he wants to guarantee and safeguard the private profits (of the medical industry) with public money. how? by mandating the govt “insure” all the poor and the sick and sending the rich and the healthy to the private insurance / medical industry fo maximum guaranteed private profits.
Looking forward to more of your humor, even when injected in some of your serious writing…To this day, I still remember and crack up at your “basement gimp” quip…Love You, Caity whatever you do…*Hug*…
Hey Caitlin! Thank you, so much, for sharing your gifts with us. You are a leading voice, in a movement to speak to and fix the malignancies that abound in the status quo. Your frustrations in trying to break through the false, corporate-controlled MSM narratives is the $64k ? that all of us confront. Essentially, we need to find a way to pop a lot of bubbles to reach the indoctrinated masses to create the critical mass needed to overcome the demented elitist cabal that is killing us and the planet and soon, if it’s not too late already.
The system has most people too busy and preoccupied with the various self-serving frivolities to have the time or the inclination to find out what is really going on. I don’t think it’s possible to reach these people until things continue to degenerate and something major breaks: massive, super strong hurricanes, tornadoes or storms that do major destruction or any one of the many, fast approaching climate tipping points is reached, or it could be a nuclear war, civil war, the deep depression that will follow when the massively unequal and debt bubble based world economy bursts. Unfortunately, people will not wake up until it all comes crashing down on their heads and by that point it may be too late to course correct.
This is the stark reality we now face.
All sounds great! Whatever you do am sure it will be a success so long as you do it your way. I am a supporter of Corbett Report. Check him out if you need a video role model.
I look forward to your new and exciting work! Please post likes to the podcasts so that I’m sure to get them! Thank you Caitlin!
Looking forward to the next incarnation.
I wonder if any of Caitlin’s contributors would be up to the task of doing a similar job on Australian politics. With the ABC nothing but a Washington/Canberra stenographer service and the Guardian’s treatment of Julian Assange and Jeremy Corbyn I won’t read/listen to them but it leaves me ignorant of what’s going on in my own country. We badly need a Caitlin clone to do for Australia what Caitlin and others are doing for US (and to a lesser extent UK) politics.
Sounds great to me and I look forward to your new “projects”!
Dear Caitlin,
As you did not mention KPFK or the Pactifca Foundation network of radio stations (and webcasts), I take it that you are not interested in expressing your views in a lengthy radio format.
My friend, Maria Armoudia, has a weekly broadcast of her “Scholars Circle” on KPFK from New Zealand.
I’ve had some discussions with the following fellow. He seems to be on a good mission – to rescue Pacifica – which may interest you. His name is Daniel Borgstrom.
https://rescuepacifica.net/underwriting-at-pacifica/
Regarding satire pieces, Caitlin, I did love your biting “obituary” of David Koch, as did the many people with whom I shared it. So, I second that idea.
Both thumbs up!
Sounds good to me! Keep up the good work.