Avatar photoSteven Savage

Neurotransmitters And Cash – The Addicts We Follow

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(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com, Steve’s Tumblr, and Pillowfort.  Find out more at my newsletter, and all my social media at my linktr.ee)

Anyone politically involved has one or more of those stories about how they became politically aware of something and it changed them.  I’d like to share my most recent as it’s relevant to life and to you, my readers.  It all involves New Age charlatans and the realization some of the worst people we know trying to lead us are also addicts.

If you’re any follower of religious/spiritual happenings, you’re aware what we call New Age has had it’s grifters and criminals.  As I’ve followed the community for the last few years – especially in light of alternate health claims and radicalization – I’ve found the grifters to be awful people. Watching them spew out a book of hack spirituality, overcharge people, and blatantly lie is amazing and terrible.

These grifters also keep reinventing themselves and keep coming back – sometimes a re-invention is where they become a spiritual grifter.  Your failed documentary career can become an “expose” on how aliens are using vaccines to enslave us via 5G.  You can spend one decade fighting Satan and the next channeling Starseeds.  Sometimes I have to check to make sure two separate spiritual conpeople aren’t the same person a few years apart.

It’s no wonder New Age stuff has merged into conspiracy lore and extreme politics.  It’s the exact same thing you’ll see play out again and again in political personalities. The politician leaping from the latest media-made panic to next is no different than internet coemmenter going from libertarian techbro to religious right fundamentalist.  There’s no difference between the newly minded anti-vaxx New Ager and the failed entertainer who pivots to coded racism to get on podcasts.

Grifter of one kind or another, grift is grift.

Now some of these people – perhaps all of them – are awful people.  But there’s something of an addict’s desperation and shamelessness about them.  It’s obvious that some of them can’t stop as otherwise the gravy train ends, but watching pathetic-if-effective-displays of piety or spirituality it feels different.  It feels like there’s a compulsion that reminds me of drug addiction.

First of all, we’ve all looked at a hack writer, posing preacher, or craven politician and known in our heart of hearts we could probably do that con too.  Let me extend that to ask what happens to those that do this and get rewarded for it?  When the cash starts coming in, imagine the rush you get from seeing “I can make money at this.”

It’s probably very easy for even relatively moral people to see a sudden cash infusion and get some kind of high from it.  Remember that great new job you got, and how that higher paycheck felt for the first time?  Imagine that, but with more money and all you had to do was claim aliens are turning our kids gay via video games.

But beyond the high of money, let’s not discount emotional high these grifter-criminals get.

People will agree with the stupidest thing you say.  People will praise your heroism for fighting woke vaccine with effusive internet praise.  You’ll be told you’re a hero for taking Superpac money while making people’s lives worse.  You’ll be courted on podcast and even television.

All other benefits aside, your brain is awash in dopamine and serotonin all because you’re a lying asshole. Want to keep that high? Just keep lying.

Some of the worst people we know, from arrogant hack authors to spiritual quacks to politicians are addicts.  I mean they’re also terrible people, yes there is the desire for power, etc.  But the craven behavior, the rage, the willingness to say anything, the need reminds me of a junkie.

Which even more means that you’ve got to work hard to stop them.  They can’t be shamed, they know they hurt others, and they’re getting a buzz off of it.  Even if you think you can help them, you have to stop them before they hurt others.  They don’t just want the money and power, they want the rush.

Shun them, sue them, vote them out, etc.  Even if they somehow know what they’re doing is wrong, it won’t stop them as they’re addicts and we can’t hope they get better. We have to stop damage then we can see about healing.

Steven Savage

Let’s Get Irresponsible!

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(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com, Steve’s Tumblr, and Pillowfort.  Find out more at my newsletter, and all my social media at my linktr.ee)

I belong to a writer’s group where people can become “accountability buddies.”  The  idea is you and your buddy check in with each other on progress and encourage/support each other.  It’s a great idea, but one I rarely do as my own planning/overplanning does the job and then some.  If anything I need someone to help me to slow down.

I joked to some friends that I needed an Irresponsibility Buddy.  Shortly after making that joke I realized it’s probably a great idea.  

Here’s how I see it working.

Pair up people in whatever creative group or groups you’re in as Irresponsibility Buddies.  Your goal is not to encourage productivity – far from it.  Instead your weekly checkins would ask such things as:

  • What did you do to relax?
  • Are you having fun?
  • How’s your stress level?
  • And so on as long as it has nothing to do with “hey, how much did you get done?”

Again, I am serious.  I certainly could have used this, except too many of my creative friends are as driven and anal-retentive as I am.  It would be nice to have someone check in on you without risking taking a friendly check-in as more pressure to perform.

Other creative groups – writers, cosplayers, etc. – could also build Irresponsibility into their meetups and checkins.  What did you do not related to your project?  What is a fun thing we can do together that is totally a waste of time?  Is everyone slacking off appropriately?

When I look at these ideas – which I would have laughed at ten years ago – I think they’re more needed now than ever.  This is because creative hobbies and efforts have changed in the age of the internet and late-stage capitalism.

We’re under more pressure to monetize things all the time – and have the tools to do it.  We’re in a social media microscope and feel accountable, pressured to perform, and in competition with everyone.  Everything is moving fast and we’re just trying to keep up (without asking if we should).

As many of you know around the middle of the year I slow down, doing less “scheduled” projects, taking time to experiment, etc.   In short I’m going to have fun and get in touch with my creative urges that are all-too-often yoked to a schedule.  Of course as I find Project Management fun, I cause my own problems a lot, but I recognize it.

Let me challenge you – how can you get irresponsible and unproductive?

Steven Savage

Review: A People’s Guide to Publishing

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(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com, Steve’s Tumblr, and Pillowfort.  Find out more at my newsletter, and all my social media at my linktr.ee)

I picked up “A People’s Guide To Publishing” by Joe Biel to get new ideas for my self-publishing.  Biel founded Microcosm Publishing and knows what he’s doing.  The book changed my writing agenda for the next two years, and I’m going to recommend it to all writers.

The idea behind PGTP is how to start a publishing company.  That may seem to be outside the scope of most indie authors, but a good 80% of the advice applies to them as well.  The difference between “publishing company” and “indie author” is more fluid than many realize.

I learned a few things. So let’s take a look at the book.

The author, Biel, speaks from direct experience creating Microcosm Publishing and interactions with other writers and publishers.  While he acknowledges the world today isn’t the world he started in decades ago, the advice stands up because most of it he’s using right now.

Let’s talk about what the book covers (everything, but let’s list the everything).

I was delighted that the book opens about vision.  Author or future publisher, vision matters – what do you believe in and who do you serve?  Your vision helps you decide on concrete steps, so I was thrilled to see it so well explained (I’ve had to do this before).

After vision, the book covers the real nitty-gritty on publishing and not relying directly on Amazon, Ingrahm, etc.  The author believes – and wants you – to engage in actual physical books and control your printing.  Biel considers Amazon Kindle or Ingram’s POD services to be glorified vanity presses that can limit you, even if they have their uses.  He makes a good case, to be honest.

The advice given here surprised me because it made me think in different ways?  Why not make your book a ‘zine at first to test it?  Could you split distribution between a POD service and a regular printer?  Do ebooks really fit your marketing plan?  Could you just print 20 copies of your book and test it at a bookstore?

With the printing and stocking out of the way it’s time selling, marketing, and more.  This advice isn’t particuarly noteworthy, but what stands out is its practicality and explanations of why things work.  He’s very much of the return-audience, focused-effort, long-term outreach school.  This may sound overwhelming, but he even has advice on using limited time and resources.

Finally, the book discusses running your own publishing business.  Some of this may not be relevant to a solo author, but don’t skip it.  You might find out how to budget better, or understand how to protect your IP.  Like the rest of the book, right when you think “this doesn’t apply to me” it ends up applying to you.

As you guessed, this is a very complete book.  It has exercises, checklists, links, and more.  If you need more, Biel and his company have all sorts of books on writing, publishing, and “punkish” entrepreneurship.

I’d like to say more about the book beyond “buy it,” but buy it.  It’s a fantastic guide to self-publishing, even if you don’t want a company so much as a profitable hobby.

What did it do for me?  It helped me re-look at my back catalog, look into doing less e-book only books and more physical-and-e-books, and look at better ways to do print.  My regular readers know I’m planning to shake things up, this book is why.

No more rambling.  Go get it now, read it now, and use the information.  Maybe we can even learn together.

Steven Savage