TWO PAID SUBSCRIBER EVENTS THIS WEEK!
Tomorrow (Tuesday). 22 September 2026. Noon eastern.
Substack LIVE with of .
We’re talking about surviving religious abuse.
If you’re curious about how religious abuse impacts people for life and want more tools to spot it, this conversation is for you.
Wednesday. 23 September 2026. Noon eastern.
Proton Meet Democracy Reading Group discussion
with .
We are discussing her new book *The House That Family Money Built: How Inequality Governs Debt and Wealth Management.*Because this is a Proton Meet event, invites will go out by newsletter today or tomorrow. LIMITED TO 50 ATTENDEES.
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On Saturday evening, we invited several neighbors over for cocktails and conversation. Our space isn’t remotely ready to host anyone. I spent a chunk of the day wet-mopping construction dust from every surface and calling it yoga. First World Problems. I know.
But I have been starved for personal connection.
For whatever reason, I’m not making friends where I am. Not a problem I’ve had elsewhere. Between work and construction, I haven’t had time to figure out what’s different, but being busy doesn’t mean I’m not lonely.
These neighbors have been some of the nicest people we’ve met here. For months, they’ve helped us navigate incompetence and bureaucracy, and we wanted to thank them by making them the first guests in our space.
They stayed for several hours of conversation, a hopeful glimpse into a culture that enjoys visiting and lingering. As they were getting up to leave, one of them looked at me and asked, “What do you think will happen in the midterms?”
Aaaaaaaaand we were off on another conversational jag.
*I’m shocked at how fast this has happened. *All of them commented on the speed of US decline. These are people who have always heard that the US is a beacon of democracy, a structure their own country has emulated. They were stunned by how much damage has been wrought in a little over eighteen months.
But even more damning? Why aren’t Americans in the streets 24/7 like Albania or South Korea or even like us? If this were happening here, we wouldn’t stand for it. Everything would stop. People would be in the streets protesting round-the-clock. What is wrong with Americans? Can’t they see that they are losing their country?
I briefly talked about how something has to impact most Americans personally and meaningfully before they will act, especially with white people. And I said people are tired. They’re demoralized. They’re overwhelmed.
The Ukrainians have been bombed and murdered and raped and pounded for over four years. They have a right to be tired, and they fight for their country. Why don’t Americans fight?
I couldn’t answer. I spent part of the weekend reading unsubscribe rants from overwhelmed Americans who thought it would be fun to blame me for their stress and upset on the way out the door, so I was well into my second cocktail by that point.
They asked who would be president next and immediately said we hope Americans don’t pick Rubio. It’s like he wants to be supreme emperor of Latin America, and nobody wants that.
We talked about the problem of radicalized religion and how it is fueling unrest in multiple countries. One of them said I am glued to the news about the US. I can’t stop watching. I just can’t believe this is happening, and I want Americans to snap out of it. I’m pulling for them.
And the worst thing: The US will not come back from this. Whatever happens in future elections, I don’t see how it can be a world leader. It seems like the problems there can’t be solved with elections. There’s something really wrong with a lot of the people or the society or something, and that will take a lot longer to fix.
Americans get glimpses of how the rest of the world is going on without the United States. We see it in the news, but much of our billionaire-captured information environment doesn’t unequivocally state what Americans are losing. Better to keep us outraged about a culture-war issue or complacent or fed up enough to disengage altogether.
I’m not sharing this to discourage anyone. I want my readers to know what’s happening in living rooms, around dining rooms tables, and in bars and restaurants around the globe:
I still believe we can do it, Americans, or I wouldn’t be here. I believe in US enough to keep fighting for our future, no matter how tired I am. Regardless of how much reliving abuse costs me or how I will never be given a seat at the big table or recognized for a thing I’ve done.
Whether we succeed or fail is up to people just like me. JUST LIKE YOU. People who show up one more day. Even when it’s hard. Especially when they don’t feel like it.
And they take one more step.
And another.
Through an election that may be chaos.
Despite an outcome that may be catastrophic.
Regardless of how different the world may be.
Until we collectively build the country we want. All of us regular, no-name people who pooled our skills and resources to slay monsters and build something worthy of our future.
Worthy of US.
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