GOODBYE FOR NOW
On some unexpected developments ...
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Readers and listeners:
Many of you may know that I have been hired by The New York Times to write essays for them twice a week, as a subscriber newsletter. Yes, I’m surprised too — but I’m going to do it, and in fact have started.
However, understandably they will not allow me to continue doing this newsletter for Substack at the same time. Thus, with sincere regret — this has been a blast — I have to suspend my newsletter here.
Needless to say, when I started this Substack newsletter in January, the last thing I expected was that the Times would be tapping me into an exclusive arrangement. However, I know that this means that those who paid for an annual subscription — THANK YOU to them — are not getting all of what they paid for (in many cases, not even half).
So: ALL subscriptions will be paused for now and frozen in time. No one will be further charged. Also, my podcast Lexicon Valley is part of the Booksmart Studios empire which is now under Substack, as are my conversations with Glenn Loury — subscriber contributions transferred there would of course be welcome.
However, for those who would like prorated refunds upon request, do reach out to me here, and I will get the money back to you as quickly as possible. I apologize for the inconvenience.
In any case, I have been immensely flattered that so many of you have been reading me here since January, and often even paying for it. My new gig is exciting, but I will miss this one. Once again, THANK YOU!!
John, I just finished listening to the latest podcast between you and Glenn. I can hear the sense of weariness and sadness in both of your voices. The word despondent was used a couple of times at the end there. Please know that you are both doing great, you are the ones that really care about improving the life circumstances and outcomes for African-Americans, and it is working. I truly believe that it is. It’s just not the kind of thing that you can see the progress of very clearly in real time. But more and more people are beginning to see it, what you are doing matters, and it is making a difference and is going to make peoples lives better. Chin up, get some rest, and keep it going.
I bought the t-shirt, John. It's on my wall, visible from Zoom.
I hope your hiring at the NYT is a sign of their recovering from wokeitude, but we'll see. Meanwhile, Freddie de Boer.