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Comment by ksdale | Hacker News Reader

My question is how does your platform differ from what Substack is already trying to do?

Substack is trying to generate returns for venture capitalists.

That they agree with one piece of your politics at this particular moment in their company's growth and at this particular point in the evolution of your political beliefs is a massive red herring.

Let me repeat. Substack is trying to generate returns for venture capitalists.

Just because their interests are opposed to mine doesn't mean I can't trust them. Teacher's unions can use their poor performance as a justification for increasing their own pay which comes straight out of my pocket and yet I'm able to trust them. I'm evaluating their deeds, not their motivations. Calling something a non-profit doesn't magically make it pure. The Red Cross and Goodwill have plenty of problems, as do governments around the world.

You asked what substack is trying to do, and I think I gave the only accurate answer.

That said, your point is well-taken. I think one of my other comments already captures my thoughts on the point your making; let's move there to discuss: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30093683

While accurate, it isn't a full answer. Substack does provide profits for venture capitalists, but it does so by fulfilling a particular market demand - demand for a censorhsip-free (or censorship-lite) platform. It is a somewhat niche demand, obviously - but it is the only aspect that differentiates them from facebooks of the world.

No, it is the full answer. The other stuff is their market position. That can change on a dime. (It also does nothing about to dual problem of stoking social division to generate more profit.)

> Substack is trying to generate returns for venture capitalists.

Yes, but they're doing this by countering the heavily editorialized and censored mainstream print media with a more free speech-oriented platform. This is exactly how we should exploit markets to produce good social ends.

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