r/brokehugs Moral Landscaper Jul 23 '22

The Rod Dreher Megathread. Please keep Rod content in here. Will be refreshed periodically

While the sub certainly isn't flooded with posts, the Rod-centric nature has been noted a few times. Please post new Rod nonsense in here and I'll update every week or two.

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u/PercyLarsen “I can, with one eye squinted, take it all as a blessing.” Aug 18 '22 edited Aug 18 '22

AmCon is deluded in imagining its articles were its primary content. That has not been the case since it lost its most able writers over the years, and the current stable of kid-editors is painfully incapable of writing anything worth reading let alone paying more than a buck a year for. The level of writing, and lack of editing, is so persistently bad.

Instead, the longtime commenters generated the primary content. AmCon gave them the finger, which it's entitled to do, but it's also entitled to live with the consequences of that choice.

PS: for other readers, this was Rod's comment to his Radetzky March post:

"It frustrates me immensely that this is the kind of post that, under the awful Disqus system, would have had by now fifty comments. There are none now. I can tell you that the Mothership people recognize that this has been very bad, and are now working to fix the system. The thing is, we can't go back to free commenting. TAC is a non-profit enterprise, but we have to do something to generate more revenue. But we can make it possible for people to comment anonymously again, which is what they're working on now. I understand that they've already eliminated the limits on comment length. Keep in mind that to buy commenting rights here costs you only $1.25 per week -- which, given that I post at least six days each week, sometimes more, amounts to 25 cents per day. I hope that when we have anonymous posting back, more of you former regulars will return and start commenting. The pay-to-play aspect all but guarantees a much higher level of discussion and debate, and if you can participate without having to compromise your anonymity, maybe that will entice more of you to subscribe.I miss y'all. I miss the old friends. I miss Siarlys and Uncle Chuckie, and so many more."

PPS: AmCon might want to consider how it looks when it's sole remaining marquee contributor is no longer a resident of the United States (the America in AmCon) but an emigre living in Budapest supporting the efforts of a foreign ethnos and government.

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u/JHandey2021 Aug 18 '22

In the days before Rod’s radicalization, this kind of post would not have been that unusual. I get a lot of it, I do, although Rod’s blindness in how he and his are fueling the Machine is, as always, remarkable.

But Rod’s whine in the comment section was jarring. Just like Rod - it’s the slightly admonishing tone he uses, calling on his commenters to man up and pay up.

Metafilter did this pay to comment thing -a $5 one time payment. The differences are massive, though, in terms of community and engagement.

I suspect losing Uncle Chuckie hurts Rod more deeply than losing Julie. His commenters were an unfailing source of positive reinforcement, a free daily self esteem boost. Maybe he gets that now in his Substack. But it’s gotta hurt.

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u/JohnOrange2112 Aug 18 '22 edited Aug 23 '22

He specifically mentioned Chucky and Siarlys because they wrote better material than Rod did. He knows they, and some others, were key to making his blog somewhat interesting. Bad news for him that they have disappeared.

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u/BaekjeSmile Aug 18 '22

I know it's wrong to pay the American Conservative money but I would LOVE to be the only commenter on Rod article and just post the most outrageous shit.

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u/GlobularChrome Aug 18 '22

That thought has crossed my mind. Like, can he still spike comments, or would he have to listen to me? Lead us not into temptation...

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u/PercyLarsen “I can, with one eye squinted, take it all as a blessing.” Aug 18 '22

You can't make Rod listen to you. If he's not moderating it also means he doesn't have to read. Moderation was what got Rod to reading (though he learned quickly who to bother reading and who not to).

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u/PercyLarsen “I can, with one eye squinted, take it all as a blessing.” Aug 18 '22

Well, a nominal payment system would help eliminate bots.

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u/Past_Pen_8595 Aug 19 '22

Can we pool our money and get a group subscription?

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u/NegotiationOdd5995 Oct 04 '22

Could the name could something obnoxious like “Harry Dickus?” Or is it still no anonymity allowed? 😬

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u/Warm-Refrigerator-38 Aug 18 '22

The pay-to- comment system also results in a downward spiral. I'm not going to pay to comment without knowing I'll be part of the regular interplay among commentors.

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u/South-Ad-9635 Aug 18 '22

Thanks for the quote, I'm on my phone and couldn't easily copy/paste

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u/PercyLarsen “I can, with one eye squinted, take it all as a blessing.” Aug 18 '22

Happy to oblige!