Originally published via Armageddon Prose Substack:
“If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, [patronize Armageddon Prose,] forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl.”
-H. L. Mencken
Thanks to all of you, Armageddon Prose is poised to breach the 3,000-subscriber threshold, an accomplishment I am proud and grateful to achieve.
The free vs. paid subscription ratio, however — 97.5% free vs. 2.5% paid — is not ideal. (If you already are one of the 2.5%, a thousand thanks.)
Substack’s business model, you may know, is entirely based on reader subscriptions. When subscribers support a writer, the bulk goes to the writer and Substack takes a small cut — which is generally a fair deal, considering what services Substack provides and that it functions as one of the only major writing platforms that exercises zero censorship of any kind, leaving journalists with full freedom to write what they believe to be true.
I believe this business model to be a good and honorable one for many reasons, including that special interests have no leverage to exert institutional pressure to get unfavorable content removed, nor are there distracting ads all over the place while you’re trying to read. It works — despite the efforts behind the scenes, you can be sure, by the governing authorities to suppress platforms like Substack and Rumble — and it’s a workable model to sustain independent media into the foreseeable future, so long as these platforms hold the line.
Related: Year-End Reflections on Independence and the Global War For Human Freedom
The opportunity cost of not hosting ads, obviously, is the lack of ad revenue, which means that, again, any money any writer makes comes from the generous support of the readers themselves.
The amount of time and energy I invest into each article varies. But, in some cases, I put a lot of myself into producing them. It’s a labor of love — one that, honestly, I would do for free even if I never made a cent. But I do have to eat, and I do have other people who depend on me.
If you are willing and able to support my independent journalism, which will always remain free of undue influence by special interests, give it a thought.
Monthly subscriptions are only $5/month, or you can get a yearly one for $50.
As always, there are other methods you can use to support my work:
- insta-tip jar
- Locals
- the AP merch store. (I’m gonna get my artist wife to design more exclusive AP art and put it in products, so if you’re interested, check in from time to time to see what’s new.)
God bless and my deepest thanks for your loyalty and support.
Ben Bartee, author of Broken English Teacher: Notes From Exile, is an independent Bangkok-based American journalist with opposable thumbs.
Follow his stuff Substack. Also, keep tabs via Twitter.
For hip Armageddon Prose t-shirts, hats, etc., peruse the merch store.
Support always welcome via insta-tip jar.
