(Diesen Artikel gibt es auch auf deutsch. Cet article existe aussi en français.)

Too much of what’s published in the media chases the news cycle or serves a narrow partisan agenda. The incentive for journalists worried about clicks is always to dunk on the other side or to stake out some provocative position in yesterday’s social media beef.

This is a space for breaking away from that impulse, and thinking deeper. A place for essays about the things that really matter. A home for conversations with some of the world’s leading thinkers. A space to experiment with ideas. In short, my—our—little cabin in the webs.

Here’s what I have in store for you.

Writing that doesn’t need a news hook

Weekly Column: I’m most excited about writing one ambitious essay every week, just for you. These essays will explore a big political or cultural question that goes beyond the current headlines. Some of the writing I’m especially excited to share with you in the coming weeks is about:

• What America has lost since I first moved to the country

• Why journalists who think it’s their job to save democracy do more harm than good

• How to rescue the concept of luxury beliefs from its smartest critics

• Why the French are so angry

• Everything you think you know about the world’s happiest countries turns out to be wrong

Political Analysis: In democracies around the world, chaos seems to be the new normal. Demagogues are on the rise. Our culture is turning ever more tribal. Dispensing with the need for a news hook doesn’t mean ignoring the really important stuff that happens in the world. So when an unexpected event takes place or a transformative election is held, I will share my best attempt to make sense of it on here.1

The Good Fight podcast

Weekly Interviews of Major Thinkers: Every week, I will interview one of the world’s most interesting thinkers. Past guests include everyone from Francis Fukuyama to Thomas Piketty, from Anne Applebaum to Jonathan Haidt, from Noam Chomsky to Tony Blair, from Anthony Appiah to Martha Nussbaum, and from Coleman Hughes to Sam Harris.

Conservations about the Big Questions of the Moment: For these more topical conversations, my special roster of guests and I will dive into the big political and cultural questions of the moment. While I (mostly) limit myself to asking questions in my weekly conversations with major thinkers, this new format will feature more banter and two-way debate.

Special Episodes: Occasionally, we will convene a big debate about a serious intellectual disagreement between interesting people, or I will answer listener questions in a “mailbag episode,” or… well, subscribe to the podcast to find out.

Persuasion

Persuasion is the nonprofit publication and community for those who believe that a free society is worth fighting for. It champions philosophically liberal values against populists on the right and identitarians on the left. Founded by me in 2020, it has built a wonderful roster of writers over the years, and publishes 3-4 incisive essays every week.

When you sign up to my Substack, you will also have an opportunity to sign up to receive Persuasion’s content. Please do—my team and I work very hard to bring you the most interesting arguments by the best writers who are committed to defending free speech and free inquiry in perilous times.

Why subscribe?

To recognize that quality content takes a ton of work. To become part of this community. To support my mission.

Those are the real reasons. But if you need more concrete inducements, a paying subscription will get you:

• Access to all of my written content, including the weekly column and my political analysis.

• Access to all content from The Good Fight podcast, including new formats like conversations about the big questions of the moment and other special episodes, plus occasional bonus content from my interviews of leading thinkers.

• The ability to comment on articles and podcast episodes

• Access to the publication archives.

• Special invitations to meetups, debates and other community events.

About Yascha

I’m a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University and the author of five books, including The People versus Democracy, The Great Experiment (which was included by Barack Obama on his list of recommended books) and The Identity Trap (which was featured as one of the best books of 2023 in The Economist and the Financial Times, among others).

I write and think about politics and culture in the United States, Western Europe, and beyond. A steadfast critic of right-wing populism, I am equally opposed to the ascendant forms of left-wing identitarianism—and believe that we best support universal values by refusing to choose between fighting one or the other.

My writing is rooted in the values of liberal democracy but I abhor any form of dogmatism. My self-conception is, first and foremost, that of a writer. And this means that the primary obligation I feel to my readers is to say things that I believe to be true and important, whether or not you are likely to agree with me.

My articles on here will initially be published in English, French and German. (Don’t worry, you’ll only get articles in the language you sign up for.) If enough people subscribe to make that feasible, I would love to expand my offering to other languages, such as Italian and Spanish.