Gratitude and a roadmap

A year-end reflection with a nod toward the future

As we round the corner on another year, I’d like to thank you for supporting my work on this writing project. It’s been a challenging year for media all around—I lost two full-time writing jobs this year—so between this Substack and the Conspirituality podcast, patron support has kept me afloat. I truly appreciate it. 🙏🏻

Below you’ll find the regular Friday round-up that I recommend checking out this weekend. As we head into 2024, here are a few things I’ll be working on both here and on the podcast.

• Project 2025. I’ve discussed various aspects of Project 2025, but this initiative, dreamed up by The Heritage Foundation (and supported by over 80 conservative and religious groups) is a roadmap for implementing extreme conservative policies if the GOP nominee wins the 2024 presidential election. The group’s 920-page document and real-world policy effort is one of the most frightening political architecture projects I’ve come across, and needs to be extensively covered and discussed. More on this during the first week of January.

• Christian nationalism. Related to the above, but also investigated in isolation. We’re going to be talking to people like Katherine Stewart, whose excellent book will soon be a Netflix series. All isn’t doom and gloom, however: I’ll be writing about progressive religious projects, like we did on Conspirituality 183. Too often good-hearted religious people are overlooked with all the noise extremists make.

• Health and fitness. Conspirituality took over my life during the pandemic, and I’m grateful for it. But I also miss aspects of my pre-pandemic career in movement and health journalism. I’m also thankful that the podcast has helped me open my eyes to failures in my previous writing and coaching. The podcast has introduced me to a much wider world of experts and listeners sharing their perspectives, which has greatly informed my own, and which I’ll take with me in this next phase of journalism.

• Health grifters and conspiracy theorists. All that said, I won’t be leaving my focus on grifters and conspiracy theorists behind. If anything, I’m seeing more pseudoscience being marketed than ever, alongside an uptick in conspiracy theories, and these will always need to be addressed.

• AI. I don’t use AI to write—after 30 years of doing this, I can’t imagine even wanting to—but it’s a powerful research and data analyzing tool in my work. AI will greatly impact our world in the coming years and needs to be grappled with. I’ll mostly focus on AI in relationship to my ongoing work, as there are many more knowledgable writers and newsletters on the topic overall out there.

Here’s to a prosperous and kind passing to your year. I’ll be taking Monday off to celebrate the holiday, and will be back in your inbox next Friday.

Now, onto this week’s reading list.