I’m glad I helped inspire you to post on Substack, and am flattered to be mentioned in your post. If I achieve nothing else on here, I’ve achieved that! New Zealand political conversation would be worse without your writing.
Sometimes I feel I’m screaming into the void but watching you and others build on shared ideas and conversation threads has become a major motivation for me. I’m somehow surprised it’s only been a year — looking forward to reading your writing in the next one.
(It’s so funny we all seem to have a similar experience of Natalia Albert. Challenging and provocative people are to be appreciated in these days of growing partisanship and echo chambers, especially when those words aren’t just code for “racist” or “populist”.)
Hi Ryan, you were one of the first writers I gravitated towards on this platform and your work continues to resonate. As a US/NZ dual national who worries about the import of US style hypercapital and right wing ideology to NZ, I have appreciated your clarity and resistance on this issue as well as your accessible writings on Marx. Thank you. Onwards comrade!
Thanks Kate! I always know I’m on the right track when I see your likes and restacks. Let’s keep going. Glad you found some other writers from this post. So many good ones.
Congratulations on your milestone*, and big thanks for helping to educate an old mind. (*sorry, I guess Imperial measurements are inappropriate for a Marxist!)
This reflection is beautifully generuos and shows what's often missing in left spaces. Your point about how these writers forced you to confront your own biases really captures somthing crucial about intelectual solidarity. When we build these networks of mutual challenge and support, we're actually practicing the kind of non-transactional relationships that capitalism tries to destroy. That's not incidental to the work, thats the foundation of it.
Honoured, flattered and stoked to feature on here with such incredible writers and comrades! I owe YOU a lot for the incredible insights and analysis you've shared in your posts over the past year. Appreciate you. Ngā mihi, Stella
Great read, Ryan. Thanks for writting and thank you for the very kind mention. We don't agree on much and the feeling of hair-pulling was mutual at times, but I’ve always appreciated the way our disagreements pushed both of us to think harder and argue our positions more clearly. You alos help me question what I am saying and how I can be more balanced.
I’ll be following your recommendations, especially the reading list, and I’m looking forward to seeing where your work goes next. Happy Summer and catch ya next year!
I’m done with the past and present, and have decided to focus my energy on the future, what kind of society we want, and some basics that need to be addressed to help us get there. That’s what led me to develop:
THE COMMON GOOD MANIFESTO
A society built for people, not predators.
We are at our best when we invest in each other.
We are at our worst when we abandon the vulnerable.
This manifesto is how we return to the common good.
I. DIGNITY AND JUSTICE
1. Release the Epstein files — full transparency, no exceptions.
2. Impeach, convict, and imprison Donald Trump and every handler who enabled his corruption.
3. No federal office for any convicted felon.
4. End the weaponization of the justice system against the poor, immigrants, LGBTQ people, and marginalized communities.
II. DEMOCRACY THAT ACTUALLY WORKS
1. Abolish the Electoral College — one person, one vote.
2. Abolish ICE — replace it with humane immigration policy that honors human rights.
3. Ban gerrymandering with a standardized national apportionment method.
4. Two-term limits for every elected office.
5. Mandatory retirement at 70 for all elected officials.
6. Paper ballots only — end the era of hackable voting machines.
III. AN ECONOMY THAT SERVES PEOPLE
1. Restore 1950s-style progressive tax rates — when America was prosperous and fair.
2. Overturn Citizens United — corporations are not people.
3. Eliminate the Social Security payroll cap and tax capital gains for Social Security contributions.
4. $25 minimum wage indexed to inflation.
5. Medicare for All, one unified system — no A/B/C/D maze.
6. Congress receives Medicare, not boutique private insurance.
IV. WORKERS, CREATIVES, AND PUBLIC SERVANTS
1. Big pay raises for social workers, teachers, librarians, artists, and cultural workers — the people who actually hold society together.
2. Universal childcare — because families are the foundation of the nation.
3. Free public university education.
4. Full forgiveness of all student debt.
V. CLEAN GOVERNMENT
1. Root out corruption at every level, starting at the top.
2. Full financial transparency for every elected official, appointee, and senior bureaucrat.
3. Ban lobbying for former officeholders for life.
VI. THE FUTURE WE CHOOSE
We choose a country that values:
• Compassion over cruelty
• Community over greed
• Truth over propaganda
• Shared prosperity over billionaire hoarding
• Democracy over minority rule
• Human dignity over corporate profit
We choose a nation where the common good is not a slogan, but the organizing principle of public life.
I’m glad I helped inspire you to post on Substack, and am flattered to be mentioned in your post. If I achieve nothing else on here, I’ve achieved that! New Zealand political conversation would be worse without your writing.
Sometimes I feel I’m screaming into the void but watching you and others build on shared ideas and conversation threads has become a major motivation for me. I’m somehow surprised it’s only been a year — looking forward to reading your writing in the next one.
(It’s so funny we all seem to have a similar experience of Natalia Albert. Challenging and provocative people are to be appreciated in these days of growing partisanship and echo chambers, especially when those words aren’t just code for “racist” or “populist”.)
Hi Ryan, you were one of the first writers I gravitated towards on this platform and your work continues to resonate. As a US/NZ dual national who worries about the import of US style hypercapital and right wing ideology to NZ, I have appreciated your clarity and resistance on this issue as well as your accessible writings on Marx. Thank you. Onwards comrade!
Thank you! This means a lot. We’ll just keep going.
Coming from the US it really is like watching a slow-motion train wreck.
I don’t think most Kiwis understand how bad it will get on the current path. My NZ family doesn’t seem to anyway.
Love your ideas and writing, Ryan. You always treat people who engage with you in a kind manner and I appreciate that. I'm now a dedicated follower.
Your list of influential and inspiring authors included some I had not caught up with yet so thanks for that too.
Let's have another year of rants about Seymour and NZ Initiative.
Thanks Kate! I always know I’m on the right track when I see your likes and restacks. Let’s keep going. Glad you found some other writers from this post. So many good ones.
Wow. Lots of cool people to check out. Thanks for the list and congratulations on the first year.
Congratulations on your milestone*, and big thanks for helping to educate an old mind. (*sorry, I guess Imperial measurements are inappropriate for a Marxist!)
Haha. Thanks for that and so glad you’ve found it useful.
This reflection is beautifully generuos and shows what's often missing in left spaces. Your point about how these writers forced you to confront your own biases really captures somthing crucial about intelectual solidarity. When we build these networks of mutual challenge and support, we're actually practicing the kind of non-transactional relationships that capitalism tries to destroy. That's not incidental to the work, thats the foundation of it.
This is such a collectivist way of celebrating a milestone. It’s a party in a post!
Solidarity forever!
Honoured, flattered and stoked to feature on here with such incredible writers and comrades! I owe YOU a lot for the incredible insights and analysis you've shared in your posts over the past year. Appreciate you. Ngā mihi, Stella
Thank you friend ❤️
Thank you for the honourable mention. And what a brilliant list to be included in, on top of being mentioned by one of my favourite authors on here.
Congrats on reaching a year of much needed expression, for you and for us.
Thank you! I’m taking your challenge to propose solutions and not just criticize this year.
This celebration is great! Thank you for the mention, Ryan. :)
I’m so glad I found you recently
I’m so glad I found you, too!
Congratulations, Ryan!
Great read, Ryan. Thanks for writting and thank you for the very kind mention. We don't agree on much and the feeling of hair-pulling was mutual at times, but I’ve always appreciated the way our disagreements pushed both of us to think harder and argue our positions more clearly. You alos help me question what I am saying and how I can be more balanced.
I’ll be following your recommendations, especially the reading list, and I’m looking forward to seeing where your work goes next. Happy Summer and catch ya next year!
You too! Take some time off and don’t get too stuck in to PhD stuff.
Thank you so much e hoa! I wouldn't be where I am without your articles inspiring me!
I’m done with the past and present, and have decided to focus my energy on the future, what kind of society we want, and some basics that need to be addressed to help us get there. That’s what led me to develop:
THE COMMON GOOD MANIFESTO
A society built for people, not predators.
We are at our best when we invest in each other.
We are at our worst when we abandon the vulnerable.
This manifesto is how we return to the common good.
I. DIGNITY AND JUSTICE
1. Release the Epstein files — full transparency, no exceptions.
2. Impeach, convict, and imprison Donald Trump and every handler who enabled his corruption.
3. No federal office for any convicted felon.
4. End the weaponization of the justice system against the poor, immigrants, LGBTQ people, and marginalized communities.
II. DEMOCRACY THAT ACTUALLY WORKS
1. Abolish the Electoral College — one person, one vote.
2. Abolish ICE — replace it with humane immigration policy that honors human rights.
3. Ban gerrymandering with a standardized national apportionment method.
4. Two-term limits for every elected office.
5. Mandatory retirement at 70 for all elected officials.
6. Paper ballots only — end the era of hackable voting machines.
III. AN ECONOMY THAT SERVES PEOPLE
1. Restore 1950s-style progressive tax rates — when America was prosperous and fair.
2. Overturn Citizens United — corporations are not people.
3. Eliminate the Social Security payroll cap and tax capital gains for Social Security contributions.
4. $25 minimum wage indexed to inflation.
5. Medicare for All, one unified system — no A/B/C/D maze.
6. Congress receives Medicare, not boutique private insurance.
IV. WORKERS, CREATIVES, AND PUBLIC SERVANTS
1. Big pay raises for social workers, teachers, librarians, artists, and cultural workers — the people who actually hold society together.
2. Universal childcare — because families are the foundation of the nation.
3. Free public university education.
4. Full forgiveness of all student debt.
V. CLEAN GOVERNMENT
1. Root out corruption at every level, starting at the top.
2. Full financial transparency for every elected official, appointee, and senior bureaucrat.
3. Ban lobbying for former officeholders for life.
VI. THE FUTURE WE CHOOSE
We choose a country that values:
• Compassion over cruelty
• Community over greed
• Truth over propaganda
• Shared prosperity over billionaire hoarding
• Democracy over minority rule
• Human dignity over corporate profit
We choose a nation where the common good is not a slogan, but the organizing principle of public life.
And we refuse to apologize for demanding better.