This is the Middle Ground, a brand-new site created by me, Lincoln Cole, that's just getting started. Things will be up and running here shortly, but you can subscribe in the meantime if you'd like to stay up to date and receive emails when new content is published!
Why did I make this site?
Honestly, for two reasons. First I enjoy writing to work through things. It’s a great way to dive deep into a topic and learn about something. It’s also a great way to have enter the general conversation.
The second reason is I am a software developer by trade and I like to build stuff. I have tried Wordpress and other blogs and they always fell apart because I hate Php and never had the time or ambition to really dive deep.
On the other hand I love npm and node and when I found out about Ghost I fell in love. It is fun and easy to use and really fun to enhance and customize.
So I like to write code and I wanted to have a place to enter the discussion that wasn’t owned by a tech bro. It’s hard to find something like that.
TikTok is right out as well because instead of being owned by a tech bro it is owned by a hostile government that isn’t afraid to cut corners or destroy lives to get what they want. You could say it’s hypocritical with how terrible the United States has been but you could also just be more realistic and say the same thing if they owned TikTok.
And if you don’t think China is hostile Or believe TikTok when they say they aren’t involved then I have a bridge to sell you.
So here we are with another blog.
The site has been created in response to the realization that I don't like echo chambers. I consume a lot of liberal media and conservative media and I can't stand how both of them demonize the other side and say: "if you aren't with me 100% you are against me!"
Why not embrace the middle ground between us?
Where do I stand?
Personally, I think the idea of wokeness destroying our world is ridiculous, but I also think that it is easy for people who are used to being treated with intolerance to become just as intolerant as the people they resent.
Dozens of comedians have made jokes about this topic and pretty much since the beginning of time we have attacked each other from one generation to the next for being different.
We like to be angry.
Anger is never good, but neither is cowering in the background because you are afraid to make waves. It's long past time people stopped siloing themselves with other people that they already get along with and viewing everyone who isn't like them as their enemy.
But...
I’m not dumb.
Well not super dumb at least.
I'm not enough of an idiot to think my opinions can change hearts or minds and I know that for the most part I'm just out here talking to myself. When you get down to it, though, I have a lot of opinions and my wife is tired of hearing them (mansplaining can be tiresome, sometimes!) so I will instead just push them out into the world.
My plan with the site is to be able to just give my takes to various things happening in popular culture, and also to elevate things that I enjoy. I'm not trying to change the world, and honestly, I know more than anyone how little my opinions are actually worth in the grand scheme of things, but I also know that conversations are worth having, so these will be my conversations with myself about the things I like and why I like them.
I suppose this is my answer to the fact that I'm getting older and much less relavent: to create a blog that is not at all relavent!
Our echo chambers: as a society, we should be dealing with this!
I do, however, think that the overall message is important, which is why I will also take guest posts or other things from people on different sides of the aisle. I'll even give my takes on THOSE posts as they come in!
I don't fall into any specific category or echo chamber, so neither will this blog. A bit of this, a lot of that, and who knows what we might find.
It will just be a bit of a ramble here and there, but I honestly think that's the important thing we are missing in this modern era: things are messy, and if you try to continually fit them into a neat little box it will all fall apart. We are trying to hard to present ourselves as perfect and prepared and leaving ourselves no room to make mistakes and fall apart.
Be messy.
Be happy.
In politics, culture, and every other aspect it seems like no one is willing to find the Middle Ground.
So, come on this journey with me and let me know your thoughts. You can leave comments, contact me, or scream from the rooftops. Up to you.
