Chris Best

Date: 2022-08-11 | Duration: 2h 38m

Episode Overview

Chris Best, co-founder of Substack, joins Joe Rogan to discuss the evolving landscape of online writing and media. He delves into how Substack empowers independent writers by enabling direct relationships with their audiences, bypassing traditional gatekeepers and advertising pressures. Best emphasizes the platform’s commitment to creator autonomy, allowing writers to publish a wide range of content—including controversial or uncomfortable truths—while trusting readers to decide what they support. He highlights the importance of maintaining open discourse in an era increasingly marked by censorship and deplatforming. The conversation also explores the challenges of social media’s incentive structures, which often reward outrage and divisiveness, contrasting this with Substack’s model that fosters deeper engagement and integrity. Best reflects on the phenomenon of audience capture, where creators might unconsciously shift their views to please subscribers, and stresses the need for discipline and authenticity. Beyond media, the discussion touches on broader societal shifts driven by technology, the future of human-machine interaction, and the enduring value of honest communication. Throughout, Best shares insights on building a sustainable platform that champions free expression and meaningful connection between writers and readers.

About Chris Best

Chris Best is a visionary tech entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Substack, a platform that has revolutionized the way writers connect with their audiences through subscription-based newsletters. Under his leadership, Substack has empowered countless independent creators to monetize their content, fostering a new era of digital journalism and storytelling. Known for his innovative approach to media and technology, Chris has become a prominent figure in discussions around the future of writing and the creator economy. His insights into the intersection of technology and content creation have made him a sought-after voice in the industry, as demonstrated by his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience.

Key Moments

– Substack
– Social Media Incentives
– Online Censorship
– Independent Journalism
– Audience Capture
– Content Monetization
– Digital Trust
– Algorithmic Influence
– Internet Culture
– Media Criticism
– Technology and Society
– Freedom of Expression
– Platform Dynamics
– Information Integrity
– Digital Privacy
– Human Behavior Online
– Content Moderation
– Media Business Models
0:00:46 – Importance of great writing and software background
0:01:25 – Social media incentives and their impact
0:06:49 – Transition to being paid directly by readers
0:08:09 – How Substack became a major player
0:12:34 – Discussion on content types allowed on Substack
0:14:06 – Publishing uncomfortable but accurate journalism
0:16:13 – Platform responsibility and censorship concerns
0:19:39 – Response to calls for censoring controversial voices
0:22:16 – Comparing Substack's model to Twitter's approach
0:23:33 – Critical articles and public perception of Substack
0:26:16 – Competing with other independent media shows
0:28:12 – Personal background and idea formation
0:31:27 – Notable writers and content on Substack
0:34:33 – Isaac Newton as an example of complex genius
0:40:44 – Direct connection between creators and audiences
0:44:10 – Role of algorithms versus human curation
0:47:03 – Defining success for Substack as an independent company
0:50:26 – Advantages of ad-free business model
0:54:11 – Social media's addictive and manipulative design
1:00:20 – Historical perspective on pandemics and public response
1:06:16 – Admiration for Matt Taibbi's writing style
1:08:12 – Lowering barriers for content creation
1:09:20 – Concerns and thoughts on audience capture
1:14:20 – Discipline needed to avoid audience capture
1:18:07 – Why creators lean into popular opinions
1:21:29 – Sense of obligation to maintain integrity
1:24:33 – Misinformation and planned media narratives
1:27:57 – Fear of political outcomes and censorship
1:30:57 – Internet as a space for diverse perspectives
1:38:32 – Discussion about ozone layer and environmental concerns
1:41:17 – Decentralized money and government control fears
1:44:59 – Empathy loss in polarized debates
1:47:06 – Importance of dissent in society
1:48:16 – Author control over comment moderation
1:49:28 – Valuing opposing viewpoints
2:01:44 – Mind control concerns via technology
2:05:00 – Philosophical questions about money
2:07:31 – Concerns about human obsolescence and cyborg future
2:16:31 – Rapid societal changes over centuries
2:20:14 – Resistance to certain perspectives online
2:23:06 – Value of open communication and idea exchange
2:26:40 – Risks of ideologies losing openness to criticism
2:30:18 – Writing as the center of intellectual culture

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Joe Rogan Experience. Starting point is 00:00:46 person. And so great writing matters a lot. In my other life, I do software. Software is this Starting point is 00:01:25 of incentives on the internet, basically complaining, uh, wow, wow, wow. Social media Starting point is 00:02:28 rejected from the places where they would have been before. Starting point is 00:02:55 My theory on this is that it's a combination of natural human affairs. Starting point is 00:03:41 And so you had this sort of, the game that everyone played was like, Starting point is 00:04:06 Be bad. Starting point is 00:04:53 I see people arguing over things and things that are trending that have zero impact in Starting point is 00:05:28 It's just too Starting point is 00:05:52 uh, Starting point is 00:06:08 Yeah. And none of that stuff is new. None of the bad things that people do on social Starting point is 00:06:49 pay you directly. Now you're getting hired and fired by your readers. It's this super, it sounded Starting point is 00:07:27 Well, he, I mean, he, so he'd had this newsletter that he'd been writing for free Starting point is 00:08:09 Like how did it start to really become a player? Starting point is 00:08:50 like, here's what we're doing and why. Do you guys get resistance? Because I know there were Starting point is 00:09:18 It's like, you know, writers on the Internet, social media is bad. Starting point is 00:09:57 in its bad time for a bunch of things. Probably the most prominent of which is we started with Starting point is 00:10:38 that I don't want to put anyone on blast let's just talk about like subjects like Starting point is 00:10:57 Yeah, it's wild. Starting point is 00:11:17 We do. Starting point is 00:11:48 Not because we think those things are good, Starting point is 00:12:08 For any individual, I think anybody that exists could find someone on Substack that they think Starting point is 00:12:34 Do you allow erotica? Starting point is 00:12:...

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Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #1855?

Chris Best was the guest on JRE #1855. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #1855?

On Joe Rogan Experience #1855 with Chris Best, topics include Substack, Social Media Incentives, Online Censorship, and Independent Journalism.

Where can I read the transcript for JRE #1855?

The full searchable transcript for Joe Rogan Experience #1855 with Chris Best is available on this page, along with key topics and timestamps.