From the editor—

There is little doubt that getting our daily exposure to information via social media can often be more harmful than helpful. But completely letting go of person-to-person interaction is also unrealistic. The ideal solution then is to get chunks of information for consumption from people who share our interests. This is where newsletters come in.

Newsletters are personal, they are intentional, they were written for you to be read as opposed to being posted for anyone in the world to skim through. They value your time and they address your interests. And they are not at the mercy of algorithms that can, intentionally or otherwise, push our world view into an echo chamber. Craig Mod, the author and walker from Japan, puts it thusly—

…we simply cannot trust the social networks, or any centralized commercial platform, with these cliques and crews most vital to our lives … Email is definitely not ideal, but it is: decentralized, reliable, and not going anywhere – and more and more, those feel like quasi-magical properties.

Subscribe to newsletters from people you trust and who share your interests—not necessarily beliefs, but interests. If you would like to hear more about the goings on the world that could make a difference in the long run and possibly enrich your worldview, especially in technology, science and art and the roles they play in our society, I think you would find Dispatch from Rhûn a meaningful subscription worth your time.

You will receive a new issue every month, but on months where I have nothing of value to share, you will not receive an issue. It is a simple method to ensure that when you do receive a Dispatch from Rhûn you know it will be worth your while. Subscription is free and you’re in the company of thousands who have been readers for over a decade.

Next steps If you’d like to take a look at past issues of Dispatch from Rhûn before you decide to subscribe, please visit the newsletter archives. If you would rather not share your e-mail, you can also subscribe via RSS.

PS To address a question I receive a lot: ‘What is Rhûn?’ In Sindarin, the Elvish language of Middle-Earth, Rhûn means ‘the East’. It is a little-known area that is frequently spoken about in various tales. There are a few reasons why I picked Rhûn as the place from where my newsletters are sent: one, I live in the East, which is Rhûn; two, Rhûn has never been captured, which is a symbol of its independence in thinking and opining; three, it is the place to which, in unison, all of Middle-Earth can trace their roots, signifying that despite all that we are individually, deep down we are all alike, equal and more deeply connected than we realise.

If you have decided to subscribe to Dispatch from Rhûn, thank you very much. You can rest assured that you will find value in every issue and you will find their contents consistently interesting. Click here to subscribe.

Cheers,
V.