One problem with being in your 40s is you can’t tell how far you’re mourning the death of the monoculture and the lack of meaning inherent in the digital siloed world of the culture war, and how far you’re just having a midlife crisis.
Your writing at the moment is just refreshingly honest and brilliant.
It describes the same detachment I feel where everybody is going around pretending everything is OK and saying 'we're all fine' but deep down everything is a disaster and nobody is telling the truth.
I think it's a combination of distortion of our money, our culture, our borders and our heritage at the same time, by a pernicious marxist government with deep oikophobia. That's quite a lot to contend with.
Not sure if you're into investing Nick but a new book that really resonated with me recently was:
'2029: The End of America: Why the Age of Paper Money Is Ending And How to Survive the Coming Global Monetary Reset by Porter Stansberry'
It explains a lot. If that one interests you I have another, but you might not be quite so on board with the second one!
I honestly think you'll get loads out of that book. It is a lifetime of investment advice from an old sage of the industry.
From a cultural point of view we're under siege, so I think it's perfectly reasonable to feel like we're under siege! That book will at least feel like you are responding to it and defending yourself as best you can. It's well worth the kindle price of £7.40.
Despite this glowing review, I promise it wasn't me who wrote it.
Not sure if you follow Dominic Frisby, but he advocates something similar - his 'Dolce Far Niente' portfolio. Drop me a message if you're interested to know any more.
Ha! No, subject matter and realism. Things, most things are fucked right now. Truly fucked…….but, only for the moment. How long that moment will last, is the demoralising part.
Thanks. Though it’s a slightly unfortunate thing now that every piece I write, because of my style, attracts prescriptions rather than appreciation for the writing. Or more accurately it’s a split between both types of response.
It’s definitely appreciation but your style isn’t exactly uplifting 🙄 the genuine offers to help are so that you keep writing and don’t top yourself! 🤷♂️alternatively we can just say “go do it Nick, what’s the point of it all anyway” 🙄 meanwhile, just keep putting it into words most of us can’t 🤷♂️
Get into a garden more Nick, the animals, birds and insects are doing what they’ve done for millennia and it’s helps you think, fuck it, if humanity implodes these beautiful creatures will be better off! Silver linings! Keep looking for them 👍👍
June 8, 2026 (dated for context and reference) Nick. P.S. I don't know I could forget, but Tech is one of my main interests. I build my own computers, and follow numerous YouTube Tech channel hosts. So many interests and so little time!😂
June 8, 2026 (dated for context and reference) My dear Mr. van Gogh... Errr.. I mean my Dear Nick.. I read your latest opus, and trust me, once again that is a compliment to you, because I have dyslexia and it takes me twice as long to read things as it does most people. Let's talk about me for a second.. well.. maybe a couple of minutes if you like. I will lay myself bare. 1) I'm going to be 85 in August. 2) I have adopted family that swear they love me, but just about never reach out to see how I'm doing, though they claim to be concerned. (When I die, they better not start crying about how much the miss me!🤨) Of course part of the reason is because I don't look or act my age, and they think I will keep going forever. I'm a loner.. kind of like a cat that needs the bare necessities from others. 3) At 84 I can't get laid, and don't think any of the women that are close in age to me, are very attractive🤷♂️ 4) I live in a "blue collar" city of about 114,000 people, and with my retirement funds. I can afford to live below my means, which means I'm wealthier than a lot of people I know. I actually have a savings 😮😊 Which a whole lot of people don't. Regardless of their incomes, some of them still live just about pay check to pay check. 5) I don't actually talk to people for days on end, but I do communicate with people through posts on various YouTube channels I watch, and leave comments, and I interact with people like yourself. Sometimes I get replies for good or ill🤨 6) I have many interests, and am a student of geopolitics, military subjects, gaming (I have a wonderful real life military simulator), and sociology to name a few. I get tens of newsletters about all kinds of things like entertainment🙄, History, Nature, News.. both real and BS.. (I'm looking at you BBC🤮). I'm never bored, or feel lonely, because as one video points out. The reason a lot of smart people, (forgive me for including myself in that category), don't have a lot of friends or interact with a lot of people. Because they know a lot people have negative personal traits, beliefs, and lifestyles they can't appreciate or want to be involved with.
Now..
About you. 🤨 I will concede that you have every right to feel the way you do, and with some good reason.
However.. part of me has to say.."Oh.. Please!" 1) You are in the prime of your life. 2) You are in good health. 3) You are educated and can do a number of things that could provide you with a reasonable income. 4) You have NO children to drive you to distraction, and that you constantly have to worry about. 5) You have a roof over your head and food on your table. 6) You know wonderful people like Leo, Paul, Simon, and yes.. our Lewis. 6) As I have been known to point out from time to time to the people in my family/social circle. We are some of the most fortunate people out of billions on this planet.
As far as the current state of Western society is concerned. I have ask you how you think I feel, as I watch the inmates take over the institution. A good part of the population in the West, are under educated, ignorant, over socialized, and narcissistic. They have never known "hard times" or war, and concern themselves with nearly non-existent racism.. (interesting that Caucasians are basically the ones that are accusing other Caucasians of it), and.. omg.. "micro-aggressions". Women in their somewhat worthy quest for reasonable empowerment. Have taken over just about all of the important cultural, human, and political institutions. The natural balance between men and women, and their place in a functioning society has been lost.
7) There are so many good things still happening in our society, and it is up to you to seek them out. I refer to people like your countryman.. well.. he is a Scot.. but.. the outstanding entertainment reviewer "The Critical Drinker", "Disparu" a Brit. and the American Nerdrotic. These guys are pulling in contributors, fans and viewing numbers that "legacy media" can only dream of. I'm old, and I follow these guys for both fun and information. For politics, one of my favorite people is Prof. Vincent Davis Hanson who is a Greek scholar and political pundit.
My point is Nick, is that you can wallow in the BS that partly makes up our society today, or, you can seek out people and things that you can appreciate, be involved with and enjoy. It is no good to wander around in a field covered in cow shit, and complain how the world sucks. Get out of the F ing field and find some pastures where there are flowers and good people that you have something in common with. It is possible, that it is just your nature to live the life you seem to be living, but I think that you are positive and smart enough not to let the obvious things that are wrong in life. Prevent you from enjoying it. Stay well Me Old Son. Most sincerely, Larry Moran, Connecticut, U.S. of A.😊👋
Hi Larry, thanks for the comment. Very interesting to learn about your life. However, the part about my life rubbed me the wrong way. People seem to take these pieces as a green light to tell me how to live my life.
One, these are supposed to be artistic or at least interesting pieces to be engaged with as such. Therefore engage with the ideas or the writing rather than telling me what's wrong with me (which no one commenting here has any real clue about, because they don't know me).
Two, by writing these pieces I AM doing something. I can't publish in any traditional way for the reasons cited here. For more see this article on how my generation was destroyed by DEI, https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-lost-generation/. Woke/DEI pushed me out of comedy after over a decade of work, and would now prevent me publishing writing, and so on. However, by having a Substack I am making the best of it.
Three, my style of using my personal life allows the literal minded to give me all kind of prescriptions, but again that is part of my writing style. You wouldn't tell Holden Caulfield to sort himself out, and that principle should apply here, at least to some degree.
You are older so perhaps it is natural to give advice, and one should always respect one's elders. But if you step back you may see that these pieces aren't just about complaining, but are supposed to be read, if not as literary works, then at least as pieces of writing. It's certainly not just you doing this, so perhaps it is something I'm doing wrong. But I suspect it's the nature of the medium and my style. I may disable comments if it keeps happening because no one has any clue about me really, and many don't understand what they are reading.
June 8, 2026 (dated for context and reference) Dear Nick. My sincerest apologies. It cuts me to the quick to think that I have annoyed you, or anyone. I admit that I probably didn't understand what your writing as it was meant to be. I hate giving advice generally, and usually say things like.. "Well my experience is such..". I promise from now on to keep my mouth shut and keep my thoughts to myself in regards to your writing. Further, I have to ask why you would consider closing the comments, if you purpose is to reach out to people with your thoughts? You can of course just publish your thoughts without any interaction from others. I have to say I'm a little confused by what it is that you actually expect from your fans and followers. I hope that you will note that aside from my comments about what you wrote, that I too opened myself up for you and others to read. It is my compliment to you that I spent quite a bit of time writing my comments, when I could have been doing other things. I'm a private person like yourself, but I like to interact with people that I think are intelligent and have something to say.
So.. once again I apologize and will be extremely careful when and if I post anything again. Obviously, I wish you the very best, and am very happy that you ARE living the life that you are happy with.
Hi Larry, have a look through the comments on particularly the last piece and you'll see there is endless unsolicited life advice, admittedly mixed with nice comments.
The point is I work hard on the writing and I'd rather people engaged with that rather than a thousand variations of 'chin up' or 'take vitamins'. At a certain point it becomes demeaning. I am 44 years old and reasonably smart. It also takes advantage of my vulnerable writing style and makes me not want to do it. Though of course you can write what you like, and I can say what I feel about it. I probably wouldn't disable comments but I might just put a disclaimer up.
Of course I'm not happy, that is going from one extreme to the other. But that's not the main point of these pieces, otherwise I could just put up a note saying I'm suicidal, rather than work hard on a piece of writing.
Not that your comment was so bad, you just happened to be the hundredth comment telling me how to live, even though yours was relatively mild I have had so much of it over recent days.
My humble suggestion is people just enjoy the writing or engage with the ideas, if there are any. Perhaps these pieces are just misery memoirs, in which case the comments are right and I'll have to try harder. To me they are a kind of artistic expression when avenues for such things are blocked to people like me. But never mind, you don't get it because you're not on my side of it, seeing the exact same kind of comment multiple times a day.
June 8, 2026 (dated for context and reference) Thank you Nick for all of your responses this evening. One of my guiding principles is to be an asset to anyone I come into contact with in my life. Part of this is wanting to know that I have perhaps given someone a smile or a nice experience. Also, it means fewer enemies😁 If everyone else is happy, that means they won't bother me. 😉 So no harm no foul, Mate. Wishing you the very best and every success.. now and in the future. Warmly, Larry.
visit small art galleries in remote places, they will appreciate it. you can chat with the painter. they're legit. and small bands are easily found, playing to half a dozen people on a week night, places only serious people go, which makes it seem esoteric, special
The bread is stale and the circus is boring. Keep your head above water Nick mate and just remember we’re all in this together. Ride the tiger
Two excellent articles in one week - keep up the good work Nick and may God’s strength be with you 💪
Thanks Dan, glad you liked them.
Your writing at the moment is just refreshingly honest and brilliant.
It describes the same detachment I feel where everybody is going around pretending everything is OK and saying 'we're all fine' but deep down everything is a disaster and nobody is telling the truth.
I think it's a combination of distortion of our money, our culture, our borders and our heritage at the same time, by a pernicious marxist government with deep oikophobia. That's quite a lot to contend with.
Not sure if you're into investing Nick but a new book that really resonated with me recently was:
'2029: The End of America: Why the Age of Paper Money Is Ending And How to Survive the Coming Global Monetary Reset by Porter Stansberry'
It explains a lot. If that one interests you I have another, but you might not be quite so on board with the second one!
Thanks for your great writing.
Thanks David, glad you get it. Some just give me unsolicited life advice, which is becoming unbearable.
I finally might have a little bit to invest (for now), saved from when I was on tv. But was going to do something basic like S&P 500.
I honestly think you'll get loads out of that book. It is a lifetime of investment advice from an old sage of the industry.
From a cultural point of view we're under siege, so I think it's perfectly reasonable to feel like we're under siege! That book will at least feel like you are responding to it and defending yourself as best you can. It's well worth the kindle price of £7.40.
Despite this glowing review, I promise it wasn't me who wrote it.
Not sure if you follow Dominic Frisby, but he advocates something similar - his 'Dolce Far Niente' portfolio. Drop me a message if you're interested to know any more.
Another fabulous essay Nick. You have put into words how I am feeling. Keep going with your writing. Thankyou.
Thanks Joanne.
Great read.
Thanks Aiden.
It’s not just you. Everyone is fed up.
That’s a tough read at times. Keep going Nick, keep going.
Hopefully not stylistically.
Ha! No, subject matter and realism. Things, most things are fucked right now. Truly fucked…….but, only for the moment. How long that moment will last, is the demoralising part.
Get out of Londonistan, my friend. Take some long walks, get lost, then find a way home again.
Thanks. Though it’s a slightly unfortunate thing now that every piece I write, because of my style, attracts prescriptions rather than appreciation for the writing. Or more accurately it’s a split between both types of response.
It’s definitely appreciation but your style isn’t exactly uplifting 🙄 the genuine offers to help are so that you keep writing and don’t top yourself! 🤷♂️alternatively we can just say “go do it Nick, what’s the point of it all anyway” 🙄 meanwhile, just keep putting it into words most of us can’t 🤷♂️
Thanks but they are pieces of writing that I put a lot of work into, not suicide notes.
Lol! Your comments are like your writing! Strange that your focus is on the negative rather than the positive 😉
A very compelling article and exceptionally well written. Thank you Nick.
There's no such thing as a mid-life crisis.
Get into a garden more Nick, the animals, birds and insects are doing what they’ve done for millennia and it’s helps you think, fuck it, if humanity implodes these beautiful creatures will be better off! Silver linings! Keep looking for them 👍👍
Thanks, but I’d prefer people engage with the work rather than give unsolicited life advice.
Aren’t they doing both! Or is that not aloud! 🤦♂️
June 8, 2026 (dated for context and reference) Nick. P.S. I don't know I could forget, but Tech is one of my main interests. I build my own computers, and follow numerous YouTube Tech channel hosts. So many interests and so little time!😂
June 8, 2026 (dated for context and reference) My dear Mr. van Gogh... Errr.. I mean my Dear Nick.. I read your latest opus, and trust me, once again that is a compliment to you, because I have dyslexia and it takes me twice as long to read things as it does most people. Let's talk about me for a second.. well.. maybe a couple of minutes if you like. I will lay myself bare. 1) I'm going to be 85 in August. 2) I have adopted family that swear they love me, but just about never reach out to see how I'm doing, though they claim to be concerned. (When I die, they better not start crying about how much the miss me!🤨) Of course part of the reason is because I don't look or act my age, and they think I will keep going forever. I'm a loner.. kind of like a cat that needs the bare necessities from others. 3) At 84 I can't get laid, and don't think any of the women that are close in age to me, are very attractive🤷♂️ 4) I live in a "blue collar" city of about 114,000 people, and with my retirement funds. I can afford to live below my means, which means I'm wealthier than a lot of people I know. I actually have a savings 😮😊 Which a whole lot of people don't. Regardless of their incomes, some of them still live just about pay check to pay check. 5) I don't actually talk to people for days on end, but I do communicate with people through posts on various YouTube channels I watch, and leave comments, and I interact with people like yourself. Sometimes I get replies for good or ill🤨 6) I have many interests, and am a student of geopolitics, military subjects, gaming (I have a wonderful real life military simulator), and sociology to name a few. I get tens of newsletters about all kinds of things like entertainment🙄, History, Nature, News.. both real and BS.. (I'm looking at you BBC🤮). I'm never bored, or feel lonely, because as one video points out. The reason a lot of smart people, (forgive me for including myself in that category), don't have a lot of friends or interact with a lot of people. Because they know a lot people have negative personal traits, beliefs, and lifestyles they can't appreciate or want to be involved with.
Now..
About you. 🤨 I will concede that you have every right to feel the way you do, and with some good reason.
However.. part of me has to say.."Oh.. Please!" 1) You are in the prime of your life. 2) You are in good health. 3) You are educated and can do a number of things that could provide you with a reasonable income. 4) You have NO children to drive you to distraction, and that you constantly have to worry about. 5) You have a roof over your head and food on your table. 6) You know wonderful people like Leo, Paul, Simon, and yes.. our Lewis. 6) As I have been known to point out from time to time to the people in my family/social circle. We are some of the most fortunate people out of billions on this planet.
As far as the current state of Western society is concerned. I have ask you how you think I feel, as I watch the inmates take over the institution. A good part of the population in the West, are under educated, ignorant, over socialized, and narcissistic. They have never known "hard times" or war, and concern themselves with nearly non-existent racism.. (interesting that Caucasians are basically the ones that are accusing other Caucasians of it), and.. omg.. "micro-aggressions". Women in their somewhat worthy quest for reasonable empowerment. Have taken over just about all of the important cultural, human, and political institutions. The natural balance between men and women, and their place in a functioning society has been lost.
7) There are so many good things still happening in our society, and it is up to you to seek them out. I refer to people like your countryman.. well.. he is a Scot.. but.. the outstanding entertainment reviewer "The Critical Drinker", "Disparu" a Brit. and the American Nerdrotic. These guys are pulling in contributors, fans and viewing numbers that "legacy media" can only dream of. I'm old, and I follow these guys for both fun and information. For politics, one of my favorite people is Prof. Vincent Davis Hanson who is a Greek scholar and political pundit.
My point is Nick, is that you can wallow in the BS that partly makes up our society today, or, you can seek out people and things that you can appreciate, be involved with and enjoy. It is no good to wander around in a field covered in cow shit, and complain how the world sucks. Get out of the F ing field and find some pastures where there are flowers and good people that you have something in common with. It is possible, that it is just your nature to live the life you seem to be living, but I think that you are positive and smart enough not to let the obvious things that are wrong in life. Prevent you from enjoying it. Stay well Me Old Son. Most sincerely, Larry Moran, Connecticut, U.S. of A.😊👋
Hi Larry, thanks for the comment. Very interesting to learn about your life. However, the part about my life rubbed me the wrong way. People seem to take these pieces as a green light to tell me how to live my life.
One, these are supposed to be artistic or at least interesting pieces to be engaged with as such. Therefore engage with the ideas or the writing rather than telling me what's wrong with me (which no one commenting here has any real clue about, because they don't know me).
Two, by writing these pieces I AM doing something. I can't publish in any traditional way for the reasons cited here. For more see this article on how my generation was destroyed by DEI, https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-lost-generation/. Woke/DEI pushed me out of comedy after over a decade of work, and would now prevent me publishing writing, and so on. However, by having a Substack I am making the best of it.
Three, my style of using my personal life allows the literal minded to give me all kind of prescriptions, but again that is part of my writing style. You wouldn't tell Holden Caulfield to sort himself out, and that principle should apply here, at least to some degree.
You are older so perhaps it is natural to give advice, and one should always respect one's elders. But if you step back you may see that these pieces aren't just about complaining, but are supposed to be read, if not as literary works, then at least as pieces of writing. It's certainly not just you doing this, so perhaps it is something I'm doing wrong. But I suspect it's the nature of the medium and my style. I may disable comments if it keeps happening because no one has any clue about me really, and many don't understand what they are reading.
Best,
Nick
June 8, 2026 (dated for context and reference) Dear Nick. My sincerest apologies. It cuts me to the quick to think that I have annoyed you, or anyone. I admit that I probably didn't understand what your writing as it was meant to be. I hate giving advice generally, and usually say things like.. "Well my experience is such..". I promise from now on to keep my mouth shut and keep my thoughts to myself in regards to your writing. Further, I have to ask why you would consider closing the comments, if you purpose is to reach out to people with your thoughts? You can of course just publish your thoughts without any interaction from others. I have to say I'm a little confused by what it is that you actually expect from your fans and followers. I hope that you will note that aside from my comments about what you wrote, that I too opened myself up for you and others to read. It is my compliment to you that I spent quite a bit of time writing my comments, when I could have been doing other things. I'm a private person like yourself, but I like to interact with people that I think are intelligent and have something to say.
So.. once again I apologize and will be extremely careful when and if I post anything again. Obviously, I wish you the very best, and am very happy that you ARE living the life that you are happy with.
Stay well Sir.
Most sincerely,
Larry Moran
Hi Larry, have a look through the comments on particularly the last piece and you'll see there is endless unsolicited life advice, admittedly mixed with nice comments.
The point is I work hard on the writing and I'd rather people engaged with that rather than a thousand variations of 'chin up' or 'take vitamins'. At a certain point it becomes demeaning. I am 44 years old and reasonably smart. It also takes advantage of my vulnerable writing style and makes me not want to do it. Though of course you can write what you like, and I can say what I feel about it. I probably wouldn't disable comments but I might just put a disclaimer up.
Of course I'm not happy, that is going from one extreme to the other. But that's not the main point of these pieces, otherwise I could just put up a note saying I'm suicidal, rather than work hard on a piece of writing.
Not that your comment was so bad, you just happened to be the hundredth comment telling me how to live, even though yours was relatively mild I have had so much of it over recent days.
My humble suggestion is people just enjoy the writing or engage with the ideas, if there are any. Perhaps these pieces are just misery memoirs, in which case the comments are right and I'll have to try harder. To me they are a kind of artistic expression when avenues for such things are blocked to people like me. But never mind, you don't get it because you're not on my side of it, seeing the exact same kind of comment multiple times a day.
June 8, 2026 (dated for context and reference) Thank you Nick for all of your responses this evening. One of my guiding principles is to be an asset to anyone I come into contact with in my life. Part of this is wanting to know that I have perhaps given someone a smile or a nice experience. Also, it means fewer enemies😁 If everyone else is happy, that means they won't bother me. 😉 So no harm no foul, Mate. Wishing you the very best and every success.. now and in the future. Warmly, Larry.
visit small art galleries in remote places, they will appreciate it. you can chat with the painter. they're legit. and small bands are easily found, playing to half a dozen people on a week night, places only serious people go, which makes it seem esoteric, special