Andrew Sullivan, ex-blogger, and me
So, Andrew Sullivan has finally bit the blogging dust and quit.
You might say, “Who cares?” I don’t, particularly; it’s been a long, long time since I’ve been a reader of his. Sullivan went off the deep end prior to the 2004 election, and ever since has been in a long and winding downward spiral. Others have described the sad story, so I’ll just quote one of them:
The obsession with Trig Palin’s parentage alone should have made Andrew Sullivan the laughingstock of the Blogosphere, but Sullivan, always willing and eager to double down on lunacy, decided that for his next trick, he would hate on Israel so much, that he would and could reasonably be accused of anti-Semitism. “Something Much Darker”, indeed. It is, to be sure, possible to criticize Israeli foreign policies without sounding and acting like an anti-Semitic loon, but the evidence shows quite plainly that Sullivan failed spectacularly to do so.
So you may wonder why I’m even taking note of Sullivan’s departure from blogging. Well, it’s for personal reasons: you might actually say that it’s because of Sullivan that I became a blogger myself. When I first began reading blogs around 2002, back when Sullivan actually seemed to have some reasonable things to say, his was one of the blogs I read daily. He used to feature one email a day from a reader, something he thought particularly noteworthy and wanted to highlight. He didn’t have comments (I don’t think his blog ever featured comments, which I think was a failing), but he had huge traffic back then, and if your email was published there it was assured a very wide audience.
I took to writing him quite regularly with my own point of view, and Sullivan (or some aide or interne there) seemed to like what I had to say, because my email was often featured. But after a year or two of this, one day when my son was visiting me he said, “Why are you working so hard for Andrew Sullivan?”
His point was that I was spending hours on these emails to Sullivan, which were really tantamount to blog posts, and why? “Why not start your own blog?” he added.
This was an idea that literally had never occurred to me before. I’m not at all sure that, without my son asking me that question, it ever would have occurred to me. As soon as he asked it I rejected the idea. “Never!” I said. “I’ll never do that!”
But my son went to Blogger and showed me how easy it was to set one up. “No!” I said. Not interested.
But in a spirit of fun, he asked me to choose a name for the blog, a color, a template, and he designed one for me. It took about five minutes, and there it was.
“I’ll never use it,” I assured him. “You’re wasting your time.”
“Well, it’ll be there anyway, just in case you change your mind.”
I didn’t change my mind, at least not right away. The first few posts I put up there a while later were just copies of emails I’d sent to Sullivan which had been published on his blog, and I published them on my own blog out of boredom and just to see how the whole process worked. I didn’t have a sitemeter, because there didn’t seem to be any traffic on the blog and I didn’t expect that there ever would be.
The election of 2004 came and went, and I hardly ever posted anything. But in February of 2005, for reasons I no longer recall (although I wish I did), I decided to post more often, although not yet every day, to see what would happen if I tried to do this blogging thing in a more serious way.
What had changed my mind? I don’t know; my recollection is that it was just an idea that came one day, an experiment: if I post nearly every day, and try to network with other bloggers and send them links, what would happen? I figured I’d try it for a month or two—and install a sitemeter, to monitor my progress—and if nothing changed I’d give it up. Things took off much more quickly than I’d thought they would, thanks in no small measure to helpful and simpatico bloggers such as the late Norm Geras, Dr. Sanity, and Gerard Vanderleun of American Digest. The rest, as they say, is history.
How interesting. I never knew of your connection to Sullivan’s blog, which is the first one I ever read. I gave up on him when 9 out of 10 posts were about gay marriage. I found it tedious and moved on (The Corner). Funny, I should end up with yours as my all-time favorite and the one I make time for.
Blame it on superior to outstanding expositions.
In the time of the apparat, the two-eyed gal will be queen.
What a great story! I’m certainly glad that you started blogging on your own.
Like you, I used to read Andrew Sullivan’s blog daily, but that was before he went insane. Of course, I used to be a card-carrying member of the Democratic party — before they lost their minds.
As Vanderleun would say, “Something Wonderful!” So glad you have taken on this task and shared with us all these years!
Thanks, neoneocon son.
So we owe Sullivan a debt of gratitude for your blog, neo?
Boy, talk about leaving a bad taste in the mouth.
BRAVO!! Thanks for the background story N-Neo.
I’ve theorized that his longtime HIV has done major qualitative damage to his formerly admirable brain. I still maintain that one of the very best pieces ever written on Billy Bubba Clinton’s pathology was Sully’s(as TRB)Feb or March 2001 column in TNR entitled, “Psycho”.
What a nice story about you son. It’s usually the other way around, you know.
I loved Sullivan’s “View from your window”, but seldom visited after he went off the deep end.
I am very glad that you did decide to blog. I enjoy your posts as well as the comments that are posted by your very smart readers. I used to read Dr. Sanity as well but she decided to also stop blogging which to me was a shame.
I too am starting to dip my toes into blogging and twitter albeit on extremely technical subjects. Hopefully some of your blogging luck will rub off on me. 🙂
Thanks for telling the story of how you started blogging. It’s good to know that Andrew Sullivan served some useful purpose, since I’m otherwise distressed at his extraordinary influence.
Michael Totten’s blog was one of the first that I regularly read, and I think I found your blog through his. It’s been a long time. From the beginning, your good writing has been a draw, but I just went back and read some of the early posts, and I was struck by how much you’ve improved.
I hope you someday write a “how-to” guide. I can’t help but wonder how you do it.
Please thank your son for me!
I just donated $150 to sustain and, hopefully, to help Neo reach more people. I was introduced to Neo in 2008 by Cinnamon Stilwell. I quickly came to read this blog much more regularly than any other. Neo’s posts are carefully researched and thought out, and then beautifully written. Her choice of topics, even the artsy one, suits me me incredibly well. Like Thomas Sowell, there are no unnecessary words and subtle distinctions are made by their choices of words.
I’m grateful to NeoConScum for having pointed me in your direction. A few short months ago.
And for your son’s gentle prodding.
And for your curiosity.
And for the one or two times I actually read Sullivan so that I’m familiar with who it is who influenced you.
It sounds as if yours has been a rewarding journey.
However, I am most grateful for you having come to your senses. That process of shedding your inner emotive child while searching for your rational self. That one you now refer to as, neo-neocon.
I didn’t know of your connection to Sullivan either. I remember when he was considered a conservative, but I never was a regular reader.
This post got me thinking about how I was introduced to blogs. In 2001 my mom died, and my dad was living by himself in his house. His health was deteriorating, and on September 9 I began the process of moving in with him. Two days later 9/11 happened. (I like to say that my life was already turned upside down before then.)
It took me a few months to clear out the house enough to enable me to move my stuff in. During that time I gave away my old computer, which was already obsolete. I was pretty much only using it for e-mail towards the end. For a couple of years I didn’t have a computer at home.
I had one at work, though, and in the wake of 9/11 I began obsessively reading news online. I would often stay an hour or so after work to catch up. That’s when I discovered blogs, by following links. So it was late 2001 or early 2002 when I began reading them. Some of the earliest ones I remember were Instapundit, Rachel Lucas (I remember that Bill Whittle got his start as a commenter on her blog), Michele Catalano (I don’t remember the name of her blog), Steven den Beste’s USS Clueless, Belmont Club (before Richard Fernandez joined PJM), Frank J.’s IMAO, and Little Green Footballs. Many of them linked to each other at the time.
It wasn’t until 2004 that I bought a new computer to use at home. That’s when I started commenting. I don’t think I did more than read when I was reading them after work.
I think I might have started commenting here as early as 2005.
I was also an early reader of Andrew Sullivan’s blog. This was back in the days when I was just starting to move from the far left to the middle and then, influenced to some degree by Sullivan, a bit to the right. I once wrote a personal note to tell him how his writings had changed my way of thinking and my life, and he was kind enough to respond by saying that I had always had a bit of conservative in me and that his writing just helped me to bring it out. I was so grateful to him. And then he changed. . . .
rickl:
I am able to do a search for your earliest comment. You are correct, it was in December of 2005.
Did Sullivan give up blogging because it was increasingly difficult for him to act as a daily apologist for the failed policies of Obama? I imagine even his warped mind couldn’t deal with that.
Thanks, neo. Maybe my memory isn’t as bad as I think it is. 🙂
Andrew Sullivan. Hm-m-m-m. As Cowper says, “God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform…” Neo-Neo, you are a wonder. Since discovering you I find that every time the news blindsides me (or at least causes an eye-roll) I instinctively want to click on your site for a well-reasoned perspective.
Neo,
Sullivan’s blog was one of the first for me too and I used to write emails to him as well. I remember the excitement I felt whenever he published one. At his best he was very good and I was sad to realize that there was nothing there for me anymore. I think he was, as so many of us were, shaken to his core by 9/11, but as time passed his leftist roots reasserted themselves. But that doesn’t begin to explain the sudden decline of a once rational mind.
The world and indeed my life would be utterly changed if you had not started blogging and reaching out to other bloggers.
Who is he going to work for next, CAIR, ACLU, or MPAA?
Leftism is almost like a living virus. The more sections of the brain it takes over, the more reason and conscience dies. Ebola plus zombie virus. But like cancer, it has some resurgences, such as Horo’s attempt to splice off American history concerning FDR via book reviews. People are not completely cured, especially if they feel guilt about something as Leftism thrives on guilt, unresolved.
Horo’s guilt for getting one of his fellows killed by involving with the Black Panthers, isn’t really going to be resolved by either faction or side.
Well, I guess we owe a thanks to Sullivan. But, more than that we owe a thanks to your son. Thanks son! And, more, we owe a thanks to you for all of your wonderful postings.
I, too, enjoyed his earlier blog postings; and then he went deranged.
But, still I stopped by every so often for a “view from your window.”
A few people have speculated that AIDS meds mess with your mind.
I used to read Sullivan, not often, until he changed which, iirc, was when Bush wanted to defend the concept of man-woman marriage. After which Sullivan became unreadable. Interesting if everything Sullivan seemed to believe had to be deep-sixed on account of SSM.
But that’s not uncommon. I know people who are swallowing every principle they ever had, or which it seemed they had, to defend Obama.
Here is how I got to your blog, and Andrew Sullivan was an essential link. Around 1998, I heard Anne Lamott on “Whad’ya Know?” on NPR. Intrigued by this crazy, funny woman who also said she was a Christian, I looked her up online, and found her articles at Salon. Although I was conservative, mostly, even back then, I started reading Salon.com every day. That led to Andrew Sullivan, who also wrote for Salon. I began to read his blog every day. He started linking to Instapundit when Glenn Reynolds started that blog, and I eventually started reading daily. From Instapundit, I found Ann Althouse, Powerline, Maggie’s Farm, and several other blogs that are no longer active, such as Dr. Sanity, whom I greatly miss. At some point I gave up on Sullivan, his rants, his beagles, and his increasingly rare insights. He was great for awhile, though.
And Neo-Neocon! I check your site every day, and try to send a lot of my Amazon purchases through your portal. Your blog is a wonderful gem, and I have learned so much through it. Thank you, Neo!
Some nice memories here. I started reading the blogosphere shortly after 9/11. I was thirsting for information about everything related to politics and world affairs. I remember reading Andrew Sullivan and Little Green footballs early on when they were still making some sense.
One day I stumbled onto Shrinkwrapped’s blog. His was the first blog I began to read daily and to offer comments. Then I listened to the weekly blog broadcasts that you did with Shrinkwrapped, Siggy, and Dr. Sanity. Always enjoyed those. Your four blogs became my daily reads. Yes, I need psychiatric counseling on a regular basis. 🙂 Sadly, Shrinkwrapped, Siggy, and Dr. Sanity have all shutdown. I’m awfully glad you haven’t quit. Like other commenters have pointed out, your blog is a place of information, sanity, and encouragement. It’s also very well written. May you blog long and prosper.
Wonderful story neo, like mother, like son & vice versa ! You do realize that WHEN the democrats
re fashion the (old, out dated Bill of Rights thingy) YOU will be required to have a license
in order to blog !
And of course you ll only be able to obtain one after a substantial fee to the FBBM (federal bureau of Blogs ministry headed by the rehabilitated Lois Lerner) who will be receiving a 6 figure salary for her *job* of silencing any dissenters from the Democrat *we know what’s best for you* Party line. Ms Lerner’s pro bio can read that she honed her craft working for the Democrats as they politicized the IRS into going after the Obama administration *enemies* & Ms lerner was so successful at stone walling Congress & avoiding any consequences for her actions that *she was the natural choice* for
Reid & Pelosi to head up this *new* big Government department !
So glad your son made that first blogger site and got you to at least consider it! And that you made those first few posts! Your blog is a real source of insight and as I’ve said, one I send my more lefty friends to — if they express any interest in a different opinion. It is funny how things start! Just on a whim or a moment of well — why not?
As for Sullivan, I guess I should thank him also, and that’s interesting you started with him. I can see why since he’s a different sort of conservative and now barely even a conservative at all — I guess. I mean being gay he’s off the beaten path. But he has gone off the deep end long ago. I rarely read him though I did more at one time, even before my political change and I think once I began it, he was someone I deigned to read now and again. But he was so out there about Palin and liked Obama so much and I wondered what had happened to him! I mean, he was thoroughly crushed out on Obama and his stories about Palin were so weird. I am shocked anybody read him at all after that! Did he hit his head on something? Heh – I mean, he really seemed to be out there.
I didn’t even bother to read most of the Israel stuff… he is a good stylist though and can manage to sound sane and reasonable and clever, even when he is being completely daft. Well, at least he got you started – that’s a good thing!