Novelist, essayist, and editor-at-large of County Highway newspaper Walter Kirn discusses starting a print-only paper centered on the middle of the country. They delve into the loss of touch with the country during Covid, the importance of reading in a non-tracking media, and the orchestration of pandemic responses by privileged individuals. They cover the gender division caused by the toilet paper shortage, the use of irony for social control, and the skepticism towards Covid restrictions.
The County Highway newspaper aims to provide a new reading experience, engaging readers at a deeper level and offering a perspective outside mainstream media.
Print media can create a new framework for confronting the modern world and allow readers to escape the distractions and biases of internet journalism.
The pandemic has provided an opportunity for new old-fashioned media, like County Highway, to break the trance of the internet and social media and offer a different experience.
Personal freedom and the ability to question absurd restrictions and limitations imposed during the pandemic are crucial, as highlighted by Walter Kern's concept of peasant wisdom.
Deep dives
The Pandemic and the PJ Party
During the early days of the pandemic, the speaker observed people's behavior that resembled a faux apocalypse. They were comfortably staying at home, in their PJs, with their electronic devices, enjoying the sense of importance in following the imposed restrictions. The speaker felt that people chose to stay in this comfortable trance, despite the absurd restrictions and trance-breaking absurdities, like arresting someone for going to the beach. The pandemic became a live-action role-playing scenario, with different roles and identities. The speaker had a contrasting perspective and highlighted the importance of retaining personal freedom and avoiding the submission to this new normal.
County Highway: A Return to Untracked Media
Walter Kern, a novelist, literary critic, essayist, and editor, started the County Highway newspaper, a 19th-century-style paper that focuses on the middle of the country, where people have lost touch with each other, especially during COVID. The paper aims to create a new internet of hand-to-hand, person-to-person interaction by using a medium that doesn't track or pander to the current trends of internet journalism. The newspaper provides a different reading experience, engaging readers at a deeper level and offering a perspective outside the mainstream media. Kern also discussed the effects of reading in print and how it can create a new framework for confronting the modern world.
The Psychological Impact of COVID Restrictions
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people experienced various psychological changes, including heightened anxiety, doom-scrolling, and a sense of disconnect from reality. The speaker discussed the human desire for novelty and the potential for new old-fashioned media, like County Highway, to offer a different experience that breaks the trance of the internet and social media. They also mentioned the importance of acknowledging and surviving difficult moments, like witnessing a shooting, and how it can lead to a deep processing of trauma. The speaker expressed optimism that humanity's desire for novelty and the need to try new things will ultimately bring positive change.
Migration and Ideological Shifts
The speaker highlighted the ongoing migration and ideological shifts happening in the country. They mentioned their own experiences, moving from California to Montana and feeling more comfortable being at the crossroads. The speaker expressed their disappointment with California's handling of the pandemic and the division between people following the approved narrative and questioning it. They also discussed the concept of peasant wisdom and emphasized the importance of personal freedom, especially in the face of absurd restrictions and limitations imposed during the pandemic.
Conflict in Israel and Palestine
The recent conflict between Israel and Palestine has sparked widespread concern and debate. On October 7th, Hamas launched an invasion of Israel, resulting in a high number of casualties and escalating tensions in the region. The death toll has continued to rise, with civilians from both sides being affected. The situation has caused fear and anxiety among Jewish communities worldwide, with increased security measures being implemented to protect synagogues and schools. The anti-Semitism that has emerged during this conflict, both online and in protests, has raised alarm bells, making it clear that the fight against this age-old prejudice is far from over. The complexity of the Israel-Palestine conflict has led to diverse perspectives, but the need for dialogue, understanding, and a peaceful resolution remains crucial.
Anti-Semitism and the Left
The recent events in Israel and Palestine have exposed the ugly face of anti-Semitism, particularly on the left. The rise of anti-Semitic sentiment masked as criticism of Israeli policies is deeply concerning. From social media to university campuses, this anti-Semitism has manifested in various forms, including Holocaust denial and victim-blaming. The left, which prides itself on progressivism, must confront and address this issue within its own ranks. The historical context of anti-Semitism and the ongoing threat faced by Jewish communities must not be ignored. It is essential to separate legitimate criticism of Israeli policies from anti-Semitic rhetoric and to stand united against all forms of hate.
The Human Impact
Beyond the geopolitical complexities, it is crucial to remember the human impact of the Israel-Palestine conflict. The lives lost, the families affected, and the fear experienced by individuals on both sides cannot be overlooked. The conflict has brought immense suffering to ordinary people, exacerbating tensions and perpetuating a cycle of violence. Amidst the arguments and political debates, it is important to empathize with the human toll of this conflict and strive for peace, justice, and reconciliation for all those involved.
Bridget sits down with the great Walter Kirn, novelist, essayist, and editor-at-large of the new print-only newspaper County Highway. Walter shares why he and David Samuels decided to start a 19th century style paper centering attention on the middle of the country rather than the edges, the feeling that the country has lost touch with itself - especially during Covid, and the importance of reading something in a media that doesn’t track you or count your clicks or pander to your opinions. They discuss the disembodiment of our era, their shared desire to get beyond addiction, watching people panic during Covid, and seeing the responses to Covid being orchestrated at the highest levels by people with the most privilege while they waged a devastating war against the middle class and poorest people. They cover the roles people got to play during the pandemic and how important it made them feel, why the toilet paper op was a way to divide the genders, the way that irony is deliberately used to keep people at bay and submissive, turning the internet into a weapon for social control, and how every bit of peasant wisdom in Walter's body told him he was being had when it came to the Covid restrictions.
