Handful of Earth provides grounded analysis of culture, politics, and technology in an increasingly groundless world. Topics range from moral philosophy to music, education to ecology, and American race politics to artificial intelligence.
Why Subscribe?
Do you feel like today’s political climate puts you in a box that you don’t fit in? Are you dissatisfied with contemporary art and culture but can’t figure out why? Do you find yourself frustrated with the assumptions that underpin discussions of science and technology?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then read on.
Much of my writing at Handful of Earth addresses so-called “culture war” issues, but I reject the impulse to pander to a predictable crowd. I strive instead to intervene in these debates in unconventional ways, ways that don’t conform to one familiar, pre-packaged narrative. As I have argued on Handful of Earth, narrative should not replace the quest for truth.
It is also not enough to be unconventional for unconventionality’s sake. The political, cultural, and technological moment we are currently living in demands unconventional approaches grounded in principled thinking. If we’ve learned anything from history, today’s unorthodoxies can become tomorrow’s orthodoxies, today’s counterculture can be incorporated into tomorrow’s dominant culture, and today’s dissidents can become accomplices in tomorrow’s “new normal.”
That’s why I avoid the construction of new, comforting—or, for that matter, “edgy”—narratives. Instead, Handful of Earth is committed to commentary and analysis rooted in the sincere search for truth.
If you value this framework, you can subscribe to Handful of Earth below, where all of my content is currently free to everyone. If you’re already subscribed and would like to see Handful of Earth expand in the future, you can pledge your support.
Publication Schedule
Weekly Groundings are published every Friday and highlight key news, links, and writing from the previous week.
Monthly Musings are published during the last week of the month. In each Monthly Muse, I recap content from the past month of Handful of Earth, offer some freewheeling reflections, and share a quote or passage that I’ve found especially thought-provoking.
Essays, Articles, Reviews, and Interviews are published as inspiration strikes and time permits. I strive for quality over quantity, so your inbox will not be flooded with contrived content.
Archived content is organized by category on the navigation bar of Handful of Earth.
About Me
I am a writer, researcher, and musician. I have a background in left political activism but have recognized that the left-right divide in America has broken down and given way to entirely new social configurations which promise to radically transform the future. The desire to make sense of and help shape these emerging configurations is the driving force behind Handful of Earth.
In my day job, I conduct doctoral research in music at the University of Pennsylvania, where I study the global interplay of jazz and South Asian music. All views expressed on Handful of Earth are my own.
To learn more about my activities outside of Substack, see my personal website.
