My Top Five Posts of 2024

A look back at what readers liked most

It’s the end of the year and I am looking back at this Substack and the things I wrote in this public journal of sorts. I’ve published 121 posts since starting this project. A visual inspection of the stats suggests my average post gets a little over 300 views. Not huge, but enough to keep me on my toes. I’ve never had the discipline to write a journal for myself. But, knowing that I have an audience—even a modest one—shakes off the dust of idleness. So thank you, dear readers. This Substack literally wouldn’t be possible without you.

To close out this year, I thought I would take a look at what Substack has identified as my top five posts.

1 A Drinker’s Excuse

This post got a huge uptick in views when I commented on Holly MathNerd’s substack. She solicited comments about math-phobia for a book she is writing. I responded with a link to “A Drinker’s Excuse.” She highlighted my comment and generously pointed her readers to my post. It’s the closest I’ve come to going viral. 63 likes. 19 comments. 36 new subscriptions. 1.5K people read it.

What’s this post about? An observant reader wrote this in the comment section, “I kind of feel it wasn’t being bad at math that lead [sic] to you drinking but your predisposition to massively reorder your world view to justify your actions rather than admit failure …”

2 What’s the Harm in Harm Reduction

This is probably my favorite post. I take a harm-reduction stance in my work. But California has taken it too far. In their case, harm reduction led to policies that actually support drug use and provide people with the means and opportunity to ruin their lives.

I feel a bit vindicated because California has repealed the laws that made it impossible to prosecute anyone who shoplifted less than $1000 dollars. They’ve passed Prop 36, which makes some thefts a felony. Irrespective of the particulars of various Propositions, I stand by my assertion that substance abuse and crime should be prosecuted. Anything less is a tacit admission that we, as a society, don’t think addicts are worth our time, and we’re fine letting you destroy yourself.

3 The Idea of Trauma is Uniquely Christian

This is basically my recapitulation of the work of historian Tom Holland, Ethicist Nigel Bigger, and African Entrepreneur Magatte Wade. This piece is 54-year-old Jason having a heart-to-heart with 23-year-old Jason and explaining a few things about what is actually good and bad in the world. The fact that it happens to be about Trauma Therapy is incidental.

4 Trauma Therapy: A Weird Religion

Ugh. I’d probably write this very differently now. It’s a little too Daily Wire and not enough Rory Southerland. By that, I mean the snark and lack of charity toward my former profession aren’t all that helpful. I stand by the basic thesis that Trauma Therapy and Capital T Trauma have become an idol in our culture. But, if I wrote it now, I would take a Mars Hill approach: “People of the 21st Century, I see that you are very compassionate in all respects; you even have an altar to An Unknown Trauma. . . “

5 Why I dislike Maslow’s Pyramid

The title of this piece still capitalizes on snark and lack of charity. But, I conclude the post on a more winsome note, perhaps reflecting a bit of Tim Keller.

Thoughts about my top posts

My first real post on Substack outlined my purpose in writing here. I explained that this would be a messy place, full of contradictory thoughts. I also let it be known that I would not always be congenial and that my attitude and thoughts would convict me of crimes against civility. “If you are looking for a place to condemn me with my own words,” I wrote in September of 2023, “this will be the best place to find evidence.”

I certainly see some of my faults on display on this list. I’m snarkier and less charitable than my insights and intellect warrant. Four of the five posts are criticisms of something other people revere. That’s not an accident. It’s pride.

I derive a little too much pleasure from writing my version of the Bad Movie Review.

In person, I am far less combative and opinionated. My fingers type checks that my personality can’t cash. I go from Winston Churchill when writing to Woody Allen when reading criticism. So my resolution this year is to create posts that I could read out loud to my harshest critic and still be able to say that I followed this bit of Biblical advice:

¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. [Romans 12]

Wish me luck.

I’ll be pulling against what some media critics call “Audience Capture.” Audience Capture is what happens when writers deviate from their original vision because of the dopamine rush of likes and comments. Rather than manifesting their vision, they become a creation defined by the audience’s desires. According to this list of top posts, posts that are informative and/or complimentary to others’ ideas don’t do as well as critical pieces.

On a less critical note, there is still time to donate to Resilient Recovery Ministries’ end-of-the-year campaign. Click below if you want to be a part of a ministry that provides guidance and hope to individuals in addiction recovery.