An Alternative to Toxic Social Media

“Thanks to the likes of Musk and Zuckerberg, social media is simply getting worse. Much, much worse.”

• Time Magazine, Jan 10, 2025

Mark Zuckerberg recently announced the end of content moderation by Meta employees, saying the community would take over.

The moment Elon Musk removed the guardrails on Twitter/X, hate speech surge: Anti-LBGTQ sentiments, anti-semitic slurs, the use of the N-word. Now Facebook, Instagram and Threads, all owned by Meta, are heading the same direction. Political posts are skyrocketing – and so is the hate. Research shows that 41% of Americans, and approximately 70% of LGBTQ, have personally experienced online harassment. 

Then there’s the AI slop. Just look at your feed. You’re likely to find it cluttered with ads for products and services you could care less about. Some of which make no sense because they’ve been generated by AI.

Fortunately, there is an alternative to the madness. 

The past few years have seen the rise of communities that exist beyond social media. Chances are, you know of at least one on Substack, for example Elizabeth Gilbert’s Letters from Love. Here, Gilbert and her fans post their daily writing about encouraging words they write, messages from Love/ God/ the Universe / the Divine.

As we venture into the already fire-ravaged future, we need love, support and community more than ever. I know I do. Hearing that so many friends and loved ones lost homes or were evacuated or suffered horrid air in LA during the first few weeks of January truly broke my heart.

We need each other. Safe from vitriol, abuse, and AI Slop. Full of love, support, encouragement, and beauty.

Aloha,

MeiMei

Writing Tip of the Week

Find a Substack that inspires you – one created by a favorite author, such as Liz Gilbert.

And… Join us in The Story Cure, our new online community! 

We bring together undiscovered voices so you can transform your talent into creations that will be seen, heard, and remembered.

The Story Cure is not a traditional writing group, but rather a community that merges the ancient wisdom of storytelling with accountability and support.

Through our publishing, writing and producing expertise and the relationships you’ll form with like-minded creatives, you will stay on track, succeed with positive feedback and support, and make valuable industry connections.

By the end of the year, you’ll have made at least one new friend, finished a creation, and showcased your work within our community, if not the world. You’ll be proudly calling yourself a Storyteller. 

Join us. 

Our goal is to:

• Launch our writing and storytelling into the world: Books, short stories, poems, Substack blogs, magazine articles, children’s books, podcasts and documentary films
• Establish and grow our platforms
• Develop a sustainable career as a creative
• Improve our craft
• Forge professional relationships with colleagues
• Truly connect our writing with readers

Your Investment: Free for the first month. Then just $10/ month. Give it a try!

The Story Cure has a paywall not to exclude, but to honor the space as a sanctuary for storytelling, healing, and growth. It represents a commitment to mutual care, where contributions support the health of the community—financially, emotionally, and creatively. The paywall isn't a barrier; it's a threshold that ensures members are invested in co-creating a space rooted in shared values, vulnerability, and accountability.

In addition to opportunities to co-write with others in our twice-weekly Coffee House Coworking, you can share stories in Show & Tell, drop in for expert sessions, and apply to Take the Stage and speak in front of a virtual audience. You’ll also meet a bunch of other cool people like us and like you. 

We’re here for you. We’re here for each other. No trolls or AI Slop allowed.

Quote of the Week

Human connections are deeply nurtured in the field of shared story.

• Jean Houston, Author