A pledge is a sacred agreement between two people. It can be a sacred agreement between 2 establishments, multiple people, or singular people towards an establishment, but whatever it may be, the premise of a pledge is a solemn promise.
One can make a pledge once in a lifetime. One can make multiple pledges in a lifetime, forgotten pledges, renewed pledges. American students perform the pledge of allegiance daily. Countries make a pledge to end war. Wedding vows are a pledge to each other, renewed vows are renewed pledges. Employees make pledges to employers, and banks to customers, and this past week I have experienced what it is like to receive a pledge. I received, for the first time since starting my substack, my very first pledge last week. I announced it with pure excitement, and then something shocking happened. I received another pledge then another, and before I knew it my work was being financially rewarded.
This was never the plan from the start. I write because I enjoy doing so. What I share is a minuscule comparison of the colossal writing I have archived, and the writing that does make it goes through editing and alterations in one way or another before it makes it to the masses. If my writing then was meant to be read by all, what do my pledging subscribers get? What coerced them into pledging in the first place? This was the most shocking part of all, as my pledging subscribers get nothing different compared to my free subscribers and their act of pledging was a result of the kindness of their hearts. It is at this that I thought to do something. To make a pledge myself, to you the reader.
A pledge of commodity, of anonymity, companionship, and above all else, guidance. Through an advice column, I pledge to be the beacon of light for those navigating through the dark. I pledge to become a listening ear for those who need it the most. To give advice to those seeking guidance the most. To share bits of wisdom that I have learned over the years. Every voice matters and I am content if only one person feels heard. If only one person feels seen. I am here to form a safe space, to give advice, to nurture, to welcome, and to guide. Everybody is welcome to seek guidance through the submission form here and contribute to the topics in the comments. Together, we can gradually grow as a group of scattered people, and lift one another up as one would like to be uplifted. Remember that if you speak up, then other people will be encouraged to do so too.
From the very beginning through the personal essays, in which I share my personal guidance on situations I have experienced and gained wisdom, I have strived to help. In discussing "What to Do When You Feel Like Doing Nothing", "Don’t Just See What’s Around You, Observe", and "Reject Imagination, Accept Reality", there are a plethora of daily experiences in which one can improve through adopting personal reflections. This advice column is similar in the sense it attempts to tackle these situations, but what's different is that it pertains to specific scenarios. Anything that plagues the mind can be discussed and the conversations are not limited to specific types of problems.
Navigating through relationships, being stuck in a dilemma, etiquette advice, moral discussions, toxic friendships, negative self-talk, narcissistic family members, body image issues; anything and everything is welcomed and will be approached through a stoic perspective and emotional maturity, not a biased and unrealistic view. Disclaimer however, I am not a professional and any advice I give will be from personal experience and wisdom. I do advise you to speak to a licensed professional or the law for matters in which it is out of my ability to aid.
Appropriately named A Scholars Pledge, this advice column aims to give back to the wonderful community by unburdening the thoughts that plague the dear reader's minds. Although the idea came to me after being touched by the kindness of my pledging subscribers, this advice column is meant for everyone, paying and non-paying subscribers. The question remains, then, what do the paying subscribers get? For now, I am not too sure myself, and I wanted to focus on all my subscribers who got me to this point because it was every last one that liked, read, and commented that encouraged me to continue writing as I do. In the future I hope to have thought of something, maybe utilizing the chat feature, but for now, everything remains free so only those with this knowledge may pledge if they feel inclined to do so.
The submission column remains open starting from this post. Please feel free to submit anything you feel the need to discuss and be as detailed as possible. Advice columns post will alternate weekly from the other series, every Sunday. Through navigating these questions together, let us all pledge for a healthy and flourishing community of scattered scholars!