Welcome to the paid membership program of Lord of Light. It is committed to providing in-depth thinking and lasting reading experiences in an age of information overload and shallow grazing. In this era of high-speed information development, placing oneself in a better position in the information source can help one better understand the world and the people in it. Oh, by the way, it can also help you better and as much as possible understand yourself, which is equivalent to putting yourself in a probability pool with greater chances of success.
If the news stories, whimsical thoughts, and happy moments in the free email newsletter of Lord of Light have made you laugh or started you thinking about problems you never thought of before, then we should both raise a glass to celebrate. In my opinion, it is like comfort food, which can warm your heart and dispel half of your fatigue on life's journey. It is not the best tasting, but you can still enjoy it, and it may not be the healthiest, but it can satisfy your body and mind and make you feel energised.
The paid newsletter of Lord of Light is like a cup of black coffee after a satisfying meal. I drink a lot of black coffee daily, and the paid newsletter is like observing the world after drinking black coffee. It covers areas including but not limited to technology, psychology, education, book reviews, and other humanities. As a "Bright King" member, you will receive four member newsletters per month, mainly consisting of original content. In addition, you will also continue to receive the free email newsletter. If you happen to enjoy the free email newsletter of Lord of Light, please feel free to recommend it to your friends and family.
In my opinion, these areas collectively form a window through which everyone can see the world's scenery. And the scenery we see shapes us, so the three pictures of me and others, me and the world, and me and myself become clear and moving. We don't need to know everything, but we do need to understand ourselves and the world more. Many times, a little more is enough. And as a long-standing form of record-keeping, words are the most faithful in recording this lasting value.
If you agree with the philosophy and approach of the Lord of Light email newsletter, you are welcome to become a paid member, and all member newsletters and free newsletters will be sent via email.
How to upgrade
Payment
You can subscribe to the paid email newsletter on Substack. It is recommended that you use its credit card payment. You can choose to pay monthly or annually, click the corresponding button, fill in your credit card information, and complete the payment. The settlement currency is the US dollar (USD), and the exchange rate for payments made in other currencies will be based on your bank's rate. The payee will be displayed as RENJIE XU or Noice Studio. Subscriptions support major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, etc.
If you prefer to use UnionPay, JCB, or other credit cards, or services such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, you can also subscribe to the member newsletter through the following link.
The email address you fill in on the payment page will be the member's email, and your membership will be valid from the date of successful payment. Before your membership expires, you will receive a renewal reminder.
Q&A
Q: How are the newsletters updated?
All newsletters are sent to your email address. After you join the newsletter, you will start receiving them in your email from the next issue. Of course, you can also view all past newsletters (including paid and free newsletters) on the Substack website.
Q: How can I unsubscribe from the newsletter or stop automatic payments?
If you want to unsubscribe, it is easy:
Credit card-paying members can log in to Substack anytime to cancel automatic renewal. After cancellation, the membership will expire and the subscription will be automatically cancelled.
For specific instructions and common questions, please email iamxurenjie@gmail.com.
Q: How often are the paid newsletters updated?
As mentioned earlier, there are four paid newsletters per month and occasional updates to free newsletters, which means at least five newsletters per month and at least 60 newsletters per year.
Q: Can you guarantee the update frequency?
I will take the commitment to the Lord of Light newsletter seriously. If there is an occasional interruption, please believe that all the content will be made up in a short time. If there is no update for more than one month in a row, I will waive the corresponding fee for all members who were enrolled at the time of the last update (reflected as a discount when renewing), and members who cancelled during that period will also receive a refund for the corresponding period.
Q: Are there any other membership benefits besides the newsletters?
The membership program has just launched, so there are not many additional exclusive benefits for members, but I have still prepared some gifts. If you are a Founding Subscriber, you will receive additional exclusive benefits from time to time. I aim to "under promise and over deliver."
Q: Will the paid newsletters participate in discussions on current events?
This newsletter does not deliberately avoid hot topics, but it does not actively chase after them either. All discussions on current events may have the characteristic of "wait a moment." Let things cool down and then discuss them, which may allow us to see the true nature of things more clearly. Of course, all fresh news can be seen in the free email newsletters.
Q: Do I need to read the work beforehand for some content in the paid newsletters (such as book reviews)?
All newsletters that involve spoilers will be clearly indicated in the title, and the content will not be concentrated at the beginning of the email. Of course, all review-type works will be related to the original work, so you can choose to read before or after. However, I prefer to talk about the extension of the work in review-type articles, rather than just the content of the book.
Q: Will there be any fiction or poetry for members?
All email newsletters (free or paid members) of Lord of Light will not include fictional works. Therefore, fictional works such as novels and poetry will not appear in email newsletters.
Q: Will there be tutorial-type articles in the newsletters?
The newsletters will include some of my thoughts on education, which may involve general methodology, but not specific tutorials. Newsletters are not suitable as a carrier for tutorials. There are better mediums such as videos, audio, or interactive AI, to do tutorials.
Q: Is Frank Xu the only author of the newsletters?
Currently, I am the only one writing all the free and paid newsletters. In the future, I may invite some of my friends to write specific content. The content of the invited authors' writing will also be in line with the basic philosophy of the Lord of Light newsletter, and they will receive corresponding remuneration.
Q: Are there any plans to create a membership podcast or video?
Currently, we are focusing on writing the newsletters and have no plans to create any membership audio or video programs. If there are many members, later on, there may be membership groups to facilitate communication. For now, we hope everyone enjoys the process of reading the free and paid newsletters.
Q: Why is it called Lord of Light?
Its name comes from a science fiction (fantasy) novel I read in junior high school - Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny. It blends mythology and religious history into a technological background, with wild imagination and grandeur. After reading it many times, I found that it discusses several basic issues: the meaning of eternal life, the social significance of deciding whether others have eternal life, and the relationship between human self and consciousness. These things completely opened up my eternal curiosity about philosophy and social sciences. Later on, I studied psychology and did research in linguistics. It was a seed planted in my restless youth, and through reading and thinking, it took me to faraway places. I also hope that this email newsletter will give you a different perspective and take you to better places. Because you deserve to go far.
Q: Will there be a bilingual version of the Lord of Light newsletter?
Yes. Starting recently, every issue of the Lord of Light email newsletter (including free and paid newsletters) will have both Chinese and English versions, and you can choose the language you want to read.