Breaking the Fourth Wall
Housekeeping, Fundraising, and Venting Frustrations
“The fourth wall is a conceptual barrier between those presenting some kind of a communication and those receiving it.”1
By
It is time, once again, dear Woke Watch Canada readers, to tear down that barrier that separates us. I didn’t build it, nor did I ask for it. However, for various reasons, it exists. It should be mentioned of course, that this barrier does serve somewhat of a purpose, for without it, what would a newsletter look like?
With proper structure and guidance, I see a thought-provoking and collegial atmosphere (much like, for the most part, as seen in the comments section of Woke Watch Canada). Without it, I envision a confusing and chaotic newsletter. But is structure and guidance to be considered part of a barrier that separates editor/writer and reader? If so, why think of it as a barrier at all? A barrier prevents things, while my intention with this newsletter is to empower things (anti-woke things).
Traditionally the concept applied to theatre, where occasionally an actor on stage would break the fourth wall by “making a reference to the fact that he is a performer in a play” or “by addressing the audience directly, or by responding to something that happens in the audience…”
Today I speak to readers directly as the editor and a contributing author of Woke Watch Canada.
First off, I welcome all new subscribers. Thank you for taking interest in this work! A special thank you to those who have chosen the paid subscription - your donations are invaluable, they are the fuel this newsletter could not survive without.
On that note, if you haven’t yet, please do consider upgrading to a paid membership.
We are currently sitting at a healthy 6% of the subscriber base who have opted for the paid tier (which can be considered a donation as it offers no special access to content). I remain committed to keeping all of the writing on Woke Watch Canada freely accessible to the public, however, I am appealing to readers for help in reaching a 10% target. The difference it would make in terms of the quality of work published in these pages, if our paid subscriber base increased to 10%, would greatly help push the Woke Watch Canada project in an exciting and positive direction I have recently been contemplating (keep reading for the details).
So, whatever barrier exists between my strategic thinking concerning the growth and operation of this anti-woke newsletter, and its readers, consider it broken.
As I alluded in today’s subtitle, I have frustration that needs a vent. I do not wish to download my anxieties onto readers, on the contrary I’m generally curious as to what readers think I should do about them. I would love to know: what do you good readers want from Woke Watch Canada? What do you think would make it better?
My personal frustration is simply knowing that there is so much culture wars nonsense happening all over Canada, but yet we are able to cover only a fraction of it. It is not that I think we need more articles - I think readers receive more than enough emails from us - but, more of the meat of wokeism in Canada should be covered and analyzed to improve the general historiographical documentation of the phenomenon. But also, an improvement in this direction would naturally lead to greater understanding and more solutions-thinking among readers. This is necessary to resolve our issues with Wokeism.
I believe the work we do is important. Perhaps consequential. Or, at least it could be consequential if we just step it up a bit. Getting to that 10% paid subscriber base goal is an essential ingredient to stepping up in this meaningful way. Another way to help us elevate our game is by a direct donation (of any amount) to our Donor Box.
Generally speaking, I am satisfied with our coverage of indigenous issues. Although even here, improvements can be made, and a broader focus (wider lens) on the subject with deeper analysis would benefit readers. However, for example, our coverage of gender woo is lacking. This must change. It has been, slowly. Proof that I have been doing the work can been seen in an essay I wrote about trans-affirming care for minors, published by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
In virtually all cases, the bottleneck is with the research. I consider myself to be a fast writer. I love writing. As I write this, it feels effortless, fluid, even liberating in a way. But research is a killer. A stone cold killer. The lion share of the time spent doing this work is in doing research.
As I wrote about in my last fourth wall breaking piece, Critical Theory-Shmeory, it’s not just me thumbing anxiously through academic books and papers, there are many other scholarly neurotic types behind-the-scenes whom I coordinate and collaborate with on this insanely massive, enigmatically complex, and at times, utterly frustrating, research work that is of a dire and existential import.
The significance of the research, and of the building of collaborative research networks and mini think tanks, like Light House Think Tank and the Indian Residential School research group, cannot be overstated. When you make a financial contribution to Woke Watch Canada you are helping this vital research and research coordination take place. Without it, there could be no Woke Watch Canada.
In the spirit of breaking the fourth wall, I’ll admit to readers that I just checked the word count and I’m sitting at over 850 words. I wanted to keep it under a thousand, and since I think you all get the gist of the appeal above, we will abruptly move on to another piece of what I mentioned I have been contemplating concerning new developments for this newsletter.
This part is also grounded in a frustration that must be vented. That is, personally speaking, writing critically about culture wars issues can be a little bit spirit-destroying. I need to balance my criticisms of wokeism (which are overwhelmingly negative), with solutions, or ideas that could lead to solutions (which will be unapologetically positive). However, amazingly, in this case, I have latched onto something that I can barely contain my excitement about. It’s not the only pathway I am taking, nor the only pathway I recommend others take, but it is a powerful and deeply meaningful pathway never-the-less that I am encouraging everyone to include (even as a side trip adventure) in their own journey (ugh…I hate the use of the word “journey” in this way. Like when people say they are on a “reading journey,” or a “learning journey,” yuck. Anyway, I hate even more using the same word twice, in this case, “adventure,” too close to one another).
I’m seriously over on the word count now so I have to wrap it up. Inspired writing (the thing I’m so excited about) will be published in these pages. So stay tuned. I can’t leave the reader with nothing though, I must give a brief little description of what I’m on about. I discussed it a little on my personal Substack The Turn, in a piece called Writing and Fighting. My friend, anthropologist Geoffrey Clarfield, is an invaluable source for recommending books, authors, thinkers, etc. I credit Geoffrey entirely for introducing me to Mortimer Adler and Robert Hutchens, The Great Books of the Western World, and the Paideia system of education, among other things.
In a nutshell, I have become obsessed with Adler, with “great book” and “great idea” learning, with traditional liberal arts education, and with Adler’s Paideia proposal for education. My interest in all of this has as much to do with educating my own kids, as it does with personal intellectual development, and the enrichment that is infusing my anti-woke writing with a mode of wisdom one can only find in the great Western canon of recorded knowledge. In addition, my colleague, Mr. M also sees the anti-woke utility in the great Western books. He is busy in the Lighthouse Think Tank laboratory making entries in our research archives about the relevance of the Western canon for anti-woke warriors who must defend our great Western traditions and principles. Stay tuned for more on this…a lot more.
Phew, over 1300 words! I could have gone on for thousands more though, but you probably already know that. Until next time…
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Thanks for reading. For more from this author, read The Spiral of Silence: And the Countess of the WPATH Files: Mia Hughes
Support Woke Watch Canada by contributing to our Donor Box:
Or, by upgrading to a paid membership:
Woke Watch Canada Essentials:
James Pew contributed a chapter to the best-selling book Grave Error: How The Media Misled us (And the Truth about Residential Schools). You can read about it here - The Rise of Independent Canadian Researchers
A long-form essay by Dr. M - Fulcrum and Pivot: The New Left Remaking of Toronto School Policy
For evidence of the ideological indoctrination in Canadian education, read Yes, schools are indoctrinating kids! And also, Yes, The University is an Indoctrination Camp!
What is fourth wall? | Definition from TechTarget
 | A guest post by
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Alright, you have convinced me, I will subscribe. However, I have to say that I am truly exhausted of being able to see and understand the problems, and yet not really knowing what to do about it. I shared one Hymie Rubenstein article about KIRS with someone in my family (someone who likes cbc), and it nearly ended our relationship. If I persist, I know it will end many relationships. Perhaps I lack courage, but my fear is that we can beat our drums as loudly as possible, but only those in our echo chamber will care to listen.
I believe Leon Festinger, the psychologist who originated the theory of cognitive dissonance, said it best:
“A man with a conviction is a hard man to change. Tell him you disagree and he turns away. Show him facts or figures and he questions your sources. Appeal to logic and he fails to see your point.
We have all experienced the futility of trying to change a strong conviction, especially if the convinced person has some investment in his belief. We are familiar with the variety of ingenious defenses with which people protect their convictions, managing to keep them unscathed through the most devastating attacks.
But man’s resourcefulness goes beyond simply protecting a belief. Suppose an individual believes something with his whole heart; suppose further that he has a commitment to this belief, that he has taken irrevocable actions because of it; finally, suppose that he is presented with evidence, unequivocal and undeniable evidence, that his belief is wrong: what will happen? The individual will frequently emerge, not only unshaken, but even more convinced of the truth of his beliefs than ever before. Indeed, he may even show a new fervor about convincing and converting other people to his view.”
Thank you.
Keeping a watchful and sceptical eye on woke and its growth and rapid expansion is very useful and enlightening. But what stands out in this overwhelming capture is bewilderment at to the fertile and submissive ground this cultural upheaval enjoys. Yes, we and our institutions have been primed well just for such conquest. But we should not just concentrate on lamenting and countering. It can be wasteful and exhausting. We need also to work for the models we want to see.
Right now, the biggest example of a coercive institution is the monopoly compulsory public education system. There are few choices for families to exit or influence this trap. We need to hear about more examples like the Arkansas, Utah, Iowa, and Florida efforts to bring universal choice to education. Alberta is the only province in Canada that has charter schools, and even these are few and far-between. Hoping the BC provincial election will hear school choice as a promise from the parties in October 2024.