Welcome back to Lucid, and hello to all new subscribers. Our next Q&A will be held on Sunday, Nov. 2, 8-9pmET. Our guest will be Gail Helt. She is a former CIA analyst who has covered democratizing and authoritarian countries, most notably Taiwan and China. She now teaches at a small liberal arts university in TN, offering courses in intelligence, Chinese history, and authoritarianism. She is also on the board of directors of The Steady State, a group of more than 300 former national security experts standing for strong and principled policy, the rule of law, and democracy.
Paying subscribers will receive a link at 5pmET to register for the Zoom gathering. Those who can’t attend will find a video at lucid.substack.com, videos tab. If you’d like to participate in these supportive and informative sessions, you can sign up as paying or upgrade to paid here:
I’ll be back tomorrow with a new essay, but I wanted to send you this video of my conversation with The Ink’s Anand Giridharadas. We talked about the “demolition president,” the discrediting of international law in parallel with the rule of law inside America, and what it will take to rebuild. I hope that you find it helpful for our present situation.
I also wanted to let you know that at 4pmET today I’ll be doing a Substack Live with Dr. Steven Hassan. Dr. Hassan is a licensed mental health professional, a recognized expert on cults and undue influence, and possesses professional experience both in the US and abroad. He has assisted numerous individuals and families in their recovery from undue influence. Steve possesses a unique perspective, having experienced life as a former cult member who was successfully deprogrammed in 1976, and as a clinical professional who has dedicated his life to aiding others in similar situations.
To join, just download the Substack app and look for the join link from Lucid/Ruth Ben-Ghiat at 4pmET. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone later.
