collate logo small - Capital C
banner image
ONLY PARTICIPANTS CAN RESPOND Share symbol0 shares

To Professor Simon Armitage, Poet Laureate, in response to '70 Notices'

Author profile picture Christopher Crompton
i
Recipient profile picture Simon Armitage
i
26 May
Dear Simon Armitage,
In response to '70 Notices' You spent a long time looking hard to notice seventy things between greyscale streetlit troughs and Dark and White Peaks, saw a full moon bottled in a drop of dew, felt the full weight of Sheffield and Manchester come to the last lamppost to stand on the rim and peer into the steaming void, to breathe the abyss, where you concluded that a moor is owned by a moor and no one else, full stop. And I couldn’t agree more, though I’ve met several golden plover who would cry ii-oo to differ, before they flew back traceless from the season’s second home, over the seas of second homes. Life rams into a rucksack as we march to look at nature over there, in the sheep-manicured green, in the carefully curated wild. My boots lay tracks like yours into the great escape, the great beyond, willing the lungs revived in wider air and thinner sky. It’s easy to believe here that god is everywhere. No church’s gilded matchbox could contain the spark of life. The walls are loose and low. No concrete casts to hide the wounded earth. The rucksack is the lightest of our baggage. The rest it takes a mind a few remindings to abandon by the road. Some never shake their shadow, nor embrace it at the peak. But there is always white and dark. The sun shines us a shadow; the clouds sheathe us in shade. They say that it’s the fire within that counts. We cannot cope with transience. We can’t abandon time and space. But now and again we forget ourselves and wake up in the moment of unfolding, watching the unwrapping of a scene, before we store it in the vault. We take what’s real, dress it up, serve it to ourselves. We make it tell a story we enjoy. This nature we will always claim, in minds and then on paper. For Clare, the home of freedom and of awe; for Wordsworth, a romantic getaway; for Hardy, some great mystery beyond the troubled soul. And us? What line are we? This nature is our therapy. We come to be well. To be, well. But reconnection demonstrates our perfect separation, while some say we are one and always were. Whatever we have lost across the void, whatever we forgot about our simple, carnal, spiritual selves, we can’t restore by dreaming of utopia, by coming here to get away, by gifting this to nature and the nation. These are only glimpses of a truth. We can notice what remains. This can be a poet’s work. We can challenge what is claimed. We can claim and then reframe. But answer me this: When we turn to return, the lamppost our lighthouse, when we empty the rucksack and life tumbles out, when the dew loses grip on its bottle of moon, what then do we scrawl on the Underground wall?

Christopher Crompton

Author profile picture Christopher Crompton

Related letters

    The inequality of someone’s position form birth

    Lucy Deane on 7 October
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, Where would you be today? Where do you reckon, you’d have got, if your parents had not had you, and you were born in Peckham not the upper east side? Imagine if I swapped out Eton for a Requires Improvement state funded school. Do you think if this h...

    Intergenerational inequality.

    Arvijikh Batkhuu on 19 October
    Responses: 0

    Dear Rishi Sunak, I read with keen interest the Treasury’s plan to lower the threshold for repayment on student loans that is to be announced in the Autumn Spending Review. The logic behind this policy is coherent: graduates earn more in their lifetimes, make useful s...

    The recent rise in injection spiking across UK nightlife

    Darcy on 20 October
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, My name is Darcy, and I am 21. I turn 22 in June of next year. I haven’t ever been spiked on a night out, but I know people that have. One day, I might be one of those women. Or my sister might. Or an individual at another university, miles away from...

    Mr. President, why are you so scared to do the job?

    Maanya on 3 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Joe Biden, I am writing to you to tell you that you have wasted an opportunity. Eighty one million people voted for you last year, and I feel that you are letting them down. You worked very hard to reach this point, so why are you throwing it away? You are a De...

    Future of British education and its relationship to European students post-Brexit

    Stefan Feldiorean on 5 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Nadhim Zahawi, In light of recent insurgences in tuition fees for United Kingdom-based European students, and the complex socio-political climate of the Brexit, the perspectives of these students in higher education degrees (MA, MSc, PhD) has become more clouded th...

    A young girl's concerns about Trump's governance.

    Aparna Hari on 9 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Donald Trump, Jr., I hope this letter finds you hale and hearty, My name is Aparna. Now straight to the matter I shall jump, A word of caution –I’m not an American nor am I a supporter of your party. Why then, am I writing to you, sir? Oh, because I’m worried, and for...

    Poverty.

    Victoria on 9 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Antonio Guterres, I am writing to express my concern about poverty. I think that it is a vital issue that we need to take immediate action for because it could save many people. I am Victoria Lazaridou, an English Literature student from the University of Roehampton, ...

    Ban conversation therapy for sexual orientation and gender identity

    Liam Barrett on 15 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Kemi Badenoch, I’m writing to you as a member of the LGBTQ+ community urging you to universally ban, not just restrict, conversation therapy for sexual orientation and gender identity. As the Minister for Equalities, it is your duty to uphold and preserve the legal...

    Simple Joy

    David Ezekiel Clist on 15 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Adam Price, I am a university student. I have a great number of things that stress me out all the time. But, I am happy. I left this competition thing alone for a while, I had genuine issues I wanted to focus on, first year student, mediocre social life, I've ...

    The education system is in crisis.

    Claire Frodsham on 16 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Will Quince, I write to you as the educational system is flawed, it is especially flawed for children and young people with special educational needs. I have had first-hand experience and exposure; I will first outline my position on this grave issue before expla...

    Raging against the dying of the light

    Geun Tak Yoo on 17 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Yoon Suk-yeol, I congratulate you in advance. Several months from now, when you will be inaugurated as the head of state of the Republic of Korea (South Korea), the nation will be facing numerous challenges that require your prompt intervention, like monetary comp...

    The neglect of seafarers during the pandemic is amoral as their labour sustains life across the globe

    Alishba Zaman on 17 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Joe Biden, Our lives are intimately tied to and dependent upon the labour of seafarers. This is because ninety per cent of the world's goods are transported through shipping. However, despite this intimate connection to the lives of almost everyone across the g...

    Ecologism, Social issues

    on 17 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Tony Blair, Social issues demand a social element. They are issues that bind us to one another as a community, as a state, and as individuals. As such, it is essential to communicate with the neighbour, to speak to our friends, to convey how we feel to the world...

    The declining birth rate of South Korea

    Geun Tak Yoo on 17 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear The next president-elect of the Republic of South Korea, Dear Mr./Ms. President-elect, Whoever you are, I congratulate you in advance. Several months from now, when you will be inaugurated as the head of state of the Republic of Korea(South Korea), the nation will be facing numerous challenges that requ...

    The Lekki Tollgate Massacre and the Open Government Partnership you founded

    Soni Gold on 17 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Barack Obama, My name is Soni Gold. I am from Nigeria, a country that holds so much promise because of its human and natural resources, yet so much pain for the ordinary citizen because of poor, corrupt leadership. I have lived in Nigeria for five decades, first ...

    Lockdowns have made us realise the role of nature and the land in helping with mental and physical health

    Dexter Twycross on 17 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Sajid Javid, The coronavirus pandemic of the past two years brought several deep societal issues to the forefront of public conversation. For many, it crystallised problems that had previously seemed intangible, shining light on failing healthcare systems, inequa...

    800,000 people die as a result of suicide. The mental health crisis needs your immediate attention.

    Katie Madden on 17 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, I am writing this letter because the mental health crisis requires your immediate attention. One in four people will experience a mental health problem. Every year, 800,000 people die as a result of suicide. The coronavirus pandemic has seen an incre...

    School curriculum update

    Yasmin Turner on 19 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Nadhim Zahawi, Before I state the purpose of my letter, I would like to congratulate you on your new appointment as Secretary of State for Education. I believe, if even just going by your excellent and efficient Covid vaccine programme as vaccine deployment ministe...

    Having a conversation with a public figure on Collate

    Oliver Kraftman on 18 January
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, You may be having some thoughts about writing a letter to a public figure on Collate, such as... "Will I get a response to my letter?" We hope so. We are using the letters you write to build the platform the world needs. Letters you write on Colla...

    COLLATE'S FOUNDING LETTER: great minds in written conversation in search of leaders, ideas and togetherness

    Oliver Kraftman on 25 January
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, Optimism has been part of my nature for as long as I can remember. As a child I remember watching my favourite football team thinking we’d never lose. I’d believe we could win until the very end of a game no matter how badly we were losing or who the...

    Okay, McKay, We Looked Up: What Now?

    Joshua Dubrow on 15 February
    Responses: 0

    Dear Adam McKay, Of course, one wonderful feature of Don’t Look Up is its fierce and literal hit-you-over-the-head message: we have one life, one Earth, and zero room for error. Straightforwardness can be as beautiful as a glance. Yet, subtlety can speak volumes. It...

    On Purpose

    Alex Rosenberg on 16 February
    Responses: 7

    Dear Daniel Dennett, I have no idea how much interest there might be about disagreements among naturalists between the optimistic ones like you and the pessimistic ones like me. But I know I’d like to be convinced I’m mistaken. And you are probably the philosopher most l...

    Guns in America

    on 22 February
    Responses: 0

    Dear BJ Campbell, Hello BJ! I had an idea for a potential line of inquiry to pursue, in the spirit of Impossible Conversations and Adversarial Collaborations. The general domain of inquiry is guns, gun violence, and the relationship between gun control, gun rights,...

    How do we break the norm wherein tax cuts are fine and public spending is anathema?

    Christopher Crompton on 4 April
    Responses: 0

    Dear Paul Krugman, In Britain, we have been mired with a series of right wing governments that were elected on platforms of cheap populism and empty economic soundbites. We suffered a long decade of austerity with a repeated insistence that we must all “tighten our be...

    Sustaining excellence in the "Zone"

    Tobias Lim on 4 April
    Responses: 0

    Dear Kevin Love, I write to you as a longtime fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Firstly, I want to thank you for being a role model and global ambassador for mental health. For many communities and cultures around the world, topics of mental health are sometimes met w...

    What if economics demanded a diversity of real world experience?

    Tobias Lim on 4 April
    Responses: 0

    Dear Paul Kofman, Now and then we hear the suggestion that economists are in need of some formal accreditation. Accountants, lawyers, doctors, pilots, and teachers, after all, require certification before they can practice. So why not economists? Yes, if only we had m...

    How can we deal with our region's growing litter problem?

    Christopher Crompton on 5 April
    Responses: 1

    Dear Andy Street, Where I live in Walsall, we have a constant and growing problem with litter. It feels like almost every street, every bit of green, is choked up with everything from cans to fly-tipped freezers. I see the same issue all around the region. There's an ...

    From Hilbert's Problems to Santa Fe's Problems

    Tobias Lim on 8 April
    Responses: 0

    Dear Melanie Mitchell, This letter is long overdue, but I wanted to thank you for writing your wonderful book Complexity: A Guided Tour. As an economist, I’ve been trained to think in a rigid sort of way. And it’s taken me a number of years and a lot of re-education to u...

    In Praise of Letters

    Christopher Crompton on 12 April
    Responses: 1

    Dear Internet, Many moons ago, while perusing the dusty shelves of a Cambridge University library, I came by chance across an old and worn copy of Hemingway’s Selected Letters. Several hours later, I had forgotten all about the topic I had visited that library to r...

    Embracing Chance: Adding a Lottery Component to College Admissions

    Griffin Harris on 19 April
    Responses: 0

    Dear Biddy Martin, My younger sister, a senior in high school, just wrapped up her college admissions journey. About a week ago, she put her deposit down and committed to a school. She’s happy with the end-result – but she, like so many other high school students, foun...

    The mind's sky and a dog's life

    Tobias Lim on 21 April
    Responses: 0

    Dear Timothy Ferris, Over the Easter break, I read your wonderful book, The Mind’s Sky: Human Intelligence in a Cosmic Context. Like you and many others, I am fascinated with the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). It rests at that wonderful boundary between...

    Issues and opportunities for the local council

    Christopher Crompton on 22 April
    Responses: 0

    Dear Councillor Rose Burley, Thank you for your recent letter in support of your renewed candidacy as councillor for Bentley and Darlaston North. You may not remember me, but I rang you during the early stages of Covid regulations after Walsall Council had taken the decision to ...

    The art of storytelling.

    Eleanor on 22 April
    Responses: 0

    Dear Charlie Mackesy, I have enjoyed your work for a long time: the whimsical fluidity of your lines, the delicate colours, and the use of curves, all bring your world to life. But the thing I have enjoyed most of all, is the element of storytelling within your oeuvre, in...

    Where is UK public transport going?

    Eleanor on 23 April
    Responses: 0

    Dear Louise Haigh, In November last year, I noticed that you placed an update on your website regarding the franchising of public transport, and the new Enhanced Partnership in South Yorkshire between the local authority and bus operators in the region. Having spent so...

    Uncrush Our Spirit, Obama

    Joshua Dubrow on 26 April
    Responses: 0

    Dear Barack Obama, America: so much hope and so much disappointment. It seems almost too much to bear. Where is the optimism of 2008? You know how much we have changed? We changed so much that we had more hope and more optimism at the dawn of the second Great Depressio...

    Opening the arts landscape of Britain.

    Eleanor on 4 May
    Responses: 1

    Dear Darren Henley, I write to you from Cardiff, after leaving the art world of London in 2020 (I am an artist and writer) to explore creative communities outside the capital city. Your book, The Arts Dividend Revisited: Why Investment in Culture Pays, elaborated on all...

    A quality vacuum in sci-fi films?

    Tobias Lim on 5 May
    Responses: 0

    Dear Denis Villeneuve, I am a science fiction junkie, and a big fan of your movies. Thank you for giving Blade Runner, Arrival, and Dune the attention and care it deserves. I’m glad these stories get to reach a mass audience. I’m not so sure if they'd fare as well in anoth...

    In praise of Poptimism.

    Eleanor on 12 May
    Responses: 0

    Dear Taylor Swift, I remember when I was a teenager, I was a real music snob. I didn’t like pop music, I didn’t like music that was too ‘girly’ (I’m a woman by the way, which will prove useful context for this letter), and I was very convinced of the things I did like....

    What do you think about a platform that's healthier for MPs' mental health and incentivises better leadership?

    Oliver Kraftman on 19 May
    Responses: 0

    Dear Catherine West, Many MPs, especially female MPs, get a lot of abuse online. The problem is so bad that a parliamentary investigation found it could hamper democracy by discouraging those worthy of public office from running; the weight of public lifebeing just too m...

    Investing in affordable rail.

    Eleanor on 20 May
    Responses: 0

    Dear Jo Stevens, I have been a Cardiff resident in your constituency for around a year now, and am writing to you regarding my experiences of train price rises across Wales. I have not travelled by train in perhaps more than a year due to the constantly increasing pr...

    To Professor Simon Armitage, Poet Laureate, in response to '70 Notices'

    Christopher Crompton on 26 May
    Responses: 0

    Dear Simon Armitage, In response to '70 Notices' You spent a long time looking hard to notice seventy things between greyscale streetlit troughs and Dark and White Peaks, saw a full moon bottled in a drop of dew, felt the full weight of Sheffield and Manchester come ...

    Re: The Ages of Uncertainty and Human Nature

    Tobias Lim on 27 May
    Responses: 0

    Dear Ian Stewart, Firstly, I wanted to thank you for writing your book Do Dice Play God?. I enjoyed the tour you took readers on across the “Ages of Uncertainty”. We forget sometimes that quantum mechanics and chaos theory are relatively new discoveries. And that mode...

    Responsibility and regulation on the internet.

    Eleanor on 27 May
    Responses: 0

    Dear Damian Hinds, I am writing to you with some thoughts on the practice and practicality of the Online Safety Bill, which is currently at Committee stage in the House of Commons. The subject of regulation and responsibility on the internet has long been of interest t...

    Keeping Cardiff tidy and litter-free.

    Eleanor on 3 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Sue Lent, I am a local resident in Cardiff, under the purview of your council appointment, and I am writing with regard to the persistent problem of litter around my area. I moved to Cardiff approximately a year ago, and have noticed that there seems to be a r...

    I was surprised by some of your recent comments on Twitter, which struck me as decidedly backward looking.

    David Sloan Wilson on 7 June
    Responses: 7

    Dear Massimo Pigliucci, We go way back and share a love of philosophy in addition to biology. I was proud to be included in the “Altenberg 16” workshop that you organized to explore the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis, a term that you coined. I have always regarded you as ...

    The problem of consciousness, and the panpsychist solution

    Philip Goff on 7 June
    Responses: 7

    Dear Massimo Pigliucci, We’ve had a quite a few vigorous exchanges on twitter on the topic of panpsychism. I’ve learned a lot from these exchanges, but I’m sure you’ll agree it’s hard to tackle issues in any depth with the 140 limit imposed by Twitter. So I’m grateful for t...

    The future of Britain's food security

    Christopher Crompton on 8 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Jim McMahon, I am writing to you in your capacity as Shadow Minister for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about the critical issue of our nation’s food security. In a time of short-termist, sticking-plaster politics, we need a serious, credible, long-term ...

    Arts and creative industry development in Cardiff.

    Eleanor on 12 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Peter Wong, I am a Cardiff resident in your Council area, and I noticed recently that the Cardiff Council website notes that you have had some involvement with the organisation Artes Mundi, which is of course an important charity in supporting and developing the...

    Reasonable Progress

    Joshua Dubrow on 13 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Cornel West, I am writing ask about the concept of "reasonable progress:" when we can reasonably expect progress to arrive? When stuff moves forward -- justice through judicial decisions, paperwork by deadlines -- we may think that the forward motion was in a r...

    Science, Religion, and Coexistence

    Tobias Lim on 13 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Ali Rizvi, I came across a wonderful correspondence between Matt Thornton and yourself a few days ago. I say wonderful because it is rare to see two people from diverse backgrounds with different worldviews engage in a meaningful and respectful dialogue. Your...

    A public thank you to the Rt Hon Valerie Vaz MP

    Christopher Crompton on 14 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Valerie Vaz, I’d like to take the opportunity afforded by the Collate platform to thank you publicly for the excellent work you have been doing to represent your constituents as Member of Parliament for Walsall South. I contacted you in 2020 on behalf of my loc...

    The resources and will to solve climate problems are finally emerging

    Ellie Young on 16 June
    Responses: 1

    Dear Bill McKibben, I’ve been following your work since my early days of climate activism. Back in college, when I was first exposed to the unbelievable reality of what we so nicely call “sustainability challenges”, I remember 350.org as one of the only climate organiza...

    The meaning and legacy of humanism: a sharp challenge from a potential ally

    Andy Norman on 17 June
    Responses: 4

    Dear Yuval Noah Harari, My name is Andy Norman, and I count myself a fan of your work. I admire your clarity, your passion for big ideas, and your commitment to clear, accessible writing. I think your books—Sapiens and Homo Deus—are landmark achievements, destined to stimul...

    'Painting is also about patience.'

    Eleanor on 19 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Tracey Emin, A long-time fan of your work, I was struck recently by the words you quoted on Instagram from your friend David Dawson: ‘Painting’s not just about painting but it’s also about waiting.’ I completed my MFA at the Slade School of Fine Art in 2020, wit...

    Panpsychism, the combination problem, and Sufi mysticism

    Christopher Crompton on 20 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Philip Goff, I am intrigued by your support of panpsychism and would love to run some things past you. I enjoyed your exchange with Massimo Pigliucci on Collate, although I could sense your frustration that some of his key objections seemed to be based on what ...

    Space, NASA, and the Problems on Earth

    Tobias Lim on 23 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Mae Jemison, As you know, the Biden-Harris administration has requested an annual budget of $26 billion for NASA in 2023 (with similar sums projected for the years ahead). [1] While this is less than 0.5 percent of yearly U.S. government spending, it is not an in...

    Apple Trees and the Future of Science

    Tobias Lim on 23 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Pamela Gay, I’m marveling at the wonderful breakthroughs, discoveries, and achievements that scientists and engineers have made recently. Over the last few years, we’ve had the COVID-19 vaccine, CRISPR technology, and AlphaFold structures, just to name a few. A...

    How do we talk about economics?

    Eleanor on 26 June
    Responses: 0

    Dear Paul Krugman, During my undergraduate studies at the University of Oxford, I attended a talk that you gave there on the response of various governments to the 2008 financial crisis. I was not a student of economics — my knowledge of economics comes from reading, l...

    An attempt to 'canonise' young adult fiction.

    Eleanor on 4 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Jacqueline Wilson, I read your books widely as a child and teenager, and they were very impactful in helping me grow up. Now an adult, I’m a musician and artist, and was struck recently by the development of ‘Poptimism’ within music criticism, and wondered whether a si...

    The Grey Ethics of Pet Ownership

    Tobias Lim on 10 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Cheryl Abbate, I was walking through my local university recently and noticed something peculiar. Their student union had organized a petting zoo for students who were about to sit their college exams. It was a nice gesture in some ways. An opportunity for young pe...

    Some Thoughts on Social Media and Collate

    Tobias Lim on 11 July
    Responses: 1

    Dear Oliver Kraftman, I hope you will not mind some of my ramblings here. As an early adopter, I’ve been using Collate for many months now, and I’ve enjoyed my time with it so far. Since joining, I’ve written letters to athletes, scientists, economists, and people in bet...

    Re: How Do We Talk About Economics

    Tobias Lim on 12 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Eleanor, I’m not Paul Krugman. But I enjoyed the letter that you wrote to him on ‘thinking about economics’. Perhaps I can share a few thoughts with you because I am curious as to what you might make of them. (For context, my background is in economics and fi...

    The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.

    Rishi Sunak on 14 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, It is with deep sadness that I am writing to you to resign from the Government. It has been an enormous privilege to serve our country as Chancellor of the Exchequer and I will always be proud of how during the pandemic we protected people’s jobs an...

    Prime Minister, you have lost my confidence

    Sajid Javid on 14 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, It was a privilege to have been asked to come back into Government to serve as Secretary of State for Health & Social Care at such a critical time for our country. I have given every ounce of energy to this task, and am incredibly proud of what we ha...

    The mystery of why we like mysteries.

    Eleanor on 17 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Anthony Horowitz, I had the enjoyable experience of growing up with your Alex Rider books during my childhood, and also being a fan of Sherlock Holmes, it has also been wonderful seeing you continue those stories. I wanted to write to you regarding something that has...

    Tonight I handed in my letter of resignation to the Chief Whip.

    Simon Hart on 18 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, I had desperately hoped that I could avoid writing this letter, but alas there seems no other option left but to step down from my role as Secretary of State for Wales. You will be remembered as a Prime Minister with energy, vision, determination an...

    A decent and responsible Government relies on honesty, integrity and mutual respect.

    Brandon Lewis on 18 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, It is with regret that I submit my resignation from the Government. It has been an incredible honour to serve in Government over the last ten years under three Prime Ministers, most recently as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Through the ch...

    With great sadness I must resign from government.

    Michelle Donelan on 18 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, It has been the privilege and honour of my life to serve for our country in the department which I believe is the most important, the true engine of opportunity, the Department of Education. I have spent my career dedicated to trying to create oppor...

    There comes a time when you have to look at your own personal integrity and that time is now.

    Stuart Andrew on 18 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, It is with real sadness that I write to tender my resignation from HM Government. I have been honoured to serve in a number of roles within government over the past few years, most recently as the Minister for Housing. This is a role, although havin...

    There are only so many times you can apologise and move on.

    Helen Whately on 18 July
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, With sincere regret I am resigning from HM Government. I stood for Parliament because I want to make our country a better place to live. I am grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to serve as Arts Minister, Care Minister and Exchequer Secret...

    Steven Pinker and Scott Aaronson debate AI scaling!

    Steven Pinker on 9 August
    Responses: 7

    Dear Scott Aaronson, Will future deep learning models with more parameters and trained on more examples avoid the [url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/08/22/1007539/gpt3-openai-language-generator-artificial-intelligence-ai-opinion/]silly blunders[/url] which Gary M...

    hxjfjdj

    Benji 🌞🌿 on 10 August
    Responses: 0

    Dear Boris Johnson, hxbbxbxhx, nfjxjx jdjdjdj hdjxjxjr jdjdjb. hhxjdj chhd, bdjjd hhd. xhjd hsss. Jshdjxbd uxhdj lfidhe hdjdj, jshsgd hxhd khsg hd. hdjd. hdjdjd jdjs jshsg ixh, did ;hfdj, hdhusi idh hdhs kfhd. hudi udhdb kfhdh hdj. hdjsudd jcjjd hshdhm kfhd. ifh, ifh...

    Three or Four Questions About Writing

    Tobias Lim on 11 August
    Responses: 0

    Dear Natasha Brown, This may sound strange, but I am learning how to write. While I know how to form words, sentences and paragraphs, I am yet to construct anything with rhythm and warmth.  I realized a few years ago in my dreary life as a management consultant that so...

    Is 'better' music production always better?

    Eleanor on 14 August
    Responses: 0

    Dear Liz Harris, I have been a fan of your music under the name Grouper for a long time, but I think it was only when I came to record my own songs and make my own album that I began to understand the intricacy of your ‘less is more’ approach to building soundscapes....

    Legend of the Galactic Heroes

    Tobias Lim on 18 August
    Responses: 0

    Dear Ollie Barder, I finished watching the 1990s version of Legend of the Galactic Heroes (LOTGH) last night. And I must say that LOTGH is, in my opinion, among the best pieces of space-opera science-fiction ever made. Yoshiki Tanaka is a genius.  So I wanted to thank...

    A Layperson Wonders About His Free Will

    Tobias Lim on 25 August
    Responses: 0

    Dear Meghan Griffith, [highlight=transparent]Recently, I’ve been most curious about free will. Unfortunately, my partner is not. And she is tired of me asking her whether or not she believes in free will. So to save her from further misery, I will take my questions and th...

    Never a matcha whisk in or on-site.

    Eleanor on 26 August
    Responses: 0

    Dear Pano Christou, I am writing to you as someone who has spent a while working in the food and drink industry. I have done many a busy shift making the types of drinks that you sell at Pret, and I don’t think that your staff are given adequate training, resulting in v...

    Is Instagram Instagram again?

    Eleanor on 31 August
    Responses: 0

    Dear Adam Mosseri, As someone who is both an Instagram user and deeply interested in the internet, I have been (along with many other people) disappointed in your recent changes to the platform. Not only do they make the platform less enjoyable, but I am concerned that...

    Population Collapse and the Prophecies of Musk

    Tobias Lim on 5 September
    Responses: 0

    Dear Elon Musk, [highlight=transparent]I am intrigued and alarmed by recent reports on your comments regarding ‘population collapse’—the notion being that we risk economic catastrophe if we do not take measures to increase the number of earthlings on this tiny blue ...

    The role of grow-your-own in Britain's food production and security.

    Christopher Crompton on 7 September
    Responses: 0

    Dear Ranil Jayawardena, Congratulations on your appointment as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Among the many weighty responsibilities of your new position is the oversight of Britain’s agricultural policy and food security strategy. You will alr...

    Community reporting for more effective policing of drug crime

    Christopher Crompton on 7 September
    Responses: 0

    Dear Simon Foster, Your remit as West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner of course encompasses a broad spectrum of crime prevention, mitigation and policing, so it must be a challenging task to decide where to prioritise attention and resources. I appreciate that y...

    Channel 4 privatisation: ideology and reason

    Christopher Crompton on 9 September
    Responses: 1

    Dear Michelle Donelan, Congratulations on your appointment as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. You must be all too aware that two of the key issues you have inherited with the office are the privatisation of Channel 4 and the question of the future...

    On the death of Her Majesty the Queen

    Christopher Crompton on 9 September
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, I alternate my car radio between Classic FM and Planet Rock, as the mood takes me. Yesterday evening, as I headed off to a music event in Birmingham, the radio was still set to Planet Rock from the day before. Yet rather than soaring guitar solos or ...

    Let the Train Go, We Want to See Our Queen

    Dale Joseph Ferrier on 13 September
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, [h1]Let the people see their Queen[/h1] [justify]The passing of Her Majesty last week marked a time of collective sorrow for the nation, a time where we have put aside our petty differences, and shelved our ongoing worries over inflation to simply re...

    This letter is about the socio-political consequences of knee-jerk reactions to increased violence in communities in NYC.

    Jawanza James Williams on 13 September
    Responses: 1

    Dear Internet, To New Yorkers, and Conscientious People Everywhere, I wrote this in February 2022, and subsequently published on Medium. I am adding it here on Collate because I sense this is a place being constructed with the most useful powers social media in mi...

    What can you teach us about drought-resistant gardening?

    Christopher Crompton on 21 September
    Responses: 0

    Dear Tom Brown, I was interested to read recently about your experimentation at West Dean Gardens near Chichester in creating a garden that is drought-tolerant and requires minimal watering. It was particularly intriguing that you said you have tried out using crush...

    Harley Benton guitars – compliments and a request

    Christopher Crompton on 21 September
    Responses: 0

    Dear Hans Thomann, I am writing first of all to extend my compliments on your excellent Harley Benton guitars. I really feel your brand is transforming the guitar industry for the better. I bought my first Harley Benton last year after reading many superb reviews, in...

    Christianity and Me

    Dale Joseph Ferrier on 22 September
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, [justify][highlight=transparent]A few weeks ago whilst at our usual Saturday night excursion to the village local, our conversation somehow got onto religion. Someone in our group said something seemingly insignificant, but it sparked a small epiphan...

    Farming, fungi and the future

    Christopher Crompton on 23 September
    Responses: 0

    Dear Ruth Jones, I am writing to you in your capacity as Shadow Minister for Agri-Innovation and Climate Adaptation. At present, Britain clearly has a long way to go to arrive at a sustainable system of farming. While piecemeal changes are being made, we are not seei...

    The Importance of General Aviation

    Dale Joseph Ferrier on 28 September
    Responses: 0

    Dear Anne-Marie Trevelyan, [justify][highlight=transparent]Firstly, I congratulate you on your appointment to the Department for Transport - a cornerstone for our Levelling Up agenda. I want to write to you to highlight a small but highly important area of the transport sector...

    Fermat, Pascal and Letters

    Tobias Lim on 29 September
    Responses: 2

    Dear Internet, [center][i][highlight=transparent]“I should like to open my heart to you henceforth if I may... I plainly see that the truth is the same at Toulouse and at Paris.” — Pascal to Fermat (1654) [0][/highlight][/i][/center] [highlight=transparent]We migh...

    What are your views on the state of American politics and leadership today?

    Tobias Lim on 2 October
    Responses: 0

    Dear Erik SuarezΦ, [highlight=transparent]I saw your tweet about Collate a few days ago. [1] As an early adopter of the platform myself, I have to agree. I’ve been using Collate as an opportunity to reach out to public figures, to improve my writing, and to muse about ...

    Dealing With Our Gelatinous Ignorance

    Tobias Lim on 3 October
    Responses: 0

    Dear Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, [highlight=transparent]Firstly, I want to say thank you for your newsletter. For basketball fans around the world, your achievements, both on and off the court, have achieved a sort of mythical status. So it makes me happy that one of the greatest-of...

    Bridges to Infinity and God

    Tobias Lim on 10 October
    Responses: 0

    Dear Michael Guillen, [highlight=transparent]A few weeks ago, I bought a worn copy of your book, Bridges to Infinity, from my local bookshop. The intriguing cover and table of contents caught my eye immediately. And having read the book, I can see why you won awards as a ...

    Nurturing a Child’s Lifelong Love for Books

    Tobias Lim on 13 October
    Responses: 0

    Dear Jan Hasbrouck, [highlight=transparent]I’ve been wondering about ways to improve global education outcomes around the world. In an ideal world, such a policy or initiative should: (1) help students to discover and unlock their potential; (2) not drain the public cof...

    Solitude, Obligations, and a Rewarding Life

    Tobias Lim on 18 October
    Responses: 4

    Dear Fenton Johnson, [highlight=transparent]I want to thank you for writing At the Center of All Beauty. I appreciated your reflections on silence, solitude, and the creative life. I also enjoyed the serenity you evoked as I moved from page to page. More importantly, yo...

    Me & U after Ashoka

    Divyansh on 19 October
    Responses: 2

    Dear Riya Behl, I don't know how this works. I do see this is as a space to have a different strand of conversations from our regular ones. The letter format provides a sense of continuity with no pressure to respond. So let me take this opportunity to start somethi...

    Truss was the first Tory leader in decades to wrap herself in the image of Thatcher. But would the Iron Lady have approved of Trussonomics?

    Sir Anthony Seldon on 24 October
    Responses: 3

    Dear Lord Charles Moore, [color=rgb(34, 34, 34)][highlight=transparent]It is an honour to be corresponding about Lady Thatcher with the most distinguished authority and interpreter of her in the world. [/highlight][/color]   [color=rgb(34, 34, 34)][highlight=transparent]Brit...

    Alternative Technology for Biomedical Waste Disposal, Govandi Deonar Mumbai

    Govandi Citizens #𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒆𝑮𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊  on 28 October
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, Story of the residents fighting to shut down the biomedical waste treatment plant in Govandi. It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that I realised that I must join the fight for clean air. As biomedical waste increased tenfold at health facilities an...

    test to kevin

    Kevin P2 on 30 October
    Responses: 0

    Dear Kevin P., [justify]Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Maecenas et suscipit purus. Sed placerat augue et ullamcorper imperdiet. Donec nec hendrerit tortor. Curabitur viverra sapien non leo lobortis iaculis. Duis ullamcorper risus et porta ...

    Please, can you tell us how to protect democracy?

    Tobias Lim on 7 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Jennifer Dresden, [highlight=transparent]I am an ordinary citizen who is concerned about the future of democracy. You know better than I that the US midterm elections will be a bellwether for things to come.[/highlight] [highlight=transparent]You gave a fantastic int...

    Edit Buttons, Selfies and Life

    Tobias Lim on 8 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, [highlight=transparent]I have sometimes wished for an edit button on this platform. I even went as far as to send the founder of Collate a request for this very feature. I happen to be a clumsy perfectionist, you see. I have an uncanny knack for find...

    Thickheaded Corporations

    Tobias Lim on 14 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, [highlight=transparent]A few months ago, a family-friend who we will call Valerie bought two tickets for herself and her friend for travel long overdue. They were excited to visit someplace exotic after extended lockdowns and closed international bor...

    An Addendum to Gelatinous Ignorance

    Tobias Lim on 14 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, [highlight=transparent]A few weeks ago, I wrote a short letter about the “[/highlight][color=rgb(17, 85, 204)][highlight=transparent][url=https://www.collate.org/closed_letter/dealing-with-our-gelatinous-ignorance/sender]gelatinous ignorance[/url][/h...

    Why are video games so violent?

    Tobias Lim on 15 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Michael Kasumovic, [highlight=transparent]I came across an interesting article on [/highlight][color=rgb(17, 85, 204)][highlight=transparent][url=https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-tech/why-do-we-play-violent-video-games#:~:text=Kasumovic%20says.,to%20satisfy%20...

    Love, Terror, and Brainwashing — How can we stop cult-like politics?

    Tobias Lim on 15 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Alexandra Stein, [highlight=transparent]In light of recent political developments, I was looking for books and papers to better understand the nature of human organization and social structure. I found your research on cults especially illuminating. So t[/highlight]h...

    What are your plans for Cressbrook Dale?

    Christopher Crompton on 21 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Rachel Elnaugh, I have been visiting the Peak District National Park for many years and regard Cressbrook Dale as one of its gems of natural beauty and biodiversity. The woodland and wildflowers through the seasons are a particular joy, and as National Park access l...

    A question about the mindful athlete

    Tobias Lim on 21 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear George Mumford, [highlight=transparent]I bought my second copy of The Mindful Athlete a few days ago. This time, I plan to give it to a friend as a Christmas gift. You see, this friend of mine is facing a series of setbacks and personal hardships. But I am hopeful t...

    In Praise of Classical Music

    Dale Joseph Ferrier on 22 November
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, [justify][highlight=transparent]Our culture around the world is immensely varied with a myriad of arts, traditions, and literature. But possibly the most defining of these for each of our societies is music. The various ways we generate what would or...

    Letters to Tarkovsky

    Tobias Lim on 4 December
    Responses: 0

    Dear Internet, When a nobody like myself writes in letter form to a public figure, there is only a small probability that she will see my words amidst the flood of mail and messages that she inevitably receives. Beyond that, there is an even smaller chance that she...

Dear friend.

This is a letter on Collate.org. A place for politicians, authors and experts to have online correspondences with each other and the public, in public.

Enter your email to read this letter and to receive our best letters in your inbox once a week.

Only the recipient can respond....

Verify your identity and respond via email