The Pronoia Times is Back!

Reformatted for the world wide web, TPT has joined the digital world of news reporting. Citing financial losses and competition from the New York Times and the Tokyo Tribune, the paper’s ambitions have been digitalized yet not homogenized.

If you are unfamiliar with the coined term pronoia, that is indeed unfortunate! Popularized by writer and syndicated astrology columnist, Rob Brezsny, the term implies “an alternative to paranoia.” In the context of this newspaper, the term also refers to: good news, optimism and divine order.

The new format will encourage voyeurs and viewers to copy the weekly newspaper text creating a hand-held newspaper as originally intended. Editor Gaines Steer’s quote from the first edition:

“I sense that there is yet room for a well-written, light and breezy, positive-yet-liberal, newspaper that is small enough to fit into your pocket or purse….It’s mobile and fun to read, yet thought provoking in a campy kinda way. Somewhat outrageous.” January 25, 2008

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Parameters for Article Submission to

The Pronoia Times.

Please survey a back-issue to grasp the style and flavor of the paper.

It is important to get on board with the concept of pronoia, since this “phenomena” provides the paper’s over-arching theme. The definition of pronoia is “the suspicion that the Universe is a conspiracy on your behalf". In the context of this paper, pronoia refers to good news, optimism, and divine guidance. (quote from the masthead).

There is a distinction intended here to be made between happy-happy pop culture stories and pragmatic idealism. That is, the difference between saluting happy endings and articulating the experience of the grace inherent in the news-of-living. If this explanation is not clear, you might re-read the Rumi poem: the guest house (printed on page 4 of the Winter, 2006 issue).

> Submissions need to be limited to 200-225 words, or less. The four page format dictates length.

> The paper is not local or regional. Due to its national distribution, articles should not be geographically sensitive.

> For the most part, articles we print are unlike those that mainstream newspapers typically feature. Examine an issue and you will see that this is so. (And thankfully so!)

Do please submit! Gaines Steer and Caroline Wood will make decisions re: inclusion based upon our best judgements and intuitions.

We are open to suggestions.

Sincerely,

Gaines Steer

Editor

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Saturday, January 26, 2008

Last Year I Had a Great Idea.

Actually, I had several. Ole Gaines Steer decided to start a newspaper. That’s right a hand-held newspaper! And yes, thank you, I had been “reading the papers” and knew that the newspaper industry was “fighting the Philistines.” (you know, the angry folks in the Bible who were always beating up on the ones who were writing the reviews…)

This newspaper would be different. (It had better be!). It would be in a tabloid format (i.e. lots of graphics, political satire, bad jokes, Gaines’ trustories, and a slant that no sane newspaper had ever attempted). What’s that? Thanks for asking. Here is the lead story from the first issue: “WRITER STARTS OWN NEWSPAPER….and interviews himself”.

“Writer and Community Organizer, Gaines Steer, has served notice…”

Lacking everything but moxie and money, Gaines set himself up as editor, publisher, feature writer, reporter, foreign correspondent (under an assumed name), cartoonist, underwriter, and distributor. I think that is everything…. (I did hire a professional graphic designer and copy editor).

The name, and overarching concept, for the paper is: The Pronoia Times. Pronoia, in the context of the paper, refers to good news, optimism, and divine guidance. The word was introduced into modern use by lyricist John Perry Barlow and popularized by renowned author and astrologer, Rob Brezsny. Pronoia is an alternative to paranoia, of course!

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