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I'm confused - I'm a paid subscriber of the Eternally Radical Idea (FIRE), but when FIRE makes a movie, we are asked to pay another subscription in order to watch it? Am I missing something? Couldn't it be free to FIRE subscribers or available for a nominal charge to us?

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I understand, but Coddling is NOT a FIRE movie. It's made by Ted Balaker completely independently of FIRE. Movies are expensive, and he needs to be able to pay for it and I'm very much hoping he can!

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I get the point. For me it is part of a more general issue: I am trying to support important voices on substack but it is adding up. FIRE is a top priority. But there could be some level of bundling of aligned and associated voices maybe? You're always free to give more.

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Thanks for the clarification. I would surmise that the switch from purchasing a movie to renting it from another platform has something to do with control of the product, which I understand. People who work hard on a movie - whether it's Matt Walsh's "What is a Woman" or Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" - don't want that ending up pirated on YouTube, to the point where you play whack-a-mole filing ceast and desist orders against yokels who are putting your movie up there unauthorized. Yet I can't help but acknowledge a missed opportunity here. I'm a FIRE supporter and would love to have the movie available for viewing when people come over, but am unwilling to pay another $80 per year to make that happen. Sign of the times, I suppose. You have to take the downsides of technology with the benefits.

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