Subscriptions turn nice-to-haves into necessities as individual products or services become inseparable from a great buffet of other offerings. One-and-done consumption becomes paradoxically uneconomical, utility must be maximized to see appropriate returns from the monthly fee.
Maybe this is a little sweeping but I do feel this way about most subscription services; Amazon Prime, Netflix, and whatnot. They are something to mind, especially since they hope you forget that you continue to fork over a nonnegligible sum each month.
There are some circumstances where a subscription is justified, but very rarely are they digital. The value of paying rent each month is pretty self-evident and I have also paid for community supported agriculture boxes in the past which was quite delightful. Being provided a physical service or product makes it easy to appraise the returns of some upkeep fee. However, in digital spaces, where this maintenance fees goes is obscured. Whether or not a subscription is truly 'worth it' becomes a more convoluted question to answer.
This issue became quite clear to me as I assessed what being a Amazon Prime member really provided me. Sure, access to Amazon's huge catalog of products and quick shipping is nothing to scoff at. I do think it is a fair price to pay, especially in suburban or rural regions where speciality stores are less common. Sourcing a servo in Townsend, Montana is a different ordeal than doing the same in Seattle, Washington. But for me, living in an urban area, is it still worth it?
I did use it for some uncommon products, once purchasing an Arduino Uno in my first year of university. Some shoddy printing and soldering artifacts on it revealed that it was a third-party board which was not capable of smoothly driving my servo. Impatient, I tracked down an electronic components store in Vancouver to find what I needed for my project. The shop I found was cramped but filled to the brim with great parts and knowledgeable employees who pointed me in the right direction. I was happy to have gone and supported a business run by people who very plainly care.
This is not some outlier case. Speciality shops are run by people who know and care. Otherwise, they just don't work. Amazon may have it all, but their huge library of items are not vouched for. Reviews often don't tell the whole story as many sellers pay for positive reviews. Is the convenience really worth it when dealing with defective products can take more time to resolve? Who am I supposed to ask my questions to when the reviews could be lacking integrity?
I figured Amazon Prime was not worth it. Whatever I needed, I could find somewhere in the city. I can make the time to source what I need and do it right the first time around.
This is all to say I have been more cognizant of what subscription services I participate in. Over the past year I have culled them down to a few that I feel strongly about - ones that speak most to my values. They matter a lot to me so I figured I would share what the list has come down to.
Magazines
The Baffler
A magazine on politics, literature, and art with diversely-informed perspectives. Pieces are long-winded in the best way possible, each one capable of resolving the rabbit holes they open. Also, they showcase selections of short fiction and photography. It just so happens that my favorite short stories are from past editions of The Baffler and my favorite photographer (Chris Maggio) is their photo editor. Hard not to get excited about this stuff.
Asterisk Magazine
Science and technology focused publication that invites experts to write about their insights and takeaways. Years of training and mastery in their fields are boiled down into digestible articles that pertain to only the hits. I have found nothing out there that provokes my curiosity quite like the consistently enthralling pieces put out by Asterisk.
Music
Soundcloud
There is something lawless about Soundcloud. I used to use it to listen to remixes of popular songs which may or may not have been uploaded with the permission of the original artist. Now, I have a library of original tracks I rely on Soundcloud to provide me with because there is no other platform that rewards their experimental attitudes. By giving fringe artists a space to thrive, I think Soundcloud is well worth their monthly fee.
NTS
NTS, once a pirate radio station in London, is now incorporated and operated by hosts spread across the planet. Standing for Nuts to Soup, they are happy to play anything on air even if it is just noise. This freedom leads to a listening experience filled with surprises, usually positive ones. Most of my tracks that I discover now come from NTS segments, curated by hosts that I have since become quite endeared with.
Media
Youtube
I watch a decent amount of Youtube. I might as well get Youtube Premium and support the creators I like in a way that is also friendly to my viewing experience. This one is mostly a guilty pleasure though.
Patreon
I also listen to a decent amount of one podcast. Every new episode without fail mind you. So I might as well support them on Patreon too. I care about them and would love to see them doing well. Also, I get exclusive content. All works out.
The Rest
I am also subscribed to Spotify, Apple iCloud, and Google One. These ones I do not feel strongly about. They are mostly out of necessity, or in Spotify's case, convenience. I can't win them all.
Still, this list has come after much thought and iteration. I will admit it is quite optimistic to try and bring all elements of one's life into alignment with their beliefs. But I can try, right?