Why subscribe?
Most of us are decent people. Most of us just want to live our lives and get on with each other. Antidote provides some nourishment for those people. A counterbalance, if you like, to the divisive rhetoric that has gripped so much of our culture and media landscape. Through newsletters, videos and podcasts, Antidote provides a reminder that the vast majority of people are decent and civil.
We will explore the neuroscience behind civility and our shared humanity. We will discuss ethics and morality within the context of current affairs and the big issues of the day. We will also explore ways to keep the brain healthy and our civility strong.
About the author
I’m Dan Goyal, the main contributor to Antidote. I’ve been a medical doctor for 23 years and a neuroscientist for about 10 years. Through all I’ve experienced at the sharp end of human reality and through all my studies of the human condition, one truth remains constant: the vast majority of people have a deep sense of goodness at their core. It is this part of life I wish to share with you.
Put simply, I aim to cut through the fabricated arguments meant to weaken us, and instead, share the real side of humanity.
Am I qualified to do so? I guess you will be the judge of that. I’m in my mid-40s, a father, a husband, a brother, a son. I’m a senior medical doctor working in a public universal healthcare system. I hold a PhD in neurosciences, specifically examining the effects of the environment on brain development. I am also the health policy editor for a citizen journalist publication and write ad-hoc for various other publications.
My content is firmly anchored in real-life experiences. Those of my patients, their families and my colleagues on the frontline. Those who must live with the downstream effects of populist and divisive rhetoric - poverty, violence, climate chaos, loneliness and isolation. From these same sources I draw an indelible belief that people have a remarkable ability to intelligently and compassionately relate to and understand others; to help others during hardship; and to respect someone else’s wishes and beliefs even if they are at odds with their own beliefs. Despite witnessing the harshness of life daily, it is the depth of humanity and tolerance that stays with me.
People are generally good. Let’s live that truth.
Content
So how will you get your medicine; your fix of the truth of humanity? Mainly short and long-form posts, at least three newsletter articles per week, and plenty of video segments and podcasts.
It’s mostly free
The vast majority of the content here will be free. The only parts that are behind a paywall are those that are a bit more personal to me - the more delicate stories about my patients; the more intimate stories about parenting and family life, as well as my personal experiences when travelling. I have set the subscription fees to the lowest level permissible by Substack.
