60 Comments
User's avatar
SUR's avatar

Hello I am a member of SUR. It’s come to our attention that you are posting videos of SUR without our consent. Please return this tape to us and stop posting videos of SUR.

Ben Sinclair's avatar

Hi I’ve been trying to reach you via email! I apologize for posting without your permission. Sending you a DM right now

Ben Sinclair's avatar

OK, I removed the videos. I'm sorry again.

SUR's avatar

SUR read your writing.

He says, “keep going, loser.” You’re free to post our videos if you’d like.

Please accept his invitation to join us here this weekend. Address forthcoming via email.

Ben Sinclair's avatar

Thank you SUR! 🫶

rebecca titus's avatar

Wow I love whats happening here

Tommy Bohannon's avatar

SUR: short for “surly.”

Jonathan Ivie's avatar

The author Stephen Nachmanovitch’s “Free Play” & “The Art of Is” dives into similar thought ponds. perhaps you might enjoy

Ben Sinclair's avatar

I can't wait to check these out. At this point, anyone who approaches life with a light touch is where I want to be

Bella's avatar

The email stopped me in my tracks because the girl's side profile in the video looks just like mine. Then I read the article and am tripping out over your resemblance. Everyone really has doppelgängers out there.

Ben Sinclair's avatar

you’re not a performance artist, are you?

Bella's avatar

maybe in another life

Ben Sinclair's avatar

maybe that performance artist in another life is performing you

El's avatar

I feel your writing always comes at the right time. I'll try not to read into it. Let it goooo. Anyway thank you for sharing!

Ben Sinclair's avatar

It's never really that simple, is it though?

Betty's avatar

Keeping it simple, I loved HM. I love this substack. The resemblance to the guru is nutty.

Chris Kavanaugh's avatar

I feel so much of your writing. What great storytelling.

Ben Sinclair's avatar

Just reporting what feels real my friend...

Chris Kavanaugh's avatar

Well, I thoroughly enjoy the way you report!

Anna Schott's avatar

The other day I was in the mountains coming down off the trail as a dude who looks like you was going up. You’re everywhere!

Joel H's avatar

Hey man just wanted to say, as yet another person who loved HM and recently found your blog, this shit speaks to me on a level I wasn't expecting. I'm 32 and have probably been smoking/vaping/whatever for half my life at this point, a lot of your thoughts on drug usage line up with things I've been thinking about lately. I'm not as spiritual as you but I still enjoy seeing your take on these various gurus and beliefs. Anyway, didn't really have a point or a question, except to say thanks for sharing!

Ben Sinclair's avatar

Hey Joel, yeah man. I’m with you. I wasn’t expecting it to speak to you either. But here we are.

Bryson66's avatar

on the pain and suffering tip, you reminded me of something friend told me that resonated. You can feel sad, just don't be sad.

Patrick's avatar

This is simply amazing! I've missed these worlds you create!

Ryan's avatar
Mar 10Edited

Brilliant piece. Brilliant, among other reasons, because, from my interpretation, this is high-level performance art punctuating the point of the piece.

Modern-day Ben is SUR in both the footage and the images. Look and listen closely, people.

(Roger's Rare Books also isn't what it seems.)

Ben Sinclair's avatar

I was afraid of this... While I appreciate your interpretation and will accept a proclamation of my brilliance any day, I really don't want to confuse anybody. This is an art piece in as much as my life is an art piece that I'm writing about. I was probably 6 or 8 years old when these videos were filmed. I'll have to poke around Roger's Rare Books to see what you mean. But I'm not Sur. Perhaps I'll go meet him to stop any more confusion.

Kerry Robison's avatar

Surely. This is my take as well even with Ben’s disclaimer. Sorry, Ben.

Ben Sinclair's avatar

this is getting Kafka-eqsue

Alex's avatar
Mar 10Edited

I had the same thought as Ryan, and appreciate the great story telling.

As John Wilson, my 2nd favorite 😉 NYC-based HBO show creator described in Filmmaker Magazine, “There are certain narrative flourishes and connective tissue that I kind of impose, but in terms of the people and everything, it’s all real.”

Love it. Keep creating, “Loser”! 🤍

Karley Sciortino's avatar

These Sur ppl seem sus

Ben Sinclair's avatar

Honestly, on their website, there’s a person who looks a lot like you too.

sawyer lavelle's avatar

This post reminds me of Starlee Kine's old podcast "Mystery Show." This post feels how the internet felt before instagram. I have my own Ram Dass thing I want to talk about with you, and I live at Esalen which lends an air to the whole thing.

Željko St.'s avatar

It's another test Ben. Will you respond the same as before, it's on you. Break the loop. Break the mirror bro (it's all mirror's fault) and just be (yourself). ✌️