What is Lone Umbrella?
Launched in 2017 as a humble group political blog, Lone Umbrella is an independent international media company based out of Washington, D.C. Lone Umbrella advocates for free speech and healthy, independent press—with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region and developing world.
Being that Lone Umbrella started its life in the Asia-Pacific region, it probably comes as no surprise to many readers that our logo and name are also largely inspired by the 2014 Hong Kong Umbrella Movement and its young student leaders.
Why the umbrella?
The rationale behind our logo has its grounds in both history and politics. In the 5th century BCE, the Aristoi of Greece—the elite men of Athenian society—underwent an interesting sort of fashion progression. Vase iconography bears witness to this progression as figures on pottery went from carrying swords, to spears, to staffs, and finally umbrellas with which to shelter themselves from the Mediterranean sun.
While men’s fashion in ancient Athens is a fairly low concern for our average reader, the overwhelming volume of information is to the modern man as the mid-day Mediterranean sun was to the Aristoi of Athens. And so Lone Umbrella attempts to offer its readers a cool and dry shelter from the bombast and rhetoric of daily political news.
Lone Umbrella is largely reader-supported and does not accept funds or host non-mediated ads from any outlet or organization that could have the opportunity to dictate or have a say in our content.