Hello! I am a writer and admittedly self-proclaimed thinker with a liking to cross boundaries cultural, intellectual, and technological. My background is a blend of elements Western and Iranian. My interests range from political history to digital communities and everything in between. 

On the internet, I value friendliness, wit, and authenticity over trends or noise.

My online persona, softploy, reflects the kind of person I consider myself. That is, I wish to influence by example, not force. 

The things I do are thus shaped by candor and quiet ambition. 

I like making things. I try to moderate and nurture spaces for thoughtful cross-cultural dialogue, including but not limited to enhancing open communications between Iranian people and Western culture. My approach involves careful moderation, strategic communication, and a decent understanding of history and identity.

Much of my work involves guiding online conversations to encourage veracity and mutual respect. I enjoy forums designed to bridge divides, challenge "established practice", and permit genuine dialogue. I insist on historical accuracy and cultural sensitivity.

Likewise, I enjoy engaging in strategic writing to convey complex ideas clearly and accessibly. My goal is not simply to inform, but to help others understand why these conversations matter. I want to foster meaningful friendship and learning rather than comparably superficial debates.

I strongly believe that the most valuable outcomes to even the most pressing of issues arise from thoughtful reflection.

• Institutional Silence Versus Professional Ethics
  "What happens when institutions that ask for the public’s trust fail to extend professional respect in return? In this personal reflection, I explore how institutional silence, especially following a seemingly sincere engagement, undermines not merely individual dignity, but the very civic trust these organizations claim to uphold. This is not some grievance, it’s an observation of the ethics of response and of the quiet obligations that make public servants bound to common sense principles."

• The Risk of Victory
  "When victory feels close and unity seems paramount, we are often told to silence our doubt and shut down dissent. But history teaches that real strength lies not in unwavering certainty, but in holding space for uncomfortable questions and the unique voices complicating our established narratives. My essay below reflects on why enduring progress and genuine reconciliation require us to honor hesitation, understand regret, and ask whether things could have been otherwise."

• Was There Ever a "True America"?
  "I have over time noticed a particular form of 'mourning' among people of my generation. It occurs across political divides, and centers on the notion that America once bore a superior, coherent civic identity. Interestingly enough, this nostalgia for the past is one which isn’t rooted in even the slightest of personal experiences."

• The misportrayal of the Iranian people by the Islamic Republic regime
  "One of the biggest problems with authoritarian governments is the misportrayal of the people they rule given to the rest of the world. One such example is the extent of religiosity suggested of the Iranian people by the repressive Islamic Republic regime in Iran."

• Dreaming Beyond Ruins
  "There’s one scene I sometimes imagine. Not because it’s all that likely, but because it keeps me going. It’s a future where Iran is free. Where the regime that has imprisoned a whole nation under the name of faith, compelled by a fist, has finally collapsed, replaced by a secular democracy. Where Iranians both in and outside Iran can live, learn, and speak fearlessly. A country that remembers its past but is no longer a hostage thereto."

• On the Legacy of the Shah
  "The Shah nationalized Iranian oil in 1973 after having formulated a military for his nation, considered by a Georgetown University account as the fifth strongest in the world at the time, that could defend the country against foreign (including Western) intervention. ... [The Islamist regime's officials] preach of all the virtues they’ve done for Iran yet it’s either all religious fundamentalism or a continuation of the Shah’s programs, like literacy. Notably at a lesser efficiency because unlike the officials of the Shah’s regime, the Islamist regime’s officials are versed in one thing above all else: the holy book from over fourteen hundred years ago."

• Reddit. u/softploy, u/king_of_chocolate, u/roleester; u/rroollee (defunct), other former aliases

  • I formulated and continue to manage r/OldIran, an English-language Iranian history forum, since 2023.

  • I help moderate r/NewIran, a large English-language Iranian civics forum, since 2024.

• Discord. @softploy

  • I manage the Bridging Discord server, a whitelisted, international and cross-cultural "bridging" effort, since 2023. You may learn more here.

• Interlocut. @softploy

  • A professionalized, forum-esque evolution of the aforementioned cross-cultural "bridging" effort, created 2025. You may learn more here.

If you need me for any reason or just wish to chat, the quickest way to reach me is via softploy@outlook.com.
Emails to that address will forward to my personal inbox, and I'm always checking it.