Let’s wrap up my series about We Were Eight Years in Power with a riff-off using some leftovers thoughts.
An essay differs from a feature in terms of how the writer interacts with the narrative. In an essay the writer imposes the narrative on the work whereas in a feature the writer simply follows the narrative through the subject.
I think having these definitions stated in such simple terms will prove valuable for me at some point in the future. For now, it gives me a working idea for what makes a poor essay – the author failed to impose a narrative on the piece. I suppose a similar thought could apply to a poor feature, but I don’t read features all that much these days and therefore cannot speak to whether most subjects fail to lead the writer along a clear narrative.
Though mass appeals to conscience are often compelling, they rarely lead to any kind of response. Groups of people are in general mostly self-interested.
The first statement here is a little misleading because it suggests groups make decisions in the same way individuals make decisions. It also oversimplifies the idea by subordinating collective considerations to conscience, an individual concept. The barrier to group action is rarely the lack of a compelling reason – if I needed to guess, I would suggest it is some combination of poor coordination, unclear information, and lack of immediate social proof.
Getting involved in a community and trying to help others solve problems allows us to connect our ideas and aspirations to universal causes.
I like this idea but I like the reverse even more – getting involved in helping others also gives people the chance to connect their ideas to smaller-scale, grassroots initiatives.
One way to calculate a figure for black reparations would be to find the difference in per capita wealth or income between white and black people, then multiply the difference by the number of black people.
A part of me appreciated using simple math to answer what is otherwise a very complicated question. Of course, the ever-present danger of using math is the threat of oversimplification. It’s not just the calculation that I am referring to – a neat result suggests that the major obstacle all along was just figuring out the math and, the math now figured out, everyone can shake hands and move forward. Life is rarely so simple. When real hurt was involved, the drawback of calculations is revealed in their inability to factor hurt into its equations.
Trump’s support was, in short, white, and his dominance among whites cut across every measurable age, gender, or educational demographic.
Oh, here we go, the Trump section… not today, folks.
Maybe I'll go research how many white people in Boston voted for Trump -
It isn’t hard to imagine a more ‘effective’ demagogue in the future who will do far more damage than Trump.
Gee, I can't wait to meet this person. Or maybe...
Has Ta-Nehisi Coates met The Business Bro?
The city looks pretty when you’ve been indoors.
Yes, good call, it is nice out, sunny, and I have been here for what feels like days, hammering out these TOAs, and do I really want to go on about politics right now? Maybe I should just go out…
...huh?
So... what?
Fine...
That last thought isn't from Ta Ne-Hisi Coates, it’s from Courtney Barnett’s ‘City Looks Pretty’. But who better to end a riff-off?
Thanks for reading.
