Liberalism’s original sin lies in its lack of a dynamic theory of power. Much of its discourse is still fixated on an eighteenth-century Enlightenment fantasy of the “Republic of Letters,” which paints politics as a salon discussion between polite people with competing ideas. The best program, when well argued by the wise and well-intentioned, is … More Jolt from the left
It is not a great film but I liked it, perhaps because it was cathartic; that summer was traumatic for Nick Carraway and really, trauma and interpretation are the topics of this journalistic article I have been writing. I want to publish its two versions and a follow-up partly as revenge or payback for academic … More The Great Gatsby
Section 5 of my journalistic article. How can I strengthen it still further? A New Curriculum Around the time my piece was distributed in Louisiana, British political scientist Tarak Barkawi published a closely related analysis in Al Jazeera. In it he notes the use of euphemism to justify the purchase of commercial educational products over … More The latest revision — stronger, but not marvelous
Time time time: to some extent it is true, one is as harried as one wants to be. My overwhelmed friend teaches community college, 15 hours of class a week, 3 courses 5 days a week, plus meetings, office hours, planning, grading, and the exhaustion of working in a turbulent institution. That is of course plenty … More Fugue states
I do not like the conclusion of my piece — it is too incomplete. It makes it sound as though I am just going for quasi-unionization or something but that is not what I mean (I do *also* mean it but what I really mean is something else). I mean: get rid of the “employee” … More In need of revision
In 1869, Nietzsche was appointed professor of classical philology at Basel University. Like most junior faculty, he was bedeviled by meager wages and bore major responsibilities, such as teaching fourteen hours a week, Monday through Friday, beginning at 7 am. He also sat on multiple committees and covered for senior colleagues who couldn’t make their classes. … More Nietzche on the tenure track
For 16 days I have written a page a day. Now I have 16 pages, a full draft, and I am exhausted. I accomplished very little else in this time beyond creating a new, very beautiful page on Facebook. On Facebook, I went and friended a few people I have been hiding from for years, … More J’ai fini
Meu rio, meu Tietê, onde me levas? Sarcástico rio que contradizes o curso das águas E te afastas do mar e te adentras na terra dos homens, Onde me queres levar?… My river, my Tietê, where are you taking me? Sarcastic river, you contradict the waters’ course And distance yourself [flow away from] the sea … More A Meditação sobre o Tietê
Long quotation from here, emphasis added: When “we” complain about the systemic inequities that exist in higher education, it’s because of this: 500 applicants, many if not most of whom were qualified for the position, one job. We complain because we were misinformed and misled about our chances on the job market. And, out of … More Lee Skallerup Bessette
Four out of five sections are finished and I just want to get this manuscript out. To that end I am (a) in a writing binge that could not sustain a book or even a different kind of article, but is good for this; and (b) “just writing,” in the way I understand this (like … More The notes for my piece, updating daily…
coldhearted scientist وداد 