Even for someone like me whose theological background is old school Calvinism, 2020 managed to leave me with a bleaker and more cynical take on human nature than I had going in. And that’s quite a feat. There are no two ways about it, Americans are cruel. Like the rest of the world, we were […]
WRITING
Five Things I Learned in 2020, Part 3: BLACK MUSIC MATTERS
The most surprising thing I learned in 2020 — by far — has to do with art, and music in particular. Growing up I was mostly surrounded by white people, and I mostly listened to white music (U2, The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, Psychedelic Furs, etc. Basically anything that shows up on Sirius XM’s […]
Five Things I Learned in 2020, Part 2: RUGGED INDIVIDUALISM IS STUPID
It doesn’t take a degree in human psychology to look around at our COVID-riddled planet and realize that either this virus is smart enough to focus its attack on people with eagles on their passports, or we Americans have something wrong with us. I am referring, obviously, to the fact that the United States, despite […]
Five Things I Learned in 2020, Part 1: EVERYWHERE IS RACIST
Yeah so 2020, amirite? It sucked, blah blah blah. Here’s some stuff I learned: Thing #1: EVERYWHERE IS RACIST Before 2020 hit, I, like most normal people, thought that racism (the everyday conversational kind, not the institutional kind) was mainly confined to the usual places. You know, like Michigan and Missouri. Oh, and also Ohio. […]
Unity is Overrated
The 2020 election has been called today for Joe Biden, and already we are hearing Trump supporters and other Republicans lecturing us about unity. John Kasich is warning us about whom the president-elect must consider (and must not consider) for his cabinet, The Independent is urging Biden to pardon his predecessor “for the good of us all,” […]
Hamilton and the Politics of Protest
I just finished watching Hamilton. And it was fine. Better than fine, actually, it was remarkably well done. From the acting to the singing and from the costumes to the set, Hamilton ticks all the right boxes and its Tonys, I’m sure, are well-deserved. But I’m not interested in Hamilton per se, but in the […]