Journalist – Historian – Speaker
The Chronicle of Higher Education ran a reasonable piece on a group of young, smart, writers associated with high-end literary and political magazines, under the rubric: “The New Public Intellectuals.” I don’t think the causality – these folks went public due to lack of jobs – is at all proven. But writers need hooks, so I …
Ben Carson is not going to be Secretary of Education. This is good. I’ve been guessing Michelle Rhee or someone similar, which is not good. Honestly, there’s no one that Trump would consider for any major cabinet position who I suspect I would endorse – that’s why I didn’t vote for him. But as Carson’s …
I am not a fan of the label: Public Intellectual. I think it’s used to valorize certain kinds of public activity – oped writing, essays in fancy literary magazines, prestige stuff – and not others. For me, activism, community arts (music, theater, fine arts, etc.), working with local farmers, volunteering, and more, are at least …