Twitter can be a challenging platform. It can drain time, wallow in alt-right poison, and, apparently, provide insights into foreign policy decisions. But it also has connected me with some really amazing people with thoughts and points of view that I wouldn't have any other way. Additionally, by following a handful of people whose points of view are far removed from my experience, I have grown quite a bit as a writer, a thinker, and a person.
One of those people is @fangirljeanne, a woman who, based on what she tweets about, loves geek stuff as much as I, and has a really strong sense of how American society interacts with people of color. Since I camouflage with Crisco, I don't really know what it's like to be in love with pop culture that feels incapable or intimidated by the thoughts of representing me in...well, basically everything. So I love her approach to pop culture interpretations, even if I don't always agree with her arguments or conclusions.
One thing that she mentioned in passing late last year was a podcast about the Colbert Report.
Curious, I clicked the link to Revisionist History and gave the first episode a try.
It's rare that I have had thirty or so minutes not only explain so much about what I've been struggling with (in this case, the election of Trump) but help me to understand the world better as a result. I binged on the remaining episodes, and can hardly wait for season 2...whenever that will be.
Since I'm headed on a lengthy trip, I decided that I would see what else I could pick up by Malcolm Gladwell, since I knew he was an author, too. Fortunately, there were a couple of titles available to listen to from my library, and, even better, read by the author. I'm now a couple chapters into David and Goliath and it's again changing the way I think about the world. If you're looking for an engaging, thoughtful, well-rendered look at common things that, maybe, aren't so common, then you should give Gladwell a go.
You'll be glad you did.
One of those people is @fangirljeanne, a woman who, based on what she tweets about, loves geek stuff as much as I, and has a really strong sense of how American society interacts with people of color. Since I camouflage with Crisco, I don't really know what it's like to be in love with pop culture that feels incapable or intimidated by the thoughts of representing me in...well, basically everything. So I love her approach to pop culture interpretations, even if I don't always agree with her arguments or conclusions.
One thing that she mentioned in passing late last year was a podcast about the Colbert Report.
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| Yeah, this is basically proof that I was on Twitter on Christmas. Twitter. |
It's rare that I have had thirty or so minutes not only explain so much about what I've been struggling with (in this case, the election of Trump) but help me to understand the world better as a result. I binged on the remaining episodes, and can hardly wait for season 2...whenever that will be.
Since I'm headed on a lengthy trip, I decided that I would see what else I could pick up by Malcolm Gladwell, since I knew he was an author, too. Fortunately, there were a couple of titles available to listen to from my library, and, even better, read by the author. I'm now a couple chapters into David and Goliath and it's again changing the way I think about the world. If you're looking for an engaging, thoughtful, well-rendered look at common things that, maybe, aren't so common, then you should give Gladwell a go.
You'll be glad you did.