#233: Miranda’s Rebellion

Happy Thursday, loyal readers, and thank you for opening today’s issue of The Highlighter. This week’s lead article tells the story of a white Southern woman who questions her conservative beliefs. The second piece, “The Bible That Oozed Oil,” explores the power of those ideas. Read them as a pair and let me know what you think! If religion isn’t for you, skip past the fold, where you’ll find two more outstanding articles: a funny-serious essay about corporate language and a serious-serious essay about remembering a loved one. Enjoy!

+ Join March’s Article Club! I’m happy to announce that we’re reading and discussing “The Crane Wife,” by CJ Hauser, voted one of last year’s best articles. Ms. Hauser is going to join our discussion and answer our questions! Get more info and sign up here.

+ If you’ve been waffling on whether to attend tonight’s Highlighter Happy Hour, waffle the right way and please join us!

Miranda’s Rebellion

The perfect Southern belle, Miranda Murphey grew up outside Augusta, Georgia, in a wealthy, religious, and conservative military family. She married her college sweetheart, who called her “Bombshell,” and has voted Republican all her life. But since the last election, Miranda has found herself making new friends, including Liz, who brandishes an RBG sticker on her cellphone. “Are you changing?” her friends and husband ask. Miranda doesn’t like making people feel uncomfortable, and she loves her husband, but she feels at odds with a world she once knew. At a dinner out, Miranda has a fight with Liz, and when she gets home, she sees her husband’s truck outside, and says, “I struggle with this.” It’s not clear which struggle she’s talking about. (22 min)

+ Article Clubbers: Does this article remind you of “The Crane Wife?” at all?

The Bible That Oozed Oil

A few days after Trump’s inauguration, Jerry Pearce went to pray with his Bible and noticed a spot of oil on Psalm 39. When the Bible kept producing oil, gallons on gallons, Jerry’s neighbors in Dalton, Georgia, went gaga, claiming that the oil miraculously healed arthritis, dissolved tumors, and cured the coronavirus. That’s when religion reporter Ruth Graham got curious and arrived unannounced at Jerry’s door. (22 min)

The Way We Talk At Work Is Garbage

Did you shoot someone an email today? Loop someone in? Take a deep dive? Resolve a pain point? If you did, you’re not alone. In this smart essay, Molly Young explains why we can’t escape the “garbage language” of corporations. You’ll love Ms. Young’s descriptions of mind-numbing meetings and maple syrup marketing copy. “Once you hear a word,” she writes, “it has penetrated your ears and entered your brain, from which it can’t be selectively moved.” (19 min)

+ What’s your favorite example of garbage language?

How It Ends

Longtime loyal readers know that I often include articles about death in the newsletter. I’m drawn to them because they remind me of the beauty of life. In this touching essay, written in the second person, Louis Blum tells the story of a close friend who dies of breast cancer. She writes, “You’re already tired. So, so tired. It’s been eight years. You do not think: It’s been a good run. You think: It’s been hell. All you want to do is stop. You tell your friends you’re not afraid of death. You’re afraid of dying.” (28 min)

+ Reader Annotations: Loyal reader Beth let me know she loved “Going The Distance To Catch Marathon Cheaters” (#231) and agrees it’s like Parasite, though she hasn’t seen the film yet.

Loyal reader Kati enjoyed “Quit The News Cycle” (#226) and reminds us there’s plenty of news out there; we don’t need more.

I got some pretty bad acid/ulcer situation right around the time of the inauguration. (I was also super stressed at work.) I thought it was a heart thing! It was then and there that I decided to stop constantly following NPR and NYT and only go there periodically for updates. My Instagram and Fb is full of flowers, puppies, old movies, and fashion. We don’t need to watch the news as often as we all do in this age of information.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! If there’s an article this week that spoke to you, hit reply and let me know.

There you have it! Now that you’ve finished reading today’s issue, you can feel better about yourself. Let me know what you thought about today’s issue by hitting reply or by clicking on the thumbs below. Also, let’s welcome our community’s four new subscribers, including Kara, Jennifer, and Kate. I hope that you find this newsletter a welcome addition to your Thursday email inbox. My thanks go to loyal readers Telannia and Marisa for getting the word out!

If you really like The Highlighter, please help it grow and get better. I appreciate your support. Here are a few ways you can help:

On the other hand, if the newsletter is not a great match for your inbox, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#232: White Men’s Roads Through Black Men’s Homes

Loyal readers, I’m proud of today’s issue, and I hope you find at least one article that resonates with you or pushes your thinking. Like last week, pieces are paired and talk to each other. The first pairing explains how racial segregation became cemented in the 1950s and ’60s through the construction of physical barriers to separate Black people from white people. After an interstitial GIF, the second pairing explores how our inequitable economy has led to a rise in hustle culture and the seemingly intractable housing crisis. (Now that I think of it, it’s possible to say that all four articles talk to one another and share a common theme. If you end up reading them all, by all means weigh in.) Please enjoy!

+ Highlighter Happy Hour #13 is coming up soon, and the world will be a better place if you are there. We’re gathering at Room 389 in Oakland on Thursday, March 5, beginning at 5:30 pm. Please get your free ticket so you can win the grand prize.

+ Question of the Week: What’s the last Highlighter article that you recommended to a friend? Hit reply and let me know!

White Men’s Roads Through Black Men’s Homes

By the 1950s, and especially after Brown v. Board, the national government could not legally segregate people by race. But the Interstate Highway Act did that very same thing. It displaced thousands of Black people across the country, destroyed thriving Black communities, erected permanent physical barriers that entrenched segregation, and protected white suburban spaces. In this comprehensive law journal article, Prof. Deborah N. Archer not only explains the racist impact of transportation policy but also suggests ways that we can advance racial equity through highway reconstruction. (~60 min)

+ Don’t feel like you need to read all 74 pages of this report. The introduction will be powerful enough.

The Peyton Wall: A Lesson in Barriers

In 1962, the mayor of Atlanta approved the construction of a concrete and steel barrier that separated the mostly white affluent neighborhood of Peyton Forest from the rest of Atlanta, in an effort to discourage Black people from purchasing homes there. In this braided essay, white Math teacher Jay Wamsted, who serves mostly Black students at Mays High School in Atlanta, explores this history and reflects on his role in supporting a former student. He writes, “We wrestle ghosts in southwest Atlanta, ghosts of slavery and Jim Crow that haunt our streets in ways both obvious and subtle.” (12 min)

Black Americans Have To Hustle More

Late stage capitalism forces all of us to hustle to make ends meet. But if hustling is “for surviving a rigged game,” as sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom writes, then our system requires Black people, especially women, to hustle harder, just to maintain their class status. Prof. Cottom argues that the 1970s offered a path for more economic equity, but since then, the trend toward private investment has hindered Black people’s access to social mobility. (12 min)

+ Last year I read Thick and recommend it highly.

Build Build Build Build Build Build Build Build Build Build Build Build Build Build

California’s housing crisis is a disgrace, resulting in exorbitant rents, long commutes, increasing homelessness, and dire encampments. Most agree the answer is to build more housing — except not in their backyards. Suburban homeowners want to preserve their views; urban renters want to prevent gentrification. This article, about a Bay Area city manager who changes his mind about development, offers some hope for the future. (15 min)

+ Here’s more about Bay Area NIMBYs and why it’s so expensive to build in San Francisco.

Which article did you appreciate the most? Let me know by hitting reply or by clicking on the thumbs below. Also, let’s welcome our community’s seven new subscribers, including Carol, Kate, Aly, Marisa, Janice, and David. I hope that you find this newsletter a welcome addition to your Thursday email inbox. My thanks go to loyal readers Marni and Rita for getting the word out!

If you really like The Highlighter, please help it grow and get better. I appreciate your support. Here are a few ways you can help:

On the other hand, if the newsletter is not a great match for your inbox, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#231: They Sold Human Beings Here

Good morning, loyal readers! This week’s issue is two parts history, two parts hobbies. The backlash against The 1619 Project continues unabated, and this week’s lead article, a photo essay documenting slave auction sites, serves as a reminder of its importance. History buffs will also want to read the second piece, which rebuts the common explanation of mass incarceration over the past 50 years.

If you don’t like history, or you’re looking for a new hobby, head past the fold, where you’ll find potential pastimes, like becoming a busybody and climbing high peaks. Please enjoy!

+ It was an honor to interview Paul Tough, author of The Years That Matter Most, as part of this month’s Article Club. In this podcast episode, Mr. Tough answered our questions about how he wrote and reported “Getting an A,” the heartwarming story of a first-semester college student, her professor, and introductory calculus.

They Sold Human Beings Here

More than 1.2 million men, women, and children were bought and sold in the United States between 1760 and 1860. So common were slave auctions that some people were sold six times in their lives, sometimes split from their families. While 1,800 monuments still exist to extol the Confederacy, most slave auction sites remain unmarked and forgotten. This piece, an addendum to The 1619 Project, aims to prevent history from disappearing. (16 min)

+ Proponents of 1776 should read the part about what happened after Thomas Jefferson died.

Not The New Jim Crow: The Economic Origins Of Mass Incarceration

I’m a fan of Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow, which argues that mass incarceration emerged as a racist strategy to maintain a caste system in the United States. But in this well-researched essay, John Clegg offers a different perspective, asserting that the post-World War II baby boom and the rise of suburbanization left cities lacking in jobs and education, which resulted in a rise in violent crime. Instead of investing in social programs, liberals and conservatives agreed on prisons instead. (44 min)

Going The Distance (And Beyond) To Catch Marathon Cheaters

We all have our hobbies. Derek Murphy spends his time exposing marathon cheaters. He has a website and a podcast, where he posts charts, photos, and screenshots to nab course cutters who otherwise would hoodwink their way to the Boston Marathon. It’s all for the integrity of the sport, Derek says. But after his righteous reporting disqualified 70-year-old runner Frank Meza, everything changed. (26 min)

Love And Lhotse

While some people like to expose marathon cheaters, others prefer climbing the face of Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world, then skiing down. After suffering significant loss, Hilaree Nelson and Jim Morrison found answers to the meaning of life as they entered the Death Zone, the netherworld above 8,000 meters where the body breaks down. “To a large degree, the mountains saved my life,” Jim says. “They created a space for me to thrive and find happiness and feel alive.” (23 min)

Did you like today’s issue? Please let me know by clicking on the thumbs-up or -down below. Also, let’s welcome our community’s two new subscribers, Linda and MJ. I hope that you find this newsletter a welcome addition to your Thursday email inbox.

If you really like The Highlighter, please help it grow and get better. I appreciate your support! Here are a few ways you can help:

On the other hand, if the newsletter is not a great match for your inbox, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#230: Is Cannabis The Answer To Everything?

Happy Thursday and good morning, loyal readers! — that is, unless you live on the East Coast, or in Europe, or you’re Anne in Japan. If it’s not 9:10 am in your neck of the woods, hit reply and demand a correction. After all, this newsletter is growing, you deserve the best, and facts are facts.

Today’s lead article, which charts the rise of the cannabis wellness industry, and the second piece, which details the plight of the nuclear family, talk to each other in an intriguing way. They’re both about the stress and isolation of modern society, and both offer possible remedies to ameliorate the pain. If you have time to read both, it’ll be worth it. If you do, let me know what you thought!

If you’re looking for something more awe-inspiring, head directly to the bottom for an uplifting dose of grizzly bears. Then end your reading session with the absurd, a story of two middle-aged white men fighting over a few feet of a river shore. Enjoy!

+ Article Club keeps getting better and better! This month, we’re reading and discussing Paul Tough’s “Getting an A,” and Mr. Tough generously answered our questions this week, which I’ll publish as a podcast episode this Sunday. If you’re interested in what Article Club is all about, there’s still time to join. To find out more, go here, here, or sign up for our in-person or online discussions on Feb. 23.

Is Cannabis the Answer to Everything?

Now that weed is legal in many states, and the stigma of its use has declined, the wellness industry has swooped in, promising health-conscious women with disposable income a trendy new way to practice self-care, decrease anxiety, and juggle the pressures of late-stage capitalism — while making sure to look good at the same time. Author Lauren McKeon offers this well-written perspective from Canada, asserting that while cannabis may not solve all our problems, at least it’s better than kale. (22 min)

+ Which do you prefer: Flow, Ease, Calm, or Lift?

The Nuclear Family Was A Mistake

The mid-20th century American model of the nuclear family was a “freakish historical moment” that didn’t exist beforehand, wasn’t equitable at the time, and no longer exists now, argues David Brooks in this well-researched essay. A better structure is the extended family, which emphasizes connection, offers a safety net in times of need, helps raise children, and supports the elderly. The question is whether we can rebuild that ideal, or whether it’s too late. (41 min)

+ Get ready for some startling statistics about how our society has changed. Hit reply and let me know which one you found most surprising.

A Line In The Sand Over River Rights

You hate the rat race of the city, and you love the outdoors, and your dream is to buy a cottage on the bank of the woodsy Russian River in Northern California, so you can finally achieve some peace. But then you find out that your backyard is actually public land, so any dolt can dock his canoe on your shore and drink Buds with his homies. What happens next? Read this and find out. (20 min)

+ Are you Team John or Team Mark?

www.outsideonline.com

Bear Dreaming: Of Wonder In Winter

Grizzly bears really know how to relax. After spending their summers gobbling enough salmon to reach their recommended 30,000 calories a day, grizzlies prep their dens for the winter and get ready to enter a state of torpor (not hibernation!), where over the next five months, they barely breathe, don’t eat or pee or poop, and lose 30 pounds, while they also manage to give birth, nurse their cubs, and maintain their muscle mass. (9 min)

+ Here’s 47 minutes of grizzly goodness.

+ Reader Annotations: After reading last week’s lead article, “How To End Traffic,” loyal reader Erik, a proud Honda Fit owner, did not appreciate that I’m thinking of limiting the time I spend in my car. He wrote, “I love my Fit! It is so reliable! But I’m concerned that the tire indicator is always on.” You and me both, Erik.

Did you like today’s issue? Please let me know by clicking on the thumbs-up or -down below. Also, let’s welcome our reading community’s six new subscribers: Jessica, Edison, Mark, Andrew, Cammie, and Jess. I hope that you find this newsletter a welcome addition to your Thursday email inbox.

If you really like The Highlighter, please help it grow and get better. I appreciate your support! Here are a few ways you can help:

On the other hand, if the newsletter is not a great match for your inbox, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#229: How To End Traffic

I spend way more time in my Honda Fit than I care to admit. Given where I live, and where I work, and my access to public transit, I could easily modify my behavior and reduce my harm to the environment. But it’s easier to stay warm in the mornings, listen to podcasts on my commute, and spend time worrying about climate change. Is this you, too? If so, let me know if today’s lead article makes you change your habits.

Also this week, enjoy articles about how technology can make education worse, how technology can make music better, and how Las Vegas is more than just slot machines and Sting.

+ If you want to deepen your reading and connect with other thoughtful people, join February’s Article Club. This month, we’re discussing Paul Tough’s “Getting an A,” from his outstanding book The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes Or Breaks Us. If you’re a teacher or a parent, or you care about social equity, or you like outstanding writing, go here to learn more and to sign up.

How To End Traffic

Cars kill people, contribute to global warming, and cause us to avoid our fellow humans, thereby preventing opportunities to build community. This article, which suggests that we follow Europe’s example, offers five ways we can aggressively reduce traffic in urban areas. My favorite: Eliminate street parking. Though I’m a total hypocrite, I agree with the writer’s premise that “places without cars are simply more pleasant places to be.” (Something tells me that Lyft and Uber aren’t the answer.) (17 min)

+ Can we do this here? Hit reply and let me know.

Technology Doesn’t Solve Racism: Surveillance Apps In The Classroom

ClassDojo, a wildly popular app among teachers, seems like a good idea: Give parents real-time data about how their kids are doing in the classroom. But in addition to privacy concerns, ClassDojo is yet another tech tool that may exacerbate racist patterns in classroom management. “Apps do not address the root cause of inequity,” says Prof. Shanara Reid-Brinkley. “These sorts of mechanisms allow teachers to be blind to their own bias.” (8 min)

The People Of Las Vegas

More than half of all Americans have visited Las Vegas, but don’t say you live there unless you’re ready for scorn. “I have often wondered whether the general ignorance about Las Vegas is born of laziness, snobbery, or an altogether more insidious impulse,” writes Amanda Fortini, in this steadfast, unapologetic ode to her city. “As a writer, as a human, no place has ever captured my attention, my imagination, and my concern as this city has.” Even if you don’t care one bit about Las Vegas, read this piece for Ms. Fortini’s writing. (22 min)

A Decade Of DJing: How Technology Changed The Art Form

If you guessed that this is the first article about DJing ever to appear in The Highlighter, you’re right. That’s why I liked this article, because reading is about learning new things, right? Sure, I knew about beatmatching and how technology has made DJing more accessible and democratic (despite its detractors). But the nuances of the sync button and the slip function? New knowledge. (Vaporwave and lo-fi house, too.) (10 min)

+ Did you learn something new, too? Let me know.

+ Reader Annotations: An anonymous loyal reader loved “Becoming A Man” and shared these thoughts:

The article is beautifully written and does a good job of describing the writer’s experience moving from an oppressed group to that of the oppressor (and how he enjoyed aspects of this). I think about my own kid and her (current pronoun) experience being seen differently according to her outward appearance. I think she associates power and freedom to being a boy. But once in that power, she doesn’t feel right, like it’s not earned and so doesn’t make use of it. This piece speaks to that navigation of moving through the world with those societal expectations weighing heavy on our hearts and bodies.

Loyal reader Samantha wondered whether the trend described in “Death-Positive Millennials Are Planning Their Funerals Early” could be explained by one journalist’s reporting, rather than a general pattern:

I’m curious as to how many of the millennials the writer got their information from experienced death of others, especially at a younger age or unexpectedly. Two people they spoke about had recently lost someone themselves. One lost a grandparent, and though they did not say the grandparent’s age, it did seem unexpected. Another, at the end, had just lost three people in a short period of time. I’m not sure if it’s millennials thinking more about death (it could be though because I do think we want to make things less taboo) or if it’s just people who have experienced a certain type of loss because it becomes more a part of your reality.

Thank you very much for these contributions. Loyal readers, keep your thoughts coming. I welcome your ideas and respond to every email I receive. All you need to do is hit reply!

Did you like today’s issue? Please let me know by clicking on the thumbs-up or -down below. Also, let’s welcome our reading community’s new subscriber Rita. I hope that you find this newsletter a welcome addition to your Thursday email inbox.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow and get better. I appreciate your support. Here are a few ways you can help:

On the other hand, if the newsletter is not a great match for your inbox, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#228: Messages Across The Divide

Welcome to The Highlighter, loyal readers! — whether this is your first issue, your 228th, or you’re somewhere in between. Thank you for opening this week’s issue. Yesterday I spoke with a new subscriber, who asked me why I publish this newsletter. I love this question. There are many answers. Mostly, though, the main reason is simple: I’m persuaded that there’s power when a group of thoughtful people are reading in community. I am grateful to be reading great articles with you week after week.

Today’s issue includes four pieces from a variety of perspectives and publications. I highly recommend the lead article, “Messages Across The Divide,” especially if you’re an educator or a parent. The others — exploring masculinity, death, and gentrification — are also worth your time. My hope is that you’ll carve out at least 30 minutes this week to take in an article or two. Please enjoy!

+ The inaugural month of Article Club was a huge success! We read and annotated Jia Tolentino’s “The Tyranny of the Ideal Woman,” shared our thoughts online, listened to Ms. Tolentino’s answers to our questions, and participated in discussions, both in-person and online. Want to join February’s club? Sign up here and then check your email this Sunday at 9:10 am, when I’ll reveal what we’re reading next. I’m excited, and I hope you are, too.

Messages Across The Divide

Author Zach Wyner is a writing coach in the Bay Area, and one night in a library in North Berkeley, a 14-year-old boy asks him why we should care about homeless people. Isn’t their plight an effect of their poor choices? Before Mr. Wyner can answer, his phone buzzes with desperate texts from a young man he mentors, four years out of juvenile hall, still at risk for homelessness, asking for diapers and food for his infant son. What to do? In our divided times of increasing inequality, many educators find themselves stuck in the middle. Mr. Wyner writes, “We watch people living out their lives on opposite sides of a chasm. Occasionally, the chasm winks, reminding us of our responsibility to keep delivering messages to the other side.” What happens next is a brilliant move of teaching. (12 min)

+ Would you have done the same thing? Hit reply and share your thoughts.

+ Thank you to loyal reader Sele for submitting this outstanding essay.

Becoming a Man

What does it mean to be a man? In this poignant, moving article, P. Carl offers his perspective, sharing what he’s learned about masculinity from his father, his father-in-law, and his own transition. The writing is raw and at times disturbing. “I see the flaws of men,” Mr. Carl writes, “all the ways their fragility makes them dangerous and powerful and dismissive and sure that they know it all, and I love being a man.” (21 min)

Death-Positive Millennials Are Planning Their Funerals Early

Only one in three American adults have an advance directive, and only one in five have spoken with their loved ones about their wishes after they die. But Millennials are making their plans early, seeking cheaper and more sustainable alternatives to burial and cremation, using apps like WeCroak to remind themselves that life is fleeting, and joining communities that promote death positivity. (Maybe what they’re really doing is deciding who should inherit their debt.) (12 min)

Welcome To New York. Now Go Home.

I get that gentrification is bad. But I can’t sympathize with Jeremiah Moss, author of Vanishing New York, who laments that the East Village has changed since he arrived in the neighborhood in the 1990s as a young, queer, transsexual poet. Twenty-plus years later, Mr. Moss is a self-employed psychoanalyst, solidly middle class, but he still feels lonely, clutching to nostalgia, remembering how things used to be, complaining about the new people, wishing he could make the East Village great again. (30 min)

+ Why am I recommending this piece if I don’t like the author? Because it’s beautifully written. Plus I want you to tell me if I’m lacking compassion.

+ Reader Annotations: Plenty of you appreciated my nod to the TV show 227. Loyal reader Rebecca wrote, “I have to share that when I was getting my phone number, I picked the one I have because it ends with 227! Bless that show and Jackée, the first queen of my life.” Good choice on the phone number, Rebecca!

Loyal reader Martha (watch her read The Highlighter here) found “Against Empathy” (#226) thought provoking and had this to say:

I fully believe in kindness and compassion. However, the article made me think of how crippling empathy can be. It made me think of teacher burnout. I’m curious to do some more research on empathy and vicarious traumatization and if they’re in conflict. Maybe too much empathy can be traumatizing?

Thank you for reaching out, Rebecca and Martha! Loyal readers, my inbox is just an R away. Share what’s on your mind.

Which article did you like the most this week? Please let me know, and give this issue a thumbs-up or -down below. Also, let’s welcome our reading community’s four new subscribers: Sandra, Manuel, Carrie, and Adam. I hope that you find this newsletter a welcome addition to your Thursday email inbox.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow and get better. I appreciate your support. Here are a few ways you can help:

On the other hand, if the newsletter is not a great match for your inbox, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#227: Facial Recognition

We’ve reached Issue #227, which means I get to write about, and you get to find out about, one of my favorite TV shows growing up, 227 (1985-90), starring Marla Gibbs and Jackée Harry. Here’s the theme song, “No Place Like Home,” in case you’re having a tough Thursday morning. You’re welcome.

Done listening? If so, get ready for some thought-provoking articles on the dangers of facial recognition software, the inequities of school funding, the effects of a powerful piece of writing, and the social benefits of knitting in public. If your time is limited this week, I’d recommend “Facial Recognition,” for its comprehensive look at yet another aspect of technology that may ruin our lives. Enjoy!

+ Let’s congratulate Gena, the winner of the Just Mercy Giveaway! Thank you for encouraging Bob to subscribe. For her hard work, Gena gets two free tickets to the movie. (Bob, did you know about this? Are you upset that you don’t get any tickets?)

Facial Recognition

There are plenty of things that I worry about (e.g., climate change, the next presidential election), but until I read this outstanding article, the impact of facial recognition software wasn’t one of them. My typical behavior was to skip articles like these and bury my head in the sand.

But putting together this newsletter pushes me to read past my comfort zone. I’m grateful that I found this set of short pieces from The California Sunday Magazine. They clearly explain the history of facial recognition, how computers recognize faces, how the technology is (mis)used in law enforcement, how its expansion threatens privacy, and how facial recognition is subjecting Black people to even more surveillance. (24 min)

+ Check out the flowcharts at the end, which offer tips on avoiding surveillance online, at work, at the airport, and in public.

No More School Districts

The root of educational equality, argues Kevin Carey, is that rich school districts want to hoard their resources, and nothing stops them. This article offers an outstanding history of how school districts developed into what they are now (answer: racism) and how the 14th Amendment has offered no recourse (San Antonio v. Rodriguez, Milliken v. Bradley), given that education is not a fundamental right. Unfortunately, Mr. Carey’s solutions won’t work, either. (27 min)

Four Hundred Years Of Harsh History Delivered In 8,000 Unflinching Words

Since the publication of The 1619 Project last August, Nikole Hannah-Jones has received praise and faced criticism for her work to reframe the founding of American history as the year 1619, not 1776. In this interview, Ms. Hannah-Jones reflects on the process of conceiving and writing her essay. We learn, for example, that structure is a challenge for her and that she skips outlining and starts with her gut. Her advice to writers? “If you want to do great, beautiful writing, you have to read great, beautiful writing.” (19 min)

+ Also by Ms. Hannah-Jones: “Choosing A School For My Daughter In A Segregated City (#46).

In Defense Of Public Knitting

Despite knitting’s history of activism, the practice remains mostly a private pursuit. But Aleesha Paz reminds us that “there’s power in the way we inhabit public space” and urges knitters to take their needles to the streets — not necessarily to protest, but rather to “turn sedentary spaces into places of creativity, productivity, and mindfulness.” As public spaces continue to disappear, Ms. Paz argues, we need to find ways to build community and exchange our ideas and passions. (14 min)

+ Reader Annotations: Loyal reader Gail connected with last week’s article, “Quit the News Cycle,” and shared this reflection:

One of the things I remember realizing after the last election cycle (especially the primary) is that I got so caught up in journalism about who was going to win (Clinton over Sanders) that I didn’t spend as much time thinking about who I wanted to win, or whether I might want to do something about it.

That’s perfectly stated, Gail. Thank you for your contribution. Loyal readers, if an article in today’s newsletter got you thinking, hit reply and let me know.

Unfortunately, that’s it for this week. Don’t be too sad. Did you find at least one article that engaged your interest? I hope so. Please vote using the thumbs below. Also, let’s welcome our reading community’s four new subscribers: Raquel, Morgan, Peter, and Bob. I hope that you find this newsletter a welcome addition to your Thursday email inbox.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow and get better. I appreciate your support. Here are a few ways you can help:

On the other hand, if the newsletter is not a great match for your inbox, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#226: Against Empathy

Hi Loyal Readers! Part of why I publish this newsletter is to push our thinking, and today’s first two articles definitely pushed mine. If you’re sick and tired of managing other people’s emotions, this week’s lead article, on the dangers of empathy, will offer you a reprieve. If you want permission to stop following the news, the second article is there for you. Don’t want your views challenged today? Start with the pet photo and proceed from there; the last two pieces are more typical Highlighter fare.

+ Just Mercy Giveaway! You’re great (you know this), but I’d also like to grow our reading community, and the best way to reach more thoughtful, dedicated readers is to ask you to spread the word. If that sounds good to you, and if also want a chance to win two tickets to Just Mercy (it’s great, see below), encourage a friend to subscribe (and type your name in the form). (No, you can’t sign up for them.) I’ll announce the lucky winner next Thursday!

Against Empathy

We’re taught to value empathy — the ability to put ourselves into another person’s shoes, to experience the world as they do, to feel their pain. When we empathize with others, we’re more likely to help them and less likely to remain selfish. Altruism is good, right?

Not so much, argues Paul Bloom in this thought-provoking essay, in which he contends that empathy leads to exhaustion and burnout. Also, because our patriarchy considers empathy (more often) a feminine trait, the expectation of women to perform emotional labor leads to “pathological altruism” and higher rates of depression.

Instead of empathy, Prof. Bloom suggests we practice compassion, “a more distanced love, a kindness and concern for others.” When your friend comes to you in distress, they don’t want you to mirror their anguish. They don’t want you to hurt as much as they do. They want you to listen, to care about them, and demonstrate your desire to help. (21 min)

+ This essay was published in 2014. Do you think its point no longer applies?

+ English teachers: This is a great essay to teach for structure. Just saying.

Quit The News Cycle

Since serving on my high school newspaper, I’ve believed in the news, that “democracy dies in darkness,” and that journalism seeks the truth, holds power to account, and helps people understand the world. But news as a cultural institution, according to this astute essay by Greg Jackson, focuses primarily on “pseudo-events” (e.g., the President’s tweets), offering equal parts trauma and therapy, alarm and comfort, to keep its audience captive, ready to tune into tomorrow’s show, or check their phone notifications, instead of spending time with their kids. (31 min)

+ Sure, go ahead and quit your news addiction, but make sure you keep reading this newsletter.

The Fight Over School Funding: “Kids Who Have Less Need More”

No fundamental right to education is written into the Constitution, which means states can fund schools how they like — in most cases, inequitably. This article follows 12-year-old Taheem Fennell, a sixth grader in Delaware whose sister was killed to gun violence, whose mom doesn’t want him to go outside, whose school has no Math teacher or librarian, and whose legislators don’t want to change the school funding formula, which was enacted 70 years ago, in the era of Jim Crow. (23 min)

Just Mercy

You’re recommending a movie in The Highlighter? Yes, for the first time ever, I am. Longtime subscribers know my feelings about Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. He’s one of my heroes. Now he’s on the big screen, played by Michael B. Jordan. The film isn’t perfect, for sure, but it’ll inspire you to (re)connect with your purpose to fight injustice, and it’ll remind you of the power of sustained, relentless compassion. Pro tip: Bring gobs of Kleenex. (137 min)

+ Want to borrow Mr. Stevenson’s book? I have two extra copies. Let me know! Or maybe it should be required reading for all of us? 🤔

+ Reader Annotations: Tons of loyal readers have been sending in comments, which is great. Hit reply and join the fun.

Loyal reader Ella had a strong reaction to last week’s article on deep sea mining, “The Race To The Bottom Of The Ocean.”

Wow. I cried, I laughed, I looked up terms I’d never heard of. I’m smarter and more terrified than before I read the article. Thank you so much for the kaleidoscope of information!

Emotions were also strong for loyal reader Brittany, who seethed after reading Niles Niemuth’s critique of the 1619 Project:

I tried to compose a thoughtful response about why this article was so frustrating to read, but I think I’m distracted by my own anger. I guess a takeaway thought is that this is representative of why it’s difficult to have conversations across difference. Not any difference, but specifically the kind of difference where we can’t agree on the same facts. If a person can’t recognize that race is ultimately at the heart of all of our politics, because people of color are living with the effects of racism daily, how can we communicate?

Last week’s piece on culinary authenticity prompted loyal reader Daniel to feel nostalgic for a restaurant in San Francisco he loved:

There used to be this barbecue place on Grove and Divisadero: Brother-In-Law’s Bar-B-Que. I loved it. It was small and cozy and a great place to stop on my way home from my late night shift at the downtown library. It seemed “authentic” in that it appeared to be run by a single family. It seemed like an extension of home. And, yes, it was Black. At that time, most of the customers were Black, and the surrounding neighborhood had a much greater population of Black people than are there now. Brother-In-Law’s Bar-B-Que went out of business. There is a slick, new barbecue place there now, with mobs and mobs and lines and lines of people — young, white, affluent — waiting patiently for their chance to enjoy the outdoor dining at long communal tables.

Thank you for those and all the reader annotations I received this past week. Please keep them coming! (Don’t like writing? Leave a quick voice message.)

And just like that, we’ve reached the end. Did you find at least one article that engaged your interest? I hope so. Please vote using the thumbs below. Also, let’s welcome our reading community’s two new subscribers: Manuschka and Armiya. (Manuschka, in particular, is extremely excited!) I hope that you find this newsletter a welcome addition to your Thursday email inbox.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow and get better. I appreciate your support. Here are a few ways you can help:

  • Enter the Just Mercy movie giveaway by urging a friend or family member to subscribe. (Don’t subscribe for them!)

  • Keep me caffeinated, as loyal reader Trevor did so generously last week, by buying me a coffee (thank you, Trevor!),

  • Become the 25th loyal reader to become a VIP member, which will bring you great joy (and HHH beverages) (and more joy).

On the other hand, if all this reading is not for you, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#225: Lost In Summerland

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We’d all be better off, I’m convinced, if we kept wishing people a happy new year, without limit, all the way through December. I mean, why not? Here goes: Happy New Year, everyone, and thank you for reading The Highlighter! (Also, I’m grateful to the 37 loyal readers who sent kind notes last week. If you missed your chance, there’s still time: Just hit reply.)

Today’s issue features four first-rate articles on a variety of topics, including psychics, the bottom of the ocean, historiography, and authentic cuisine. In particular, please trust me when I urge you to read this week’s lead article, a phenomenal piece of writing that I predict we may see again on end-of-year best-of lists. You’ll enjoy the other pieces as well (especially the second one), but if you have only 45 minutes this week to read, the lead article is your best bet.

+ Article Club has begun strong! This month, we’re discussing Jia Tolentino’s “The Tyranny of the Ideal Woman.” I’m happy to announce that Ms. Tolentino, bestselling author of Trick Mirror, will be answering our questions as part of an upcoming podcast episode! If you’re interested in discussing this article with other thoughtful readers, you have until this Sunday at 9:10 am to sign up. Go here and announce, “I’m in!” in the comments.

Lost In Summerland

After recovering from a traumatic brain injury when he was 22 years old, Andy Swanson started hearing things at home: creaky footsteps in the hallway, stray voices in the closet. When his dad showed up, concerned, Andy’s first words were, “There’s someone in the room with us.” The chandelier in the room flickered on its own.

This article, told from the point of view of his little brother, Barrett, explores Andy’s developing identity as a psychic and a medium. Most of all, though, this is a story of two brothers, their relationship, and their trip one summer to Lily Dale, New York, where every year, 20,000 Spiritualists gather to perform readings, conduct seances, and build community.

At the retreat, Barrett notices his brother’s rising confidence and sense of calm. But he’s also aware of his own uneasiness, acknowledges his history of depression, and recounts an incident from his past, when his big brother’s powers may have saved his life. (44 min)

+ If this article moves you, please hit reply and share your thoughts.

The Race To The Bottom Of The Ocean

OK, science teachers, and lovers of life, and worriers of climate change: This article will grab you. Mining companies want to dredge the bottom of the ocean to extract minerals crucial to the development of batteries, an alternative to fossil fuels, thereby stalling the end of the world. But doing so may destroy the habitats of thousands of species — purple octopuses, giant tube worms, and more — that we have never seen before. Then again, protecting the deep ocean may mean increased mining in the Arctic and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where children inhale toxic dust while digging for the cobalt our iPhones need. What should be done? (31 min)

The 1619 Project: A Racialist Falsification of American History

The backlash to the 1619 Project is here. This Marxist critique argues that economics, not race, best explains the arc of American history. Class struggle, rather than “race hatred,” characterizes the causes of slavery, the effects of the Civil War, and the advances of the labor movement. A few historians agree, which prompted this response from the New York Times. As for me, I’ve long wondered why most American communists are white men who say everyone should be equal, but let’s not talk about race. (23 min)

+ For more dialogue on this controversy, read these pieces by Adam Serwer and Conor Friedersdorf.

What Does Authenticity In Food Mean, And Who Gets To Define It?

I’m not a foodie (except for cookies and pizza), but I know many of you are serious connoisseurs. You’ll enjoy this piece by Jaya Saxena, which explores how notions of “authenticity” have shifted from the expectations of the customer (i.e., white, influenced by Instagram, looking for a “hole in the wall”) to the culinary intentions of the chef. Dale Talde, for instance, says his menus “are not really Filipino,” but they’re authentic nonetheless — originating from “a kid born in Chicago to a Filipino family, wanting to represent the entirety of my background.” (16 min)

+ Reader Annotations: Last week’s article on the challenges of raising boys led loyal reader Tony to share these thoughts:

As a parent of a 16-year-old boy and someone who has worked with male students between the ages of 14 and 21 for years, this piece hits home.

As I read the article, I thought about how certain messages meant to mitigate toxic masculinity get co-opted by the larger social contexts and end up serving what they initially meant to undermine. When, as the article discusses, a young man says, “no homo,” it suggests only gay men express love and intimacy, and at the same time, reminds me that young men, as the article states, feel that “the only person with whom he had been able to drop his guard was his girlfriend, but that was no longer an option.”

This worries me about my own son, who seemed to share so much with his previous girlfriend but who now lacks someone in his life to do this with. I hope he can drop his guard with his group of friends, but most are “bros” and athletes, and while he seems to reject much of the culture that comes with that in my presence, I wonder how things are when he is engaging with them on social media and in the locker room.

Thank you very much for your thoughtful contribution, Tony. Loyal readers, if an article challenges you, or gets you thinking or feeling something, please hit reply and share your thoughts, if you feel comfortable. Our reading community will benefit from your voice.

Did you find at least one article that engaged your interest? I hope so. Please vote using the thumbs below. Also, let’s welcome our reading community’s three new subscribers: Paul, Robin, and Blake. I hope that you find the newsletter a welcome addition to your Thursday email inbox.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow and get better. I appreciate your support. Here are a few ways you can help:

  • At coffee, when a friend confides in you, say, “Let me tell you what will help you.” And then make sure they subscribe.

  • Show your gratitude by buying me a coffee, like Iris did.

  • Lock in my eternal gratitude by becoming a VIP member.

On the other hand, if you are Marie Kondo-ing your inbox, and this newsletter no longer brings you joy, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#224: Under The Weather ☀️

Happy New Year, loyal readers! I hope that 2020 brings you joy, peace, and reading. Before anything else, why not hit reply and wish me a happy 2020, too? I would like that.

Now that we’ve engaged in some mutual well-wishing, let’s get right to today’s issue. This week’s lead article, “Under the Weather,” explores the mental health issues emerging from climate change and the imminent destruction of the world. It’s outstanding. Then, if you’re emotionally spent, you might want to skip to the pet photo and the piece on Instagram face, to gather some energy, before doubling back to the articles focusing on how we don’t know how to raise boys properly or provide our Latinx students with teachers who look like them. I’m confident you’ll find this week’s pieces thought-provoking and sobering. Please enjoy!

+ Did you make a resolution to read more in the new year? If so, you’re in luck: Article Club begins this Sunday at 9:10 am. I can’t wait to reveal this month’s article. Sign up now!

Under The Weather

Climate change is creating a mental health crisis. For some, that means denial; for others, it’s paralysis. For Ash Sanders, knowing that the world is doomed has led to anxiety, depression, and grief. She’s not alone: Many people suffer from climate-related psychosis, and doctors are prescribing therapy and drugs to combat these ailments.

But traditional medicine, with its focus on the individual, is failing to help people reconnect with the natural world. What’s needed, Ms. Sanders argues, is a greater understanding of ecopsychology and its efforts to build a lexicon that defines what’s happening to us. In this article, you’ll learn about solastagia, pre-traumatic stress disorder, and ennuipocalypse. Ms. Sanders writes, “All the advice I’d ever gotten had told me to lie and pretend. I wanted to be honest, because I wanted to believe that we might still be able to act meaningfully in the face of our own extinction.” (31 min)

The Brokenness Of Boyhood

“Today many parents are unsure of how to raise a boy, what sort of masculinity to encourage in their sons,” writes Peggy Orenstein, author of the forthcoming Boys & Sex. Meanwhile, boys are growing up largely on their own, learning to “man up,” rejecting their emotions, emasculating their friends, glorifying sexual violence, and finding misogyny “hilarious.” As 16-year-old Nate said, “If you hook up with a girl below your status, it’s an ‘L.’ ” And the point, of course, is to win. (34 min)

Latinx Students Rarely Are Taught By Teachers Who Look Like Them

We know that most public school teachers are white, most students are not, and students of all races prefer teachers of color. This article explains how the racial gap between teachers and students continues to widen. This is particularly true for Latinx students, especially in California, where many Latinx students never have a Latinx teacher. (15 min)

+ Also: Check out the interactive graphs to find out the teacher-student racial gaps in your district.

+ Also #2: Please avoid reading the comments.

The Age Of Instagram Face

If we keep loving Instagram as much as we currently do, beautiful women might all start looking the same, according to Jia Tolentino. That is to say: cyborgian, like a “sexy baby tiger,” with plump skin, high cheekbones, catlike eyes, lush lips, and a face that is “distinctly white but ambiguously ethnic.” If social media, in our neoliberal age, has taught us to build our personal brand to extract the greatest profit, why not do the same with our bodies? (6 min)

Congratulations, you made it through today’s newsletter. Did you like this week’s issue? I hope so. Please vote using the thumbs below. Also, let’s welcome our reading community’s three new subscribers: Annie, Ella, and Bix. I hope that you find the newsletter a welcome addition to your Thursday email inbox.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow and get better. I appreciate your support. Here are a few ways you can help:

  • Forward this issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe.

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On the other hand, if you don’t find value in receiving this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!