"when it comes to writing about culture and politics for the public, we don’t really need new ideas. Instead, we need to do a better job of promoting, teaching and implementing existing ones."
This is great. And it's also how I feel about technology and climate mitigation. The tech exists, people! (waiting for a few advances in battery technology) - thanks Sarah for your wise and provoking article
Thought provoking piece, thank you. I think the drive to be (and be seen as) original illustrates a deep problem in our society about individualism and hero-worship as contrasted with collaboration and community. I also wonder if we often seek 'the answer' rather than being prepared to grapple with complexity and unknowing.
Hi Sarah! This is the first time I've stumbled across one of your posts and just wanted to say that it really made me think. When you started out describing the difference between original thoughts and writing as social-reproductive care, the first thing that came to mind was beauvoir's immanence/transcendence dichotomy. But you really flipped that on its head for me - I think the comparison between Graeber/Hooks and influencers as both being in the practice of relationship building is spot on. It's always made me a little sad how much useful academic work gets praised in intellectual circles but never becomes useful to most people due to poor communication. Especially today when there's so much misinformation and crappy content, your faith in the value of this intellectual social reproduction gives me a bit of optimism in the path forward for storytelling and teaching as a craft :)
This is so lovely to hear! Thank you so much. I’m so glad it was helpful!
Yes, I love de Beauvoir’s work and would even consider myself an existentialist but I think it’s too simple to see social reproductive labour as only immanent, or immanence as always worse. Maybe a blog post for another day!
"when it comes to writing about culture and politics for the public, we don’t really need new ideas. Instead, we need to do a better job of promoting, teaching and implementing existing ones."
This is great. And it's also how I feel about technology and climate mitigation. The tech exists, people! (waiting for a few advances in battery technology) - thanks Sarah for your wise and provoking article
Thought provoking piece, thank you. I think the drive to be (and be seen as) original illustrates a deep problem in our society about individualism and hero-worship as contrasted with collaboration and community. I also wonder if we often seek 'the answer' rather than being prepared to grapple with complexity and unknowing.
I think yes to both!
Hi Sarah! This is the first time I've stumbled across one of your posts and just wanted to say that it really made me think. When you started out describing the difference between original thoughts and writing as social-reproductive care, the first thing that came to mind was beauvoir's immanence/transcendence dichotomy. But you really flipped that on its head for me - I think the comparison between Graeber/Hooks and influencers as both being in the practice of relationship building is spot on. It's always made me a little sad how much useful academic work gets praised in intellectual circles but never becomes useful to most people due to poor communication. Especially today when there's so much misinformation and crappy content, your faith in the value of this intellectual social reproduction gives me a bit of optimism in the path forward for storytelling and teaching as a craft :)
This is so lovely to hear! Thank you so much. I’m so glad it was helpful!
Yes, I love de Beauvoir’s work and would even consider myself an existentialist but I think it’s too simple to see social reproductive labour as only immanent, or immanence as always worse. Maybe a blog post for another day!
that's all I needed to read today Sarah :)
Love this Sarah! I have a photo of the details for the piece at Tate Britain as I loved it too, let me know how to send it to you 🙂
I’ve messaged you! :)