Grow Up: Stories We Tell About Ourselves Have Consequences
Cowie's book is quite good and Packer's takeaway was fatalism about the ability of Americans to change the nation's trajectory. Read on to learn more about the consequences of false stories and how to avoid them.
b-boy bouiebaisse
My name is Jamelle Bouie. @nytopinion columnist. Co-host of @UnclearPod. Upgrade your grey matter, ‘cuz one day it may matter.
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Cowie’s book is quite good and I wonder if Packer actually read it if his takeaway was fatalism about the ability of Americans to change the nation’s trajectory. https://t.co/haxGW9dLGC
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) March 9, 2023 -
and my honest response to this is “grow up” pic.twitter.com/ZVmbgWOZf4
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) March 9, 2023 -
no one is asking you to feel ashamed of the country or demanding that you engage in personal self flagellation, but the stories we tell about ourselves do have consequences, and false stories can lead us to recapitulate errors we say we want to avoid
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) March 9, 2023 -
packer devotes this review of three (quite good) books to critiquing a “new fatalism” but reveals itself is his own fatalism, which takes the form of an exhaustion with politics and political life. pic.twitter.com/Qlb8ekbOsC
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) March 9, 2023 -
sorry buddy, but political struggle is how we build inspiration for the future, always has been and always will be.
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) March 9, 2023 -
also, like, as someone who reads all of this history it has left me far from fatalistic! there are genuine heroes in this country’s history! and even our flawed figures have real virtues. don’t blame historical scholarship: your fatalism is your choice.
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) March 9, 2023