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Category Archives: The Long Story
A Kind of Comfortably Numb
Tomorrowland was one of the more maligned and ignored “blockbusters” from the summer of 2015, which is ironic when considering the movie’s attempt at being a “canary in the coal mine concerning contemporary society. The idea behind telling stories about … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Movies, Teaching, The Long Story
Tagged The Fractured Republic, Tomorrowland
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Renorming (and who benefits)
I believe it was marketing guru Seth Godin who introduced me to the idea that history may not repeat, but it definitely rhymes. That’s the sense you get when reading Yuval Levin’s The Fractured Republic. Sometimes patterns and trends really … Continue reading
Epistemological Humility
Throughout his lecture on life in light of affection, Berry attempts to remind us of the significance of the local and the personal. Certain kinds of knowledge, certain kinds of ways of life, are ultimately antithetical to “the good life.” … Continue reading
Two Kinds of Knowledge
Abstraction is a powerful thing. It works in favor of whoever can wield it, really. Wendell Berry knows this, particularly when it comes to how we see the places around us (just as much as the people, really). In his … Continue reading
The Root and Fruit of Affection
Yesterday I wrote a bit about Wendell Berry’s “rescue” of imagination as preparation for understanding the importance of affection (which I will take as at least a form of what others might call love). Both terms are used by Berry … Continue reading
Affection is Rooted in Imagination
What’s been interesting to me over the last few years of thinking through things like James K. Smith’s cultural liturgies concept (teased out well in You Are What You Love) is how the idea of what you love and how … Continue reading
The Novel-ty of Andrew Osenga
I remember well when I bought my first album from The Normals. I remember reading about Coming to Life in CCM Magazine. I remember making the connection in my head to the song “Everything (Apron Full of Stains)” from an … Continue reading
Memory Perfect, Imperfect
One thing Smallville did for me all those years ago was to introduce me to the music of Remy Zero. They’re the band behind the show’s opening credits song, “Save Me,” which is just one of a number of great … Continue reading
Posted in Internet, Music, The Long Story
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Letting Go of the Right Things
One of my favorite scenes from the final season of Community was the final episode’s last conversation between Annie and Jeff. As always, Jeff is a mess. He’s feeling the frustration of being “the only one left” after watching … Continue reading
Posted in Internet, Television, The Long Story
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This Is Forty
I have to admit: I don’t feel forty. Granted, also have to admit that I’m writing this Tuesday night, a couple of days shy of actually turning the big 4-0. Even still, forty feels like a strange number to hear … Continue reading
Posted in Internet, The Long Story
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Space Enough, and Time 