Wouldn't book club be so much easier if you just had to read a short article?
Because I know you just said 'yes' - consider this weekend post the Article Club. Its with me. But you don't need to show up with cheeses (although I wouldn't object).
Below are a few articles I've flagged recently because they made me think, or they've sparked discussion. I'll give you a little topical sentence with them and a few questions and you can pick whichever one (if any) pique your interest.
Then you can go to my comment section or to your significant other/co-worker/friend/mechanic/dog and launch directly into the Article Club discussion. Tell them every thing you learned. And on second thought, bring cheese, it will go better.
Article 1, is called the white savior industrial complex. Remember all the fuss about that Kony video? So this piece is a little old and somewhat topical to that - but it speaks to some much larger issues and it really really made me think. (it also made me a little uncomfortable, which I like). Do you agree with the author? Do you think americans like a "convenient villain" or a "space onto which white egos can easily be projected"? He challenges, if you care - do something about the underlying structural issues in Africa. I spent a number of years volunteering and working with Jubilee USA Network and I believe they make great strides in that direction. They always said there's giving a man a fish, and teaching a man to fish.... and then there's asking who staked ownership of the lake and why no one has access. (To be clear, working with Jubilee doesn't exempt me from the author's critique. I definitely cringed a lot reading this)
Article 2, on the increasing trend of using midwives. Would you use one? Do you still think it's safer/better in an MD's hands? Do you agree with the author that the reason for the shift is because of 'too many c-sections"? I watched the documentary called "The Business of Being Born" (on Netflix streaming) and found it to be only slightly biased and very eye opening.
Article 3, titled lying children will grow up to successful citizens. I found this argument to be entirely new and strange and interesting. Can you see the author's point? Do you think you'd agree just to feel okay about a lying kid that you love so much? I might.
Article 4, of all the articles I read post NBA finals, this one was my favorite (excuse the cursing) "Lebron James is a C**KSucker" It cut out all the warm and fuzzy story lines about Lebron and called it like it was - he's the same guy he was the day before he won. I love this piece because either you like him or you don't and that shouldn't change if his team wins. It reminded me of when Tiger came back to golf and was going head to head against Mickelson and the rhetoric was "good vs evil" and "bad husband vs. great husband". Do you think we crave the good guy wins story? Do you think we link the one that wins to the one with good character? I remember being unable to watch PTI and Sports Center at the time Tiger made his return because, while I don't approve of his extra curriculars, shouldn't it just be about the golfer with more skill? (I'm the same girl that will go all in for any triumph story they promote during the Olympics, so take this with a grain of salt)
That's all for now. I hope you have time this weekend to relax and read. I hope you have time to be social and discuss. I extra hope you learned something new!
Let me know if you liked these and I'll send more your way here and there. Let me know if you were bored to tears (All Paragraphs?!? No Pictures?!? lame!) and it's cool - I'll lay off the Article Club.
Either way, have a great weekend!
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