The comments about words losing value when commodified or used performatively makes me think about the word "trauma" and how overused and non-specific it has become.
I think about "community" all the time, Nia. And my lack of one, heh. It is one of those words, like love, that has to carry more water than it should. We need more words, phrases, with some specificity, I think. Maybe we should make our own?
Also, re: Dan O'Brien. I've read a bit of him, especially essays. His "Buffalo for the Broken Heart" is a wonderful book.
I think that when a word becomes commoditized, as the word community has, part of the true meaning is strip-mined and the void is filled with the new, commercial meaning.
My most common emotional response to the readings you note is, "Oof!" It expands somewhat to, "Ouch. Didn't see that coming," which is a capsule statement of where we are as a species.
Wonderful column, and wonderful photo. I so think you are right about building relationship(s), it's something one can do and it's foundational. Hope you had a wonderful Autumn!
Thanks for this issue. Words are wonderful. When I was seven, I either wanted to be a librarian, an archeologist, or own a gas station....I figured all of them would leave me plenty of time to read and discover new words.
Thank you for the new podcast! I have a 12 hour drive next week and the Origin Stories podcast will be a good thing to listen to as I cross the various states. I also want to thank you for the land acknowledgement poem. I saw it when you left it in a comment on Chris La Tray's wonderful issue earlier this month. (and I LOVED his first response to your comment!) The piece by Lukas Rieppel is interesting and a bit infuriating...so much money and so many ways it could truly help people.
I will stop now and just thank you for your excellent writing and recommendations. Have a great week!
The comments about words losing value when commodified or used performatively makes me think about the word "trauma" and how overused and non-specific it has become.
Loved the land acknowledgment poem.
I think about "community" all the time, Nia. And my lack of one, heh. It is one of those words, like love, that has to carry more water than it should. We need more words, phrases, with some specificity, I think. Maybe we should make our own?
Also, re: Dan O'Brien. I've read a bit of him, especially essays. His "Buffalo for the Broken Heart" is a wonderful book.
I think that when a word becomes commoditized, as the word community has, part of the true meaning is strip-mined and the void is filled with the new, commercial meaning.
My most common emotional response to the readings you note is, "Oof!" It expands somewhat to, "Ouch. Didn't see that coming," which is a capsule statement of where we are as a species.
Wonderful column, and wonderful photo. I so think you are right about building relationship(s), it's something one can do and it's foundational. Hope you had a wonderful Autumn!
Thanks for this issue. Words are wonderful. When I was seven, I either wanted to be a librarian, an archeologist, or own a gas station....I figured all of them would leave me plenty of time to read and discover new words.
Thank you for the new podcast! I have a 12 hour drive next week and the Origin Stories podcast will be a good thing to listen to as I cross the various states. I also want to thank you for the land acknowledgement poem. I saw it when you left it in a comment on Chris La Tray's wonderful issue earlier this month. (and I LOVED his first response to your comment!) The piece by Lukas Rieppel is interesting and a bit infuriating...so much money and so many ways it could truly help people.
I will stop now and just thank you for your excellent writing and recommendations. Have a great week!