Two things make a post

[arkuat]

1) For all my leisure nonfiction needs lately I've been resorting to Habermas and Hobsbawm. This has been going on for months now, and I just finally twigged to what's so annoying about the two of them in combo: as white men raised a long time ago, they are relentlessly, guiltlessly-because-obliviously racist and sexist. It's subtle, but IT'S ALWAYS THERE. And it's part of my white privilege that I've been able to read that much of those books without wanting to throw them at a wall.

I need to find more magnificent sociological theorizing and modern history written by anyone who isn't an old white man. I'm sure it's out there, and that I haven't already gone looking for it reflects poorly on my ambitions as an amateur scholar.

2) @FeministaJones on twitter posted Paul Rosenberg's explanation, published on Salon.com, of the Ben Carson phenomenon, including links to the National Prayer Breakfast incident and the WSJ's immediate nomination of Carson for POTUS. While I'm a member of a generational subculture who have been ridiculing Donald Trump since I was a teenager, the Ben Carson phenomenon took me by surprise and I still barely understand it.

http://www.salon.com/2015/11/16/this_is_why_ben_carson_lies_the_dark_disturbing_reality_of_race_religion_and_todays_right_wing/

Comments

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

For 1), you could maybe ask Victor Raymond. Even though he now lives in my town and not yours.

For 2) yes Ben Carson's popularity is scary. (edited for clarity)

[arkuat]

Of course, asking Victor Raymond is an excellent suggestion. Thanks!