The beloved “Dharma Bum” and a gentle soul who, at times, was “as nutty as a fruitcake and happier,” Jack Kerouac (March 12, 1922–October 21, 1969), is one of my all-time favorite writers. I previously wrote about his fascination with Buddhism and dream escapades, and today, I would like to revisit his timeless advice on … Read more
“A writer must always tell the truth, unless he is a journalist,” Gore Vidal is said to have said. This rather pessimistic sentiment prompted me to read “The Elements of Journalism” by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosentiel, whose purpose in writing the book was “to identify common principles shared by people who called themselves … Read more
“Terrified of being alone, yet afraid of intimacy, we experience widespread feelings of emptiness, of disconnection, of the unreality of self,” Sherry Turkle wrote while reflecting on how computers affect our awareness of ourselves, of one another, and of our relationship with the world. “And here the computer, a companion without emotional demands, offers a … Read more
“We have lived by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world,” Wendell Berry wrote in his beautiful paean to the world and all creation. Then he added: “We have been wrong. We must change our lives, so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption … Read more