Black Lives Matter: The Role of International Allies

I often think about what it means to be a truly good ally. As we seek justice and advocate for those groups that find themselves on the receiving end of oppressive treatment, we juggle with multiple trade-offs and strive for an elusive equilibrium. We need to speak up, but not over the voices we try to support. We should find the audience that is willing to listen, but not end up preaching to the choir. We ought to be driven by the moral imperative to do the right thing, but also be careful not to develop a savior complex. And most importantly, we have to ignore strong incentives to uphold the status quo and be ready to rock the boat for the greater common good.

This is not to say that the life of an ally is fraught with hardship. It certainly isn’t nearly as bad as going through the trials and tribulations of racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia and other forms of oppression firsthand. This is merely to show that in order to achieve our goal, we need to put in some effort into figuring out what strategies will allow us to leverage our privileged position in the most effective manner. An obvious statement, to be sure, but the one that recently prompted me to specifically consider my international background in the context of allyship.

I am a white Russian man who grew up in what I now call a cultural bubble. In short, I was exposed to the influence of all things American during my formative years that went well beyond the usual reach of Americanization. Among other things, this explains how I came to be bilingual and why I am so eager to play a part in perfecting the Union despite being a foreigner.

The news of the recent police shootings of unarmed black men, as well as the attacks on law enforcement officers that followed, left me with a heavy heart and the determination to take action. But what do I do? Where do I start?

My natural impulse is to express my feelings in writing. Not so long ago I came across the quote by Teju Cole that stuck with me: “Writing as writing. Writing as rioting. Writing as righting. On the best days, all three.” It sounds just right. But as I sat at my desk I felt desperate, frustrated and useless. The pen may be mightier than the sword and it certainly has the power to comfort, heal and inspire the sense of community – but as a society, we can’t simply write our way out of systemic inequality and injustice without offering constructive solutions. And at the time I didn’t seem to have any. Living in a country that’s as culturally different as it is geographically distant from the United States of America, what could I really do?

I spent the last several days thinking about this and came up with even broader questions. What is the role of international allies in the struggle against the oppression of black people in the United States? How are we different from allies at home, and could we possibly use our position to the advantage of the Black Lives Matter movement? Is there a way to stay away from the misconceptions about its purpose and its message? I don’t pretend to have all the answers but I would like to share a few ideas.

What We Can’t Do

First off, we have to acknowledge a few major impediments to our participation in the movement.

1) Lack of lived experience.

While this applies to allies in general, our status as outsiders of the outsiders further distorts our perception of the problem. As much as we may know in theory, we don’t have the intimate understanding of what makes the American society tick. However, we can partly make up for this deficiency by listening to those with direct personal experience and being especially careful when it comes to choosing our sources of information and forming opinions.

2) No citizenship benefits

U.S. citizenship affords many opportunities to effect positive change. Allies at home have the right to vote in federal and local elections, run for public office, hold government jobs and serve on juries. It means that, unlike international allies, they can directly participate in the policy making process and attempt to reform the system from within.

3) Physical absence

Sometimes we just need to be there – and oftentimes we can’t. We can’t be there to stand in solidarity side by side at a peaceful rally, protest or march. We can’t be there to film a bad cop pointing a gun at an unarmed black person and possibly prevent the escalation of the situation.

What We Can Do Too

Despite the impediments mentioned above, there are surprisingly many things we can do as successfully and effectively as our American counterparts. And they all come down to having the Internet connection.

1) Listen

Thanks to the social media, we can listen to the voices of black leaders, organizers and activists that often don’t make it into the mainstream political conversation. We can also learn a lot from hearing out what ordinary people have to say about their everyday experiences.

2) Amplify black voices

While we have to make sure that we listen first, we should also use our own voices for the common good. Drawing attention to the evidence of systemic inequality and police brutality is the least we can do. This, however, is a double-edged sword that can also desensitize people to violence, so it has to be used with caution. Another way to participate is to write articles (like this one), make videos, write songs and produce works of art that will help build a stronger case against the oppressive treatment of black people in the court of public opinion. And don’t forget that we can sign petitions!

3) Support financially

Those working to build a more just society aren’t in it for profit, but it doesn’t mean that there’s no money involved in the process. By making donations we can support the movement and help it expand locally and nationally. Sometimes even a small contribution can go a long way. It also has to be understood that social justice isn’t possible without equal economic opportunities. We can help level the playing field by supporting black owned businesses.

What We Can Do Better

Now it’s time to answer the most interesting question – is there something that international allies are better equipped to do than allies at home? I think there are at least three areas where this might be the case.

1) International attention

Sometimes bringing international attention to the problem can be the shortest path to solving it, and history knows many successful examples. The pressure from the international community in the wake of violence against the brave men and women who risked their lives in pursuit of justice may have served as the tipping point in dismantling the apartheid regime in South Africa and forcing Lyndon B. Johnson to sign the Voting Rights Act into law. These days raising global awareness of police brutality in the United States is a much simpler task thanks to the social media. In the aftermath of the recent shootings, we also saw international allies pouring into the streets of Cape Town, Ottawa, Amsterdam, Berlin, Dublin and London to stand in solidarity and ensure that the voices of the African American community are heard all around the world.

2) Independent view

The truism, often attributed to Daniel Patrick Moynihan, that everyone is entitled to their own opinions but not their own facts appears to no longer hold in American politics. Facts and figures, statistical data and scientific evidence are now all subject to partisan debate. In an environment where any information coming from the opposite side of the political spectrum is often summarily dismissed without giving it the benefit of a doubt, international allies can use their position to restore objectivity. As outsiders, we offer an independent view that may be taken with more credibility, and we should take advantage of that to expose police brutality.

3) Global perspective

It’s tempting to think of police brutality and racism as uniquely American issues. Indeed, the origins of the police and the construct of race in the United States are inextricably tied to the South’s peculiar institution. But it’s important to realize that they are part of the lasting legacy of colonialism and slave trade that can be found all around the world. The suffering that has been inflicted on the African American community throughout history is unparalleled, but this experience resonates deeply with all people who have been oppressed. By focusing on police brutality as the centerpiece of a larger global narrative, we can reinforce the sense of community, empathy and interdependence – and make a concerted effort to end racism.

Representation and Misrepresentation

Before I finish, I need to address two more issues. As you may have noticed, all the strategies we have discussed so far are designed to deal with the symptoms of racism and not its root cause. Making sure that bad cops can’t murder unarmed black people with impunity is necessary, but it won’t take away the fear of blackness that is deeply entrenched in the American psyche.

After centuries of portraying black people as inherently dangerous and intellectually inferior, we have to work tirelessly to counter that image. Yes, Barack Obama runs the country, Beyoncé runs the world and Olivia Pope wears the white hat – but such achievements, whether real or fictional, are still widely perceived as exceptions to the rule. Turning our attention to black fathers who spend quality time with their kids, black youth graduating from top universities and black scientists who are at the forefront of scientific discovery is probably the best way to balance the story and challenge the dominant narrative that, more often than not, portrays ordinary black people as thugs and criminals. Promoting African American literature and making it more widely available is another great way to share a more complete picture of the black experience in America.

To sum up, representation matters and it has enormous potential to make a positive impact on our society. But misrepresentation is an equally potent force that deserves as much attention. Black Lives Matter – a reasonable assertion turned hashtag turned movement – has become much more polarizing than it should have. A large portion of the population believes that it means “only black lives matter” instead of “black lives matter too”, and that misinterpretation, substantially facilitated by the media, has proven to be a major obstacle to those who seek to end police brutality.

But the biggest distortion of the facts is the claim that the Black Lives Matter movement incites anti-police sentiment or, worse, encourages violence against law enforcement. Unfortunately, the recent assaults on police officers play into the hands of those who support this view and seek to link the movement to criminal activity. It should be obvious, however, that concerns for black lives and the lives of those officers who honorably do their tough job and fall victim to senseless violence aren’t mutually exclusive. The good law enforcement officers should be treated with the respect they deserve. And that’s precisely why the bad ones should be rooted out. Solving the systemic problem that gave rise to the Black Lives Matter movement will restore trust between police and citizens – and this is the cause that should unite people rather than divide.

I believe that the principal role of allies is to help foster that unity. No matter where we come from, we can and must serve as the link between the communities torn asunder by divisive narratives and misinformation. We are outsiders, and that’s exactly why we can fill the gaps of the things left unsaid and mend the fabric of our society. And in the moment of doubt, let’s remember the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. who rightly said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

This article has also been published in the Huffington Post.

2 Years a Feminist

It’s hard to believe that my journey as a feminist only started two years ago today. It’s been the most transformative experience I’ve ever had, and I’m so happy that I see the world differently now. Quite surprisingly, this very picture kickstarted the whole thing so I’m forever indebted to Beyoncé for this. But I would also like to thank other women – intellectuals, scholars, writers, activists, singers, musicians and artists – whose works have informed my worldview and taught me so much about intersectional feminism and womanism. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Franchesca Ramsey, bell hooks, Alice Walker, Roxane Gay and many others have inspired me to change and grow, to fight oppression and be personally involved in making this world a better place. I’m grateful for their wisdom, courage and excellence.

The Audacity of Hope

Very informative, insightful and sincere. I will miss President Obama and his vision for the country.

How do we ensure that #BlackLivesMatter?

Friends, I need your advice. The news of the recent police shootings left me with a heavy heart and the determination to take action, for no more time can be wasted. But I realize that the urgency of the situation demands a constructive approach that has the potential to provide real and effective solutions. And this is what makes me so frustrated, if not desperate.

Before I say anything else, here’s one simple fact. The problem is not with black people, it’s we, white people, who are the problem. So why should we expect the black community to go it alone and do something, twist itself into all sorts of contorted shapes and accept some self-imposed sanctions that we think would let black people safely navigate this world? We need to change ourselves and that’s what the solution should be based on.

My natural impulse is to express my feelings by writing. I remember the quote by Teju Cole I came across not so long ago: “Writing as writing. Writing as rioting. Writing as righting. On the best days, all three.” It sounds just right. However, I know that most of the time I end up preaching to the choir. Most of you here, most of those who read the stuff I write are like-minded people who are equally appalled and concerned. The pen and the word are powerful tools but if they don’t allow me to reach millions of people and affect their views then they’re not enough.

I considered launching an all-out campaign that would prove the reality of police brutality to all the nay-sayers beyond any doubt. Independent statistics, video footage and other kinds of evidence – unfortunately, there’s so much out there that unequivocally speaks of the very real problem that exists in our society. I could write a series of articles or make several videos that I believe would put all this information together in a coherent way so that no one would ever be able to deny what is going on. I could tackle the arguments of disproportionately high crime rate among black people and black-on-black crime that are invariably invoked when it comes to police brutality, and tease out facts from fiction. But then I remembered about all those people who don’t believe in climate change, who distrust statistics whatever its source, who question the very scientific method of obtaining information, those who wouldn’t care about anything I could do. They clearly are the target audience, yet I can’t think of a way to reach them.

Then I also think about how it’s not the lack of facts that leaves so many people questioning the reality of the problem. The shooting of an animal, a gorilla or a lion, causes a much bigger outrage than the shooting of a black person. Many people are more likely to believe in UFOs and Bigfoot based on fake blurry videos than to confront the reality of police bias documented in the crisp and clear footage. I don’t know the recipe for this numbness, whether it comes down to the history of the United States, the general lack of empathy or something else. What I do know, is that it has to be changed.

At the same time, I need to acknowledge that all the evidence is a double-edged sword. While it should be useful in courts of law and public opinion, it desensitizes people to this brutality directed towards black people. So it has to be used with caution.

So I really don’t know what to do to help make black lives matter. Where should I start? How do I inspire others to join me? I’m thousands of miles away and in a society that’s as culturally different as it is geographically distant, with no context to put this very American problem in and make it count. All I have is the Internet, this large glossy window into the land of the free and the home of the brave that affords an incomplete and obfuscated view of what's beyond its beautiful facade and won’t let me transgress its translucent borders and be with you in this difficult time. But I really want to be a part of the solution.

Even being so far away I do have an idea that I think will help. So much information is shared daily, has been shared for centuries, in fact, that paints a very grim picture of what the black community is all about, that portrays black men as inherently dangerous, that equates blackness to all the unpleasant things in the world. And we all know how much power these images wield. So maybe we should start a counter-offensive and actively promote positive perceptions of the black community? Black fathers spending quality time with their kids, black men and women graduating from top universities or being at the forefront of the latest scientific discovery. White people should do this on a consistent and regular basis to balance the story and straighten out the narrative that is fed to us from the news. This way we could address the most deeply-entrenched sentiments that have formed throughout the centuries and that subconsciously affect all of our decisions. I believe it can bring about some degree of change. But this is a long-term solution that requires the time that black people just don’t have. There has to be something else. I would be very glad to listen to your opinions on how to organize a concerted action that would have a positive impact on many people and prove that black lives matter.

UPDATE

Right after I finished writing this, I learned about what happened in Dallas. Those who killed several police officers as the peaceful protest against police brutality was turning to an end are responsible for what is as horrid and reprehensible a crime as the ones that elicited the protest in the first place. Most importantly, the perpetrators clearly aren’t concerned for black lives, for just like when it comes to a handful of terrorists who follow a perverted interpretation of Islam endangering the Muslim population around the globe, their actions will be seen as justification for the treatment that black people receive by the police. The frustration and anger that are out there are understandable and well-warranted, but turning against all police officers will only aggravate the already complicated problem and drive the wedge between the black and the law enforcement communities even further. And that wedge isn’t even supposed to be there. It should be obvious that concerns for black lives and the lives of those officers who honorably do their tough job and fall victim to senseless violence aren’t mutually exclusive. 

With that said, we should not be distracted from one of the most persistent problems that haunt the American society – the fact that black people are mistreated, cheated out of their rights and killed in ways that aren’t and have never been justified, and that the rest of us silently accept this as the norm. It’s hard not to look back and realize that the police force, along with most other institutions in the country, originally was not designed to protect black citizens and treat them equally. It comes as no surprise then that this problem lingers to this day in one form or another, and the fear that white America has of black people is rooted more deeply than we care to admit. But we also have to look towards the future and ensure that these institutions undergo the necessary change, however radical it may need to be, to one day live up to the promises and the declared principles that the United States of America was founded on. And the first step that we can take today is to collectively accept that black lives matter and that we mean it.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

A truly amazing book. It is not only the story itself that makes ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ so powerful and special. I have never before encountered such rich and vivid imagery, such elegant and evocative metaphors. One of the most beautifully written novels I have ever read.

The Klan Unmasked

“The Klan Unmasked” by Stetson Kennedy, first published in 1954, is a disturbing, revulsive book, and one that is very much worth your time. It is a story of a man who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan and other related terrorist organizations and hate groups for the purpose of exposing and destroying them. It turned out that all his efforts weren’t enough to put an end to their activities for good. Many of these organizations, including the KKK, are still operating, and their ideology up to this day finds many sympathizers. Kennedy did, however, manage to inflict substantial damage to their reputation, loosen their grip on the government and chip away at the legal foundation that sanctions the presence of such groups in our society.

I first learned about ‘The Klan Unmasked’ from ‘Freakonomics’. From there I also learned that Stetson’s narrative is a novelization of the events that actually took place. Most notably, he relates not only his own anti-Klan activities but also those of another man and renders them as his own. This departure from being a nonfiction account, however, doesn’t detract from the book’s overall power and educational value. It may well have served the purpose of providing for the most dramatic story possible thereby making the book a more potent weapon against the KKK.

Stetson Kennedy with the help of his informant was able to glean a lot of secret information and use it against the organizations he obtained it from. Most importantly, he outlined a ten-point program that can help combat hate groups. Interestingly enough, despite the claims that they serve a higher purpose of some sort, all of these terrorist organizations operate for financial gain and political clout. While most rank-and-file members don’t understand this, hate-mongering turns out to be a very lucrative business. This realization alone may suggest some constructive ways of containing and breaking up such groups.

Another thing that struck me while reading this book is how much of it is still relevant today. It’s not hard to draw parallels between the Klan’s past activities and present-day police brutality, inflammatory rhetoric of politicians and certain presidential candidates, oppression in all its forms and manifestations, modern display of the Confederate flag and so much more. The seeds that the KKK and other similar groups planted continue to give fruit up to this day. And it is our responsibility to recognize the roots of these disgusting things that find their way into our society and stand firm and united in our dedication to building a better world where everyone enjoys equal rights.

The Color Purple

The best story I've ever read so far!

Parting With Illusions

Vladimir Pozner is quite a unique man in many respects. His background and the story of his life are a mesmerizing maelstrom of unlikely events, a cauldron of conflicting ideas that molded him into the person that he is today.

‘Parting With Illusions’, published in 1990, documents his lifelong coming-of-age journey, covering the period that was of utmost significance not only to Pozner himself, but to the world at large. Through the prism of his extraordinary experience we get to relive some of the most important events in recent history. The decades-long standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union and the ideological divide that it created are among the central themes in his narrative.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention that Vladimir Pozner’s story has a special meaning to me. Being someone who, in a way, comes from two different and at times opposing worlds, I often question whether I belong to both of them or neither. He faced the same predicament, only he had much tougher choices to make.

Incidentally, I share a lot of Pozner’s views on various subjects, although I also disagree with him on some important issues. Regardless, Pozner’s unparalleled intelligence and insight are hard to deny. If you’re interested in reading about one man’s quest for truth, justice and home – that place where we feel we belong – then I highly recommend this book.

It's a Small World

As a follow-up to my previous post I wanted to share a story that pretty much made my day today.

So in case you don’t know, my friend Areg is a photographer. He mostly does candid photography, taking pictures of people, natural and urban scenery, and the like – in a word, anyone or anything that he finds interesting.

And he also makes his own post cards and sends them to his friends from all the different places he travels to. Let me use this opportunity to apologize for never returning the favor – I just don’t seem to have whatever it takes to use snail mail, unless of course it involves picking up the stuff I order on Amazon.

Areg went to UCLA as an exchange student during the fall quarter of 2014. And naturally he took quite a lot of pictures on campus. And he was kind enough to send several post cards from the U.S. to me. One of them featured a photo of a young woman. And this is the point where the story could have ended had it not been for the twist of fate that followed.

The following year I went to UCLA as part of the same program – one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life! Of course, I made a lot of friends and got to know a whole lot of people. Maybe you already see what I’m driving at, but hold on a second.

Fast forward half a year. Areg just completely redesigned his website and we want to make a concerted effort to promote it. I wrote down some of my thoughts on his work (my previous post) and I’m browsing for the best pictures that would go with the text. And I stumble upon that picture of the young woman I pretty much forgot about. And bam, I think I know her!

I attended a class called ‘Culture, Media, and Los Angeles’ at UCLA, a class I absolutely loved by the way. LJ attended it too. I had other classes before and after this one, so I never had an opportunity to linger in there to talk to anybody. But I happened to meet LJ on a few different occasions outside of class and get acquainted. The point is, it never occurred to me that she was the young woman in the picture.

So this morning I had an epiphany. Just think about it, my friend travels 6,000 miles away from Moscow, takes a picture of a stranger and sends it to me. A year later I go to the same place. UCLA is home to some 40,000 students, 30,000 of them are undergraduates. What are the chances that I end up in the same class with that person? And most importantly, it took me two quarters to figure out that I know the young woman in the picture! A small world!

Areg's Photography

I've known Areg for many years, I’m happy and privileged to call him my friend. What could have otherwise become a futile endeavor, an attempt on my part to provide an honest and impartial account of who he is professionally appears to be promising in this case, and I’m glad such an opportunity has so readily presented itself. It's the genuine love that Areg has for what he does, a flame in his heart that shines so brightly that I can step back and for a moment set aside so many other things I know and cherish about this man.

I'm sure many if not most of us who know him will agree that Areg sees the world differently. Be it the grey and mundane cityscape, replete with details no one cares to notice, the breath-taking scenery of those far corners of the world the rest of us never make it to, or, well, us – our faces and smiles, our eyes and the feelings they bespeak – all of these are entirely different things to him than they are to me and you. But this isn't even my point.

Areg knows exactly what to do to share his vision, to ensure the presence of the ordinarily unseen and unknown in his work. And this is where the magic happens – we get to see things the way he does, through his eyes. When I think about it, I invariably ask myself these questions. Isn’t this why we love Sherlock Holmes – for the opportunity to experience the world through the prism of his keen out-of-the-ordinary mind? Or Dali – for the chance to immerse in the impossible world sired by his idiosyncratic genius? Isn’t this why we read poetry, watch films and listen to music that transports us to the distant lands and times that dwell in our collective imagination?

I believe that this is why we love and appreciate art so much. It lends us a hand as we unmoor from the dock of past experience and set sail to wherever the winds of passion will take us. And Areg is a fearless seaman for that matter, one who, through the course of the journey, stays true to the original purpose of his craft. The nature of his medium and his loyalty to this cause result in art that is no longer an illusion but life itself. This is why I love 
Areg’s photography and have every reason to believe that you’ll fall in love with it too!

Website: www.areg.me
Facebook: areg.me photography
Instagram: www.instagram.com/areg.me

Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope

Some time ago I read ‘Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom’ by bell hooks, and it had quite a profound effect on me. ‘Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope’ expands and builds up on the ideas introduced in the first book. Being a conceptual extension of ‘Teaching to Transgress’, ‘Teaching Community’ may not be equally new and revelatory, but it serves to solidify one’s understanding of bell hook’s approach to teaching, learning and dismantling systems of oppression. I recommend it to anyone who is willing to be part of a big change that starts with education and has the potential of making the world a much better place.

Ode to Self

Over 300 hours of writing
More than 100 long ass articles read
A whopping 100+ hours of computations
And some 1300 lines of code under my belt (well ok, this one isn’t really impressive)

Ladies, gentlemen and people of other genders, I have completed my thesis!

And just to give you an idea of how proud and happy I am about this I wrote this little mildly immodest poem.

ODE TO SELF

Life just threw in another twist,
I am a big ass narcissist.

Right when I wake up every morning
I have this strange deep-rooted yearning,
I put my best on nice and slow
And to the mirror off I go.

Dayum I’m so smart and fine as hell,
I go all Training Day Denzel,
‘I am the shit, I run this mothafucka,’
And then I smile and growl just like Chewbacca.

This is the greatest love of all,
Embracing it is my new goal,
I’m my own boo, I’m my own bae,
I love myself like Kanye loves Kanye.

International Women's Day 2016

Woman is intelligence, woman is power, woman is love.

Women all around the world have to prove these simple truths every single day to counter the narratives that tell them otherwise.

Woman is courage, woman is strength, woman is beauty.

We must value women for all they are, not the images that we project, not the parts that we expect them to represent.

Woman is wisdom, woman is unity, woman is change.

We need to learn from women and recognize the full worth of the wisdom they share. We need to make a lifelong commitment to making equal rights and equal opportunities a reality for every woman. We need to do all we can to ensure that women control their own destinies.

Woman is truth. Woman is human. Woman is everything she wants to be.

Happy International Women’s Day!

QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter

What better way to relax during the long weekend than to learn a little bit about quantum electrodynamics? While this book hardly deals with the mathematics behind the theory, it offers an accurate and comprehensive overview of its underlying logic. As usual, dealing with the mysterious workings of nature under Richard Feynman's unique approach is an exciting adventure. It's a great opportunity for a layperson to partake in the counter-intuitive beauty of quantum physics and explore the quirky (or should I say quarky) nature of things. The book will no doubt change the way you look at the world and most of the phenomena that constitute our everyday reality. And of course, I cannot omit the fact that this book is based on the lectures Feynman read at UCLA, a place so dear to my heart.

6 Not-So-Easy Pieces (from 'The Feynman Lectures on Physics')

This book should be called ‘6 Relatively Easy Pieces’, if you know what I mean! Anyway, this is pure excitement. If you’re not daunted by a few formulas here and there and seeing an integral or a derivative doesn’t send your mind spinning somewhere into outer space, you should definitely go ahead and learn something about space-time and special and general relativity. May the force be with you, and don’t forget to conserve the momentum!

6 Easy Pieces (from 'The Feynman Lectures on Physics')

Here's a brief and simple introduction to modern physics, very beautifully and elegantly written by Richard Feynman. Considering the scope of the book and the level of the material, not much has changed in the last fifty years to significantly affect the contents.

The collection consists of six easy pieces taken from 'The Feynman Lectures on Physics'. What I appreciate most about the book is that it implicitly reveals the underlying philosophy of physics and natural sciences in general. It is a very honest approach that is rarely encountered in academic texts. Apart from this, Feynman's flair for finding excellent illustrations to explain some of the most difficult concepts in physics is unparalleled and makes the book a veritable source of excitement for students and teachers of physics alike.

Every once in a while I feel obliged to unchain the wild math and physics loving animal that lives inside me and indulge its insatiable desire to whisk me away into a joyfully unrestrained all things nerdy fun-a-palooza. Although that curious beast mostly appears to lie dormant, it is always there; and the sheer joy that this book generated within the deepest layers of my being is the best proof of it.

I sometimes pine for the old days when I studied math and was on my way to being able to fully grasp the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. Yet apparently that simmering desire to dedicate my life to such endeavors has never been strong enough, for I do not regret the decision to depart from that field. Incidentally, it is a very timely occurrence that I read this book at the time when due to my withdrawal from the idealistic quest to understand the essence of objective reality my intellectual and philosophical superposition has largely collapsed into the probabilistic triumph of reductionist perception of the world as neatly shaved by the Occam's razor. This last sentence may appear to be a joke, but I most likely mean it.

Bad Feminist

I finally read ‘Bad Feminist’ by Roxane Gay. I thought I knew what to expect from the book because I had attended an event dedicated to it back in October, but it turned out to be somewhat different, even better than I thought it would be.

The essays span a wide range of topics and invariably offer keen insights into the state of our society, popular culture and politics striking an unlikely balance between being poignantly thoughtful and sarcastically humorous. Roxane Gay has a lot to share, and it’s definitely worth your time, especially considering the fact that it has a very pleasant cadence that makes it a quick read. In addition to addressing a slew of long-standing issues, she seems to have been one of the first to start a number of conversations that have become more or less mainstream today. Either that, or I wasn’t paying close attention before.

And it’s also very meaningful to have had this book signed by the author. I remember how she read some parts of the book and shared a few personal stories at the event. These memories made for a really interesting and rich reading experience.

[Originally posted on Facebook on February 27, 2016]

Malcolm X's speeches

There's so much to learn from Malcolm X. His speeches are the best window into his personality, his time, our time. And they're also a call. A call to those who see what's going on around to act and to create the world where all human beings have and can exercise their unalienable rights, by any means necessary.

[Originally posted on Facebook on February 22, 2016]

Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom

‘Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom’ by bell hooks is by far the most intellectually engaging and exciting book I’ve ever read.

Somehow I was able to recognize the fundamental impact of education at an early age. For me the notion of education is invested with a sanctity that I have never bestowed upon anything else. And to my great disappointment, as years went by, almost every encounter with real-life education that I’ve had has proven to be a sacrilege, a betrayal of the lofty ideal that I had in mind.

It may be easy to criticize something, yet it’s not so easy to see where it went wrong. What’s even harder is to figure out how to make it right. bell hooks does an amazing job identifying everything that makes education so crucially important and deconstructing this complex concept into a number of key components.

Education is a living thing that not merely interacts with but is informed and shaped by our society at large (along with its constructs of race, gender and class) and our individual experiences and perceptions in particular. Many of the ideas highlighted in this book have been on my mind for a long time, others are new, but regardless of that, I don’t think I was able to organize them in my head so neatly and so accurately. And obviously bell hook’s experience of teaching and engaging in feminist and critical thinking enables her to see well beyond the horizon that circumscribes the field of education for most people, students and teachers alike.

At the same time her expertise is not used as a basis for exclusion, but rather it is used to embrace the diversity of opinions, to promote dialogue and to commit to the sharing of ideas. This work is an invaluable foundation for both the theory and practice of education that binds them together, that challenges and transcends the notion that their dialectical interactions annihilate their unity.

I am confident that this book has the power to inspire students and professors to commit to education as the practice of freedom and I can only imagine how much more exciting our world can be and how much more we can achieve once we align our values and practices with this approach to education.

As a side note, I want to give credit to those professors who reinvigorated my belief that education can and should be a truly formative and inspiring experience. I encountered these professors during a brief but absolutely amazing stay at UCLA and they helped restore my faith in education and my passion for studying. Thank you Prof. Libby Lewis, Prof. Melvin Rogers and Prof. Fred D’Aguiar.

Purple Hibiscus

Today I have reached an important milestone – I have read every book that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has written up to date. I have been putting this moment off for quite a while; many a time my fingers lingered above the cover of the last book, anxious to pick it up yet hesitant and yearning to relish the time one spends waiting. But earlier today I finished reading ‘Purple Hibiscus’, her first book. It’s interesting how I got to read all her other books before finally getting my hands on her debut work.

I usually write down and share my thoughts after reading a book that I like, and ‘Purple Hibiscus’ is certainly one of the best. But this time I want to write about the author. I learned about Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie about two years ago (forever grateful to KB for that). And I think it was just the right time. At that point I was ready to think about certain things and absorb certain ideas that I may not have been knowingly interested in before.

Thanks to her books and TED talks I got to see, hear and feel something very important, something that is life-changing. I think the wisdom that I have discovered in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s works, the wisdom that is so natural and so easy to embrace, set me on a path of discovery. She may not have given me all the answers, and that wasn’t even needed; what matters is that I started asking the right questions. And what’s even more beautiful is that all that wisdom is enclosed in the literary talent that is hardly matched by anyone. As I sit here and think about how Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is the person who has broadened my horizons in ways nobody else ever did before, I’m excited about all the new amazing works she will share with the world in the future!