Monthly Archives: October 2019

Can a Lie Be “Unintentional”?

Posted on October 30, 2019 by JMN

I propose as a reflection on semantics that a lie, strictly speaking, cannot be “unintentional.” A lie must know itself to be such in the mind of the liar. Consider the following quotation: “I am unquestionably, undoubtedly, the greatest human … Continue reading →

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Sequelae

Posted on October 29, 2019 by JMN

[“The existing Hollywood order, the current pop-cultural regime,”] is built, to an extent that would have been unfathomable even 20 years ago, on the commercial exploitation of what was once called “genre” entertainment — the comic-book movie especially, the Marvel … Continue reading →

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Get Thee to a Nonery

Posted on October 29, 2019 by JMN

Pew’s latest report found that nonbelievers are gaining ground fast. “Nones” — those with no particular religion — now account for more than one-quarter of the American population. There are substantially more nones than Catholics. (Nicholas Kristoff, “We’re Less and … Continue reading →

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War and Art

Posted on October 26, 2019 by JMN

In this article about Hilma af Klint two themes draw my attention. First, not having been clobbered by twentieth-century wars is a sad and sobering distinction to apply to a city. While there is not currently any comprehensive display of … Continue reading →

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Catch of the Day

Posted on October 25, 2019 by JMN

I qualify only as a spectator to the Brexit scene; however, the informal allegory cited by Roger Cohen in his opinion piece travels well in other precincts. As a British friend wrote me recently, “I’m just saying if I narrowly … Continue reading →

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I’m Like: Whoa

Posted on October 25, 2019 by JMN

All bets are off when a subject finds the interviewer’s question “very interesting.” There’s a likelihood that the answer will go its own way. I find that to be the case in this exchange between Jori Finkel, a contributor to … Continue reading →

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Tofu vs. Jerky

Posted on October 23, 2019 by JMN

Cheryl Thompson has a salutary take on bromides about the “strength of diversity” that are jawboned from various bully pulpits. Diversity is also tough, challenging and sometimes outright frustrating because it requires listening, being open to what you don’t know, … Continue reading →

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The Power of Reading Aloud

Posted on October 22, 2019 by JMN

One of the virtues of reading a narrative aloud, to children or indeed to anyone, is the way that vocalizing a story clarifies its power, especially in the quavering passion that you try to keep from your voice (because you … Continue reading →

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Drawing in Jail

Posted on October 22, 2019 by JMN

Hilarie M. Sheets writes an article about how people have coped with incarceration by drawing (“For the Incarcerated, Drawing Is a Lifeline,” NYTimes, 9-20-19). What interests me on the margins of this interesting article is the innocent tell favoring depiction … Continue reading →

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Fellow Feeling

Posted on October 22, 2019 by JMN

So how did the daughter of an American stockbroker come to meet a surly, bourgeois French artist? Degas became aware of Cassatt, known for her sensitive portrayals of women and children, in 1874, historians said. He was strolling through the … Continue reading →

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