The switch from Ruth Ozeki's fictional novel to Elizabeth Kolbert's nonfiction is one that took a while to adjust. It might just be that I am suffering from what some people call a 'book hangover'- the inability to start a new book because the old one is still fresh in your mind. Although I found Kolbert's book interesting, I was still longing for the element of relationships and family that was in All Over Creation. Had we first read Kolbert's book think I would have been able to enjoy it more than having read Ozeki's first. 

Please use this as a space to continue our conversations and planning toward our 360 final event by posting your thoughts as comments to this post.  Thanks!

See my comment below for notes on our class conversation about all this today/Nov. 10.

In "The Collapse of Western Civilization," Oreskes and Conway point out that one ideology in particular that contributed to the creation of conditions responsible for the failure to transition into renewable energies. Before it is described in detail, it's pointed out that Western civilization knew what was happening and why, and still failed to prevent the collapse. This was particularly alarming to me, because I feel the same way. When I meet someone who doesn't believe in climate change, I can't bring myself to empathize or attempt to understand and appreciate their perspective.

My first reaction after reading Kolbert’s history tale

Write down general thoughts/ questions/ concerns about "The Souls of Black Folk" (3 mins)

Every1 is divided into groups of three and each group picks at least one quote to analyze in-depth

In groups, each teams gets 5 minutes 2 answer these questions:

• What is DuBois trying 2 say here?
• Who is his audience?
• What is the significance of this quote in relation to the larger text?
• How does this quote relate to what has been said before?
• What parts of this quote do you disagree or agree with?

      Please represent, as a team your thoughts, reactions, and interpretations of the quote as you choose

Jody and I spent a long weekend in Pittsburgh, at the National Conference on Higher Education in Prison. On a walk early this morning, I passed two paired scenes which I thought might have some resonance for you all pondering the "arts of freedom." The first is the Carnegie Library, the second the Schenley Park Bridge, now covered with "locks of love." Which better figures "freedom"? The gift of the "richest man in the world" to those with less, or the sign of commitment between partners?

**I have only read the first chapter so far**

I was dissapointed to miss our prison vist this week while I was at a conference in Orlando. I have read some posts about Thursday's class and Friday's tour and it seems like the former was really successful and the latter was very agitational. Since I didn't go inside this week, I will write a little bit about what I did in Orlando. The conference I attended was the biennial for the Union for Reform Judaism, a progressive Jewish movement and the largest group of Jews in the U.S. I was there with a cohort of J Street U students, promoting transparency, asking tough questions, and building relationships in the community. There were a plethora of panels and plenaries, breakout sessions, meals, music, tabling, meetings, and lots of running into old friends (And making new ones).

No one wants to hear that there is no hope for civilization… it is awfully depressing, to read about our present as referred to in the future. It is difficult not to think of both accounts (Kolbert and Orestes) as another apocalypse story. Differently to anyone in any of those stories, we as victims are aware of what is happening, and why—and yet we continue in our self-destructive habits.