Thank you for curating these. stories that show that our society needs to have discussions about trade offs. Green and Good and not as black and white as our leaders would have us believe.
The cobalt review (and book) is disturbing on so many levels. Yet politicians blithely insist that electric cars in the US will save the planet. It’s infuriating that the truth is not loudly proclaimed. Humans in general have done a terrible job stewarding the planet and its resources; this enslavement in the Congo is just as barbaric as any other in world history. Maybe even more so judging by the smug elites with their battery powered cars and carbon offsets.
I would bow to no one in my admiration for Yeonmi Park . . . if her story is true. But when I read her incredible essay of poverty, starvation, and abject slavery under the cruel Rocket Men of North Korea, her dramatic escape, horror after horror visited upon her and her mother, reaching the Promised Land of America, and instead of waitressing in Koreatown, she rubbed elbows with more famous people than Forrest Gump? She received invitations to the Met Gala and other enclaves of the rich and elite, and kept receiving them even after embarrassing them with her speeches? How did that happen? She's fluent in American English when North Korea forbade such an education? And she consumed ONLY those mainstream media outlets that could serve as the perfect setup to her conclusion that The Elites Are Preening Scum?
I hope her tale is unembellished, because I WANT her to be one of my heroes. But what came to mind when I finished her essay was not "OMG how do I support her cause," but "Jessie Smollett meets Stephen Glass."
Do any of you know if her story has been thoroughly vetted by, ideally, someone who would take great delight in proving her a fabulist? Or are we taking only her word about everything she says happened? I genuinely do not know if she's truthing or fabulating, so help me out if you can.
I love this approach. I read, but mostly listen to Honestly, Triggernometry, Meghan Murphy's podcasts, Sam Harris, The Outsider Magazine podcast, and Patented (my daughter's favorite. We read all the Little House Books (which are remarkably good at helping us distill the essence of life by eliminating the fluff unique to our current era). For the purpose of teaching our kids about how revolutions unfold as sudden disturbances within the social and tangible fixtures of our immediate lives, I recommend The Red Umbrella, by Cristina Gonzalez. The story is about the author's mother's experience as a political exile during the early 1960s. She and her younger brother were sent to Nebraska, just like my mother and her younger brother were, via the Peter Pan Project. 90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbes is an award winning book, which may be something of a memoir about the author, whose experience involves lots of adventure.
I want to read about the North Korean political exile fir sure. That sounds adventurous and politically timely.
I would also like to recommend the series that starts with Father and I Were Cowboys, an autobiographical account by a man whose family went to Colorado in the early 20th century to improve their father’s poor health, only to discover they’d been misled by a cousin into taking on a property that was far from self-sustaining. It’s such a great read for boys, as the author Ralph Moody becomes a cowhand, trick rider, consumptive, rancher, trader, and learns and dispenses so much wisdom gained from his varied adventures.
My favorite place to visit in the summer and winter is Colorado, followed Monterrey, although lots of places are stunningly beautiful and filled with fun adventure. The view during the ride between Denver and Vail is one my husband and I plan on sharing with our 12 year old daughter, for the first time, this summer. Also, I love reading about the daily lives, especially the routine and simple experiences of people during the entire 18 and early 1900s.
“Read more” not working for me and I’m also not getting daily emails from The FP.
ne too; “read more ...” button needs fixing! does it work for anyone?
I just bought it but I’m afraid to read it
For those looking for good links -
1. https://www.thefp.com/p/from-slavery-in-north-korea-to-jeff
2. https://www.thefp.com/p/your-iphone-was-built-with-child
3. https://www.thefp.com/p/why-no-one-can-control-ai
Thank you for curating these. stories that show that our society needs to have discussions about trade offs. Green and Good and not as black and white as our leaders would have us believe.
Very good format!
F Y I
If you select ‘open with browser’ while in your Substack app, the links will work.
I can’t open any of the “read more” links!
With AI, Bradbury’s “Firemen” will have incredible efficiency without those pesky carbon emissions.
Bari: I support this digest idea. When I go to thefp.com site I am surrounded by stories I've already read, so I don't go there often.
Robert Kennedy’s book on Fauci should be read by everyone. He is a generational mass murderer
The cobalt review (and book) is disturbing on so many levels. Yet politicians blithely insist that electric cars in the US will save the planet. It’s infuriating that the truth is not loudly proclaimed. Humans in general have done a terrible job stewarding the planet and its resources; this enslavement in the Congo is just as barbaric as any other in world history. Maybe even more so judging by the smug elites with their battery powered cars and carbon offsets.
Thanks Bari. I just have a question: I am a subscriber and yet I do not receive TGIF from Nellie on Fridays. Why is that?
I can’t open any of the articles or book reviews!
I would bow to no one in my admiration for Yeonmi Park . . . if her story is true. But when I read her incredible essay of poverty, starvation, and abject slavery under the cruel Rocket Men of North Korea, her dramatic escape, horror after horror visited upon her and her mother, reaching the Promised Land of America, and instead of waitressing in Koreatown, she rubbed elbows with more famous people than Forrest Gump? She received invitations to the Met Gala and other enclaves of the rich and elite, and kept receiving them even after embarrassing them with her speeches? How did that happen? She's fluent in American English when North Korea forbade such an education? And she consumed ONLY those mainstream media outlets that could serve as the perfect setup to her conclusion that The Elites Are Preening Scum?
I hope her tale is unembellished, because I WANT her to be one of my heroes. But what came to mind when I finished her essay was not "OMG how do I support her cause," but "Jessie Smollett meets Stephen Glass."
Do any of you know if her story has been thoroughly vetted by, ideally, someone who would take great delight in proving her a fabulist? Or are we taking only her word about everything she says happened? I genuinely do not know if she's truthing or fabulating, so help me out if you can.
I love this approach. I read, but mostly listen to Honestly, Triggernometry, Meghan Murphy's podcasts, Sam Harris, The Outsider Magazine podcast, and Patented (my daughter's favorite. We read all the Little House Books (which are remarkably good at helping us distill the essence of life by eliminating the fluff unique to our current era). For the purpose of teaching our kids about how revolutions unfold as sudden disturbances within the social and tangible fixtures of our immediate lives, I recommend The Red Umbrella, by Cristina Gonzalez. The story is about the author's mother's experience as a political exile during the early 1960s. She and her younger brother were sent to Nebraska, just like my mother and her younger brother were, via the Peter Pan Project. 90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbes is an award winning book, which may be something of a memoir about the author, whose experience involves lots of adventure.
I want to read about the North Korean political exile fir sure. That sounds adventurous and politically timely.
I would also like to recommend the series that starts with Father and I Were Cowboys, an autobiographical account by a man whose family went to Colorado in the early 20th century to improve their father’s poor health, only to discover they’d been misled by a cousin into taking on a property that was far from self-sustaining. It’s such a great read for boys, as the author Ralph Moody becomes a cowhand, trick rider, consumptive, rancher, trader, and learns and dispenses so much wisdom gained from his varied adventures.
I mean, Monterrey, CA
My favorite place to visit in the summer and winter is Colorado, followed Monterrey, although lots of places are stunningly beautiful and filled with fun adventure. The view during the ride between Denver and Vail is one my husband and I plan on sharing with our 12 year old daughter, for the first time, this summer. Also, I love reading about the daily lives, especially the routine and simple experiences of people during the entire 18 and early 1900s.