MALONE-MAIL No. 16: Everything is New
Hey, y'all, I know I'm a whole month behind (yowza!) and there's a lot to get to, but I'm still gonna try to keep my own personal blathering relatively brief here because there's been so much meaningful and extremely important writing that was published in the last couple months surrounding the events in Ferguson, Virginia, Staten Island and beyond, work that ought to be read by every American (at least!), that I felt it appropriate to dedicate the majority of this month's newsletter to those works instead of my usual jokes and GIFs. (OK, maybe I'll give you a GIF at the end all the same.) So, quickly:
What I wrote:
For my last two dystopia columns of the year at WIRED, I interviewed experts who said the violence in movies like Mockingjay Part 1 is actually a very healthy tool for teenagers, and then rounded up all the ways 2014 often bested even our most harrowing dystopian literature. For Grantland, I explored the rise of teen influence in music supervision and the end of the paternal curatorial soundtrack. I emasculated Eminem for Refinery29 (though I hear that The Interview rendered this somewhat unnecessary?). I wrote about Nicki Minaj's new album The Pinkprint for The Verge, the Girlpool EP for Wondering Sound (RIP) and Chumped's debut LP for Pitchfork.
What I read:
Here's the important stuff. Required readings:
With issues like the ones we're facing now, people like to claim that individual stories don't accurately reflect society on a macro level, but I strongly disagree: reading personal accounts, like Ira Madison's moving essay about being black and having a family member join a police force, or Jes Skolnik's essay on how reporting her rape made things even worse (for those who think reporting & rape kits is the only right answer), or Bijan Stephen's essay about "the talk" almost all black parents give their sons to prepare them for a harsh world—they're what make these issues real. If you love The Hunger Games (and why wouldn't you, unless you're a monster?) but are still having trouble siding with #BlackLivesMatter protestors, this video was surprisingly efficient in explaining the parallels.
But hey, big-picture stuff is important too, of course. Here's a great explanation, with lots of proof, of why the non-indictments of Darren Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo are both unsurprising and represent institutionalized inequality. White people still can't believe the police are racist, even when there's evidence—probably because of things like the CBS cop show Blue Bloods, which Laura Hudson wrote about, specifically how shows like this bolster white America (specifically 65+ white America)'s racial bias and lionization of law enforcement. (Applies to a lot of other cop shows, too—just watched an episode of SVU the other day that followed the same warped script.) Also here's some BATSHIT CRAZY information about police shootings of civilians compiled by D. Brian Burghart (spoiler: the FBI lies about them!). When an angry white resident wrote to the Nashville Police Department demanding to know why they hadn't shut protests down, model Police Chief Steve Anderson wrote him a perfect response. I sensed some awesome dystopian vibes in Mark Bittman's Times column asking how bad it has to get before we see change in America. (In general, the Times, though sometimes mighty tone-deaf on other topics, have done some great work around these recent issues, especially this condemnation of the NYPD's disrespect of de Blasio.) Have you watched J. Cole's Letterman performance from a few weeks ago? Watch it immediately, it's heartbreaking and so powerful.
Also: Manjula Martin's essay about Sam Cooke, heartbreak in Paris, and protest. Adnan Syed's (of Serial fame, if you haven't listened yet what are you doing) family gave a great interview to the Guardian. Sydette Harry's searing essay about black women, technology and surveillance (if you've ever rolled your eyes at "Twitter activists"—and if you're interested at all in the future of surveillance).
And because it's my steez through and through, Adi Robertson's essay about Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and how it holds up 30 years later is so good and you need to read it right now now now.
If you got through all those (or at least Instapaper'd them for later), give yourself a treat (that is, if you haven't already seen this): Channing Tatum's now-legendary email style.
What I listened to:
Nicki and D'Angelo's new records, mostly. (Last month, that is. November was all about the One Direction, TV on the Radio, and Run the Jewels albums.) ...I'm among friends here, right? OK, I also listened to Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" approximately 100 times in December. Almost crashed my car once singing along—I'M NOT ACTUALLY THE GRINCH, OKAY? On the horizon: Keep your ears open this year for new records from Screaming Females (their best so far, hands down) and Sleater-Kinney (!), both of which I've been madly in love with since hearing.
What I watched:
God, so much TV. The Fall, Black Mirror, and The Fades (thanks Dara for the last one) have been my faves. Also finally getting through The Wire, hooray! It's depressing as hell, though, so it's going slowly.
Movies: Saw and adored The One I Love, Top Five, Wild and In a World recently. Saw Jake Gyllenhaal's Enemy too—terrifying, in a Kafkaesque way, but nowhere near as terrifying as THE GODDAMN BABADOOK. Oh my god, you guys. I had actual nightmares after that one. I can't remember the last time I had nightmares after watching a movie. Who knew depression and motherhood and isolation and hyperactive children could be so pants-wettingly terrifying? This kid was incredible, I mean, look at him:
...But if I can get you to go see any movie in theatres this season, I'd say go see Selma. It's sad, but—just do it. Director Ava Duvernay is a genius and will swell your heart with so many beautiful, important feelings.
P.S. (Parting Shot):
Hey, it's a new year. I've talked to a lot of friends who don't really feel refreshed, but I for one am determined to right as many 2014 wrongs as I can in 2015. (Because dear sweet gods, there were many.) Cleaned-up finances, more regular reading habits, finishing book proposals, better cooking...Maybe that will even include a more regular MalonE-Mail!
....Maybe.
And, okay, FINE, here's your damn GIF.
anxiety forever, amirite