John Thelin: "...so many values and principles and policies that were hard-fought to gain are being eroded before our eyes, and if there isn’t some vigilance from our presidents, they’re going to just evaporate before us over the next couple of years.” www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Traditions gain salience through time and consistency. They are what we choose to do across the years. When they are interrupted, when we stop choosing them consistently, they lose that.

The chancellor said it’s not going away entirely—that remains to be seen—but it’s already lost some of its heft.

Revisiting this piece I wrote in 2023:

"This year is defining moment for American higher education, one that will decide whom institutions admit, who will teach those students, and what those professors can teach." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Interview here www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022...

me writing about it here www.welcometohellworld.com/what-do-rich...

IT. IS. NOT. HARD.

But these chucklefucks think the idea is hard, and that the other *handwavy* shit just takes the luck of the roll of talent. I mean

And they think because they're not IMMEDIATELY GOOD at the thing they suck at the thing

when sucking at the thing

thinking that

THE IDEA

is the work.

The fuck it is. It is not. Ideas are falling off the turnip truck. IDEAS ARE EASY.

I could give you 100 writing prompts, good ones, off the top of my head. Right now.

The Williams sisters are insanely talented at tennis. They have natural gifts.

And both worked their fucking ASSES off.

It is not

it is never

falling off the turnip truck.

IT IS WORK.

So these people who are like 'oh I have a GREAT idea...' are the assholes pestering creators...

have all those ideas in their heads too.

And they did a lot

A LOT

of work to learn how to do their thing.

Me? I haven't done the work. So my 'talent' only takes me so far.

In the things I DO do the work on? There's a huge difference.

That's how it works.

One artist who's work literally all of you have seen, ALL OF YOU, was blown away when we played a sketch game online because I could quickly draw images...easily.

Another friend who makes his living entirely through art told me he had ZERO natural talent which blew me away.

How. HOW!

They ...

That's not being a professional artist, I never depended on that money. IMO I don't want to word quibble.

I HAVE FRIENDS WHO MAKE THEIR LIVING DOING THAT ART.

And they don't have natural talent.

Read that again.

Natural talent is nothing compared to the ability to keep making shit long after everyone else has given up

Some of them will say that they can't do it. They can't draw.

I have natural art talent for drawing, sketching, painting, and sculpture. Not everyone does.

I have done some of that professionally meaning I have sold my art which feels super neat. (Unlike what I do for a job which is also art)

If a machine can fart out a 400-page novel based on any stray shower thought, why would even the “author” want to read it?

But they don’t get it. Or maybe they do but are in deep denial

Again, I am baffled by what they’re getting out of this. Yes, they can cosplay being an author like a tourist in a souvenir cowboy hat is a cowpuncher, but they clearly aren’t satisfied and fulfilled because they keep tearing around demanding praise. “Tell me I’m a writer!”