treasures

2 short reads + a pod

Some brief but blazing interviews.

“Gimmicks Might Be the Key to Understanding Capitalism.”

Jennifer Wilson interviews Sianne Ngai, author of Theory of the Gimmick, in The Nation. Wilson’s unique gift for bringing delight and critical depth to the best cultural content meets Ngai’s groundbreaking marriage of economic and aesthetic analysis.

“How to Be Critical of the Things You Love.”

Nawal Arjini introduces poet-critic Hanif Abdurraqib’s Go Ahead in the Rain, and its “implicit argument for a criticism that works towards connection.” In a candid interview, Abdurraqib discusses Black music in the 90s, love + politics, and creative production under capitalism.

“Notice the Rage, Notice the Silence.”

In an interview for Krista Tippett’s On Being, Resmaa Menakem delves into intergenerational trauma, the nervous system, and the person as a “body of culture.” An illuminating synthesis of neuropsychology and critical thought.