#346: What Bullets Do To Bodies

Dear Loyal Readers,

More than 30 of you reached out with kind, thoughtful words after last week’s issue. Thank you. I’ll keep what you said private, but please know that I’m grateful for your messages of care. I’m proud and appreciative of the reading community we have built here over the last seven years, and I look forward to continuing to grow alongside you.

Choosing this week’s articles was challenging. Should I look for pieces on gun violence or steer clear of the topic? Besides offering the best articles on race, education, and culture, what’s the deeper purpose of the newsletter in the first place? After some reflection, I did what I do: Read, and then read some more, seeking to find pieces that are well written, thought provoking, from a range of publications, and generous in spirit.

Today’s lead article, “What Bullets Do To Bodies,” profiles Dr. Amy Goldberg, a heroic trauma surgeon who bluntly states that the only way our country will change its mind on guns is if we are shown the autopsy photos of dead children. The second piece offers evidence to the claim that a “good guy with a gun” is not going to stop a “bad guy with a gun.” If the idea of reading those articles is too upsetting, skip to the last two selections – one about the vitriolic reading wars and the other about a woman who wanted an abortion before Roe v. Wade.

My hope is that you’ll find at least one article worthy of your time and attention. Thank you for reading The Highlighter. Please have a good week.

Thank you,

Mark

P.S. Tonight’s Highlighter Happy Hour is sold out! If you didn’t get your free ticket this time, join us at our next one on Thursday, Aug. 4.

What Bullets Do To Bodies

From 2017, but still very relevant: Dr. Amy Goldberg has been a surgeon in the trauma unit at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia for the past 30 years. Her life’s work is to save people from dying from gun violence. If we knew what bullets do to bodies, Dr. Goldberg says, we would change our minds about our right to bear arms. The problem, of course, is that many people, even after Uvalde, have decided that gun violence is not a real problem, that it affects only people of color in cities.

+ I originally featured this article in Issue #91. Investigative reporter Jason Fagone, who has written about lotteries and artificial intelligence and white supremacists, joined us at Article Club in 2020 and is one of my favorite writers.

During Parkland, One Of The Deadliest School Shootings, Armed Officer Scot Peterson Stood Outside. Why?

I read this article the weekend before the Uvalde massacre and expected a measured profile that offered the subject empathy with his decision not to engage the shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Not so. Author Eric Barton doesn’t directly accuse deputy sheriff Scot Peterson of negligence but allows him to condemn himself with extended rationalizations and general gobbledygook. Mr. Peterson talks and talks but makes very little sense. (25 min)

A Reading Guru Defers To The Science Of Reading

Several of you sent me this article (thank you!) asking for my two cents. Here they are: By all means, let’s teach reading according to what the research says is right. And let’s make sure all teachers have access to best practices. But there’s no need to trash Lucy Calkins or other experts who have devoted their careers to support young people’s reading development. Saying “the science of reading” again and again to attack your opponents (and capitalizing it, and abbreviating it SoR) won’t magically make our students read better. It’s doing the work with students that makes the difference. (10 min)

+ Listen to my 2018 interview with Emily Hanford, the journalist who first attacked Ms. Calkins and whose documentaries popularized the science of reading movement.

Before Roe, A Florida Woman Was Prosecuted For Getting An Abortion. Her Story Sparked A Movement.

It’s June, which means the Supreme Court’s monumental decision to ban abortion is just a few weeks away. Yesterday I listened to the first episode of this season’s Slow Burn podcast, which focuses on the story of Shirley Wheeler, a 22-year-old woman who was convicted of manslaughter for obtaining an illegal abortion in 1970.

+ This month at Article Club, we’re reading and discussing “The Roe Baby,” featured in Issue #311. Our conversation will be on Sunday, June 26. Let me know if you’d like to participate.

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Did you enjoy it? If so, give me a thumbs up below and tell me why. And if you didn’t like it, that’s OK, too – that’s what the thumbs down is for.

To our two new subscribers Jordan and Courtney – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Nancy! Nick! Nora!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Bill, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Word of mouth is how our reading community gets stronger. Here are a few ways you can help:

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Buy me a coffee (or many!) to express your love of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month. You’ll join an esteemed group of generous readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT.

#345: The Children

Dear Loyal Readers,

Usually reading brings me comfort. It brings me solace. It brings me clarity. That’s why I’ve been sharing this newsletter with you for almost 7 years.

But not this week. Not after the massacre in Texas.

Right now it doesn’t make sense to publish the articles I’d originally selected for today’s issue. It also doesn’t make sense to share pieces about the shooting, or about gun violence in general, or about how we must act even though we feel helpless and hopeless.

Right now all I want to do is honor the 19 children and two teachers who were murdered inside a fourth grade classroom on Tuesday.

Their names are Uziyah Garcia, Amerie Garza, Xavier Lopez, Tess Mata, Ellie Garcia, Rojelio Torres, Jose Flores, Jailah Silguero, Jayce Luevanos, Nevaeh Bravo, Jackie Cazares, Annabelle Rodriguez, Eliahana Torres, Makenna Lee Elrod, Lexi Rubio, Alithia Ramirez, Miranda Mathis, Maite Yuleana, Layla Salazar, teacher Eva Mireles, and teacher Irma Garcia.

They died after the morning’s honor roll awards ceremony.

Loyal readers, I’ll be back next Thursday. Maybe by then I will have connected with some of you and processed some of my emotions. Maybe by then there will be something to read that will help us move forward.

If you’d like to reach out, please do. I’d appreciate it.

Thank you for being part of this reading community,

Mark

#344: Losing Weight Didn't Mean Winning

Happy Thursday, loyal readers. Thank you for being here.

This week’s issue focuses on the body. As someone who grew up chubby and lost and gained weight multiple times in adulthood, it’s a topic that has always fascinated me. I still get flummoxed in meetings and education workshops, for example, when the facilitator prompts us to “check in with our bodies” or asks us “where in our bodies” we’re feeling stress. No idea! my brain replies, acknowledging the outcome of many years of mind-body disassociation.

But this week’s articles have been helpful, and I hope that you appreciate them, too. I found the lead piece, “I’ve Always Struggled With My Weight. Losing It Didn’t Mean Winning,” extremely relatable all the way through to the last paragraph, where the author discusses his favorite breakfast. The second and third articles – about fatphobia and running shirtless – are also excellent. If reading about the body causes you anxiety, feel free to skip to the last article, a feel-good story about a shy boy who loves baseball.

+ If you’d like to read more about body positivity and fat shaming, here’s a collection of articles that I published a few years back.

🎉 🎈Come celebrate summer at Highlighter Happy Hour #17! We’ll meet on Thursday, June 2 beginning at 5:30 pm at Room 389 in Oakland. Space is limited to 20 people. Get your free ticket here. HHH is a great way to hang out with other kind, thoughtful people. Plus there’s always a prize. 🏆

🗞 📖 Over at Article Club, I’m happy to announce that we’ll be discussing three outstanding articles this summer. Hit reply if you’re interested.

As always, I hope that you find at least one article worthy of your time and attention, and I wish you a restful weekend coming up. Please enjoy!

I’ve Always Struggled With My Weight. Losing It Didn’t Mean Winning.

Like many of us, Sam Anderson gained weight during the pandemic. It wasn’t his first time. He’s struggled with his weight his whole life. But when a friend mocks him, and when he can’t fit into a pair of shorts on a vacation, Mr. Anderson decides to sign up for Noom, a weight loss app. The pounds fly off. He’s trim again. He can fit into old pants and his favorite T-shirts. He’s a success story. But when he reflects on how he feels, he notices: “I felt pretty much exactly as I had always felt my whole entire life. I was, after all that change, still only myself.”

Even if you’ve never subjected yourself to a diet, you’ll appreciate Mr. Anderson’s funny and incisive writing. My favorite part comes toward the beginning, when he considers the relationship he has with his body:

What is the human relationship to the body? Is it like a roommate? A pet? A twin? A teammate? A rival? A parasite? A host? Is the body our essential self, or is it just an outer shell — and if so, is it more like a clam shell (homegrown, enduring) or a hermit crab shell (adopted, temporary)? Is it closer to a tamale husk or a hot dog bun or a pita pocket or the fluorescent cake-tube that wraps a Twinkie’s sweet cream center?

The piece gets serious and contemplative, too, exploring his childhood and his alter ego and his father, but instead of giving too much of it away, I recommend that you read it! (20 min)

+ Mr. Anderson also wrote “A Mother and Daughter at the End,” about the last two northern white rhinos on Earth, which appeared in Issue #276. It’s one of loyal reader Xuan-Vu’s favorite articles.

Dismantling Medical Fatphobia: The Big Fat Loophole in the Hippocratic Oath

Marquisele Mercedes, on how science and the medical field have contributed to fatphobia: “Weight stigma means being paid less at work and being penalized in the classroom. ‘Weight stigma’ is relentless. It means overt and tacit bullying – being mooed at while walking, coworkers not meeting your gaze, little ‘hints’ and ‘tips’ that remind you your eating is being surveilled by friends and family. Constant exposure to special reports about how people like you are draining the nation’s coffers, ruining the world for future generations. ‘Weight stigma’ is constant: unending reminders that the people around you wish you weren’t you, pressure to starve yourself. Knowing that the more you undo your existence, the more you’ll be rewarded.” (27 min)

On Running Shirtless While Trans

Vivian Lam loves running shirtless. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt more comfortable in my own skin as a trans person,” they write. But they prefer to run at 4 am, when “the streets are at their most forgiving,” when “there’s a hushed kind of quiet.” After all, they acknowledge, safety is conditional. In this thoughtful essay, Lam explores the lessons they learned from their first-generation Chinese mother: that “girls stay covered” and “Asian people avoid conflict.” But in the end, they’re tired of hiding and being afraid. They finally can recognize themself in the mirror. And they feel exhilarated running shirtless. (11 min)

The 11-Year-Old Yankees Fan Who Lost His Autographed Baseball Cards

You can tell me baseball is boring, that nobody cares about it anymore (evidence: Oakland A’s), that’s it’s a dying sport. But if you read this article about 11-year-old Elyjah Blankenberg, a shy and softspoken boy who loves baseball and baseball cards and summoning the courage to ask his favorite baseball players for autographs, you’ll have a change of heart. Get ready for a coming-of-age story, filled with sap and nostalgia, of a boy who loses his memorabilia collection, then finds something more important. (20 min)

+ Reader Annotations: Last week’s lead article, “What is Vital To Your Survival,” sparked strong emotions and many thoughtful reponses. Thank you for sharing them. I was particularly appreciative of loyal reader Steph and her powerful contribution. She writes:

Roe v. Wade has been the law of the land for my entire life; it’s never been something I consciously took for granted, but now I realize that I did, in fact, take for granted that it would never be overturned. That was a mistake. The fact that a legal medical procedure has never been uniformly and fairly available to anyone who needs it in this country is an embarrassment. But now things are even worse, with bounty laws popping up in different states and trigger laws set to enact as soon as the Supreme Court invalidates Roe v. Wade. Intellectually, I know there are many injustices in this country that need attention. But I can’t imagine physically going to battle for any of them except reproductive rights. (Actually, add voting rights and reform to my list too). The erosion of both of those has me ready to fight; I feel a visceral sadness when I read and witness accounts of politicians and other people in positions of power attempting to strip others of their ability to make choices for themselves, at the ballot box and for their own bodies.

I am very grateful that you shared what you would fight for, Steph. Loyal readers, if one of this week’s articles resonated with you, go ahead and tap the “r” key on your keyboard and tell me why it moved you. It would be an honor to hear from you.

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Did you enjoy it? If so, give me a thumbs up below and tell me why. And if you didn’t like it, that’s OK, too – that’s what the thumbs down is for.

To our two new subscribers Thomas and Taney – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Maurice! Melanie! Mona!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Erin, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Word of mouth is how our reading community gets stronger. Here are a few ways you can help:

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Be like VIP Irene and buy me a coffee (or many!) to keep my energy up

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month. You’ll join an esteemed group of generous readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT.

#343: What Is Vital To Your Survival?

Loyal readers, thank you for being here.

I believe deeply in the power of reading for personal and collective transformation. Since February, I’ve been leading a book club focusing on The 1619 Project for a group of thoughtful people, including many of you. We’ve been reading slowly, just one essay a week, because the work demands our deep focus. It has been an honor to discuss the book in community. At the end of our last session, a co-facilitator recommended an article to support our process of converting our learning and reflection to action. Titled “What Is Vital To Your Survival?” it’s this week’s lead article. It’s by Ijeoma Oluo, it’s excellent, and I urge you to read it.

As we approach the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, I’ve also included an excerpt from His Name Is George Floyd, a forthcoming book by Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa. In “How George Floyd Spent His Final Hours,” the authors capture Mr. Floyd’s personality, profile his friends, and reveal his hopes and challenges.

My hope is that you’ll find one or both of this week’s pieces worthy of your time and attention. If you do, let me know. I’d love to hear from you. You can hit reply or leave a voice message.

What Is Vital To Your Survival?

Ijeoma Oluo: “It’s quite easy to say that you believe in reproductive justice. It’s easy to say that you think racism is wrong. It’s easy for you to say that you believe in freedom and equality. But what we say and what we do are two very different things. What is vital to your survival?

“That’s not a question to blurt out an answer to. I want you to think for a moment. When I ask you what is vital to your survival, I am not asking you to give me what your intellect knows. I’m asking you to give me what your body knows, what the deepest parts of your brain knows.

“What has you ready to fight? What has you arming yourself spiritually, intellectually, even physically? What would make you scream? What would you claw and tear for? What would you battle others for?” (11 min)

+ What’s your answer to Ms. Oluo’s question? Hit reply if you’d like to share your thoughts, and I’ll publish them in next week’s newsletter.

How George Floyd Spent His Final Hours

Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa: “ ’I love you.’ Floyd would express the same sentiment to men, women and children; to relatives, old friends and strangers; to romantic partners, platonic acquaintances and the women who fell somewhere in between; to hardened hustlers and homeless junkies; to big-time celebrities and neighborhood nobodies. He said the phrase so often that many friends and family members have no doubt about the final words he spoke to them. He would end phone calls with the expression and sign off text messages by tapping it out in all caps. On that fateful Memorial Day, as he suffocated under Officer Derek Chauvin’s knee, Floyd spent his dying breaths calling out the same phrase. ‘Mama, I love you!’ he screamed from the pavement, where his cries of ‘I can’t breathe’ were met with an indifference as deadly as hate.” (25 min)

+ Mr. Samuels and Mr. Olorunnipa are the authors of the new book, His Name Is George Floyd: One Man’s Life And The Struggle For Racial Justice.

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Did you enjoy it? If so, give me a thumbs up below and tell me why. And if you didn’t like it, that’s OK, too – that’s what the thumbs down is for.

To our two new subscribers Amy and Bek – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Lam! Laura! Larry!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Jon, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Word of mouth is how our reading community gets stronger. Here are a few ways you can help:

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Buy me a coffee (or many!) to express your love of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month. You’ll join an esteemed group of generous readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT.

#342: Turning Back Time

Soon women in America will no longer have the right to an abortion. Since finding out on Tuesday morning about the draft decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, I have felt equal parts shock and rage. Born after Roe v. Wade, my life has corresponded with the expansion of rights in our country. Several of my friends and former students have exercised their liberty and right to choose. Now for the first time, and because of the decision of four men and one woman, we will see the abrogation of a fundamental constitutional right.

Like many of you, I have been trying (and failing) to make sense of it all: reading tons of articles, listening to podcasts, talking with friends. This week’s issue includes two pieces that may be helpful in offering context. The first – “Alito’s Plan To Repeal The 20th Century” – argues that Dobbs not only will ban abortion but will also erase the civil liberties fought for over the past 100 years. The second – “The Roe Baby” – emphasizes the complexities and nuances of the abortion issue. As several of you shared in Issue #312, abortion is complicated, messy, untidy, emotional.

I also understand if you’ve had enough and have no desire to read any more articles about abortion. If so, start with the pet photo and then enjoy a thoughtful antidote to loneliness and a concerning approach to school discipline. My hope is that they will spur your thinking.

+ I hope you take care of yourself this week. As always, please feel free to share your thoughts by hitting reply.

Reversing Roe And The 20th Century

About 100 years ago, the Supreme Court began to expand the rights that we enjoy as Americans. We’ve learned about some of these rights in school: the right to remain silent, the right to privacy, the right to contraception, the right to marry someone of a different race, the right to marry someone of the same sex. The Court protected a space for family, marriage, and children and told the government to back off.

In this thought-provoking essay, Adam Serwer argues that the Supreme Court is now reversing course. With Roe v. Wade overturned, nothing will prevent the state from threatening women’s bodily autonomy. Dobbs is like Plessy v. Ferguson, making a false case for states’ rights and federalism when really the point is segregation and control. For years to come, if the state wants to impose its religious or ideological beliefs on people, thereby constraining their liberty, it will be able to do so. (8 min)

+ Mr. Serwer is excellent and has appeared in this newsletter many times: See Issues #120, #131, #185, #225, and #253 for more of his writing.

Jane Roe’s Baby Tells Her Story

Last September I devoted Issue #311 to Roe. Leading that issue was this outstanding article by Joshua Prager, which profiles Shelley Lynn Thornton, who revealed last year that she is the daughter of Norma McCorvey, also known as Jane Roe. Landmark Supreme Cases like Roe v. Wade are so monumental that sometimes we forget that the litigants were real people living regular lives. In the piece, Ms. Thornton shares her complicated feelings about her mother, her place in history, and the constitutional right to an abortion. She said, “When someone’s pregnant with a baby, and they don’t want that baby, that person develops knowing they’re not wanted.” (28 min)

+ Mr. Prager wrote The Family Roe: An American Story, the recipient of many awards last year. I’m going to read it. Let me know if you want to join me.

We’re In A Loneliness Crisis

Tish Harrison Warren: “We need to reconnect with material things: nature, soil, our bodies and other people in real life. Go watch the rain for 10 minutes. Go on a walk with a friend. Get off social media and meet one neighbor. Keep your kids offline. Put your hands in the dirt. Play an instrument instead of a video game. Turn off your smartphone and have dinner with people around a table. Search for beauty and goodness in the material world, and there, find joy. The way back to ourselves, as individuals and a society, runs through old, earthy things.” (8 min)

The Price Kids Pay: Schools And Police Punish Students With Costly Tickets

When students misbehave, some schools try restorative justice. Others prefer detention and suspension. In Illinois, school administrators ask police officers to ticket and fine young people for minor infractions. Sophia got caught with a vape pen; now she owes $175. Abigail cut school and got hit with a $200 fine. If they can’t pay up, their parents’ tax refunds are docked. The collected money doesn’t go to improve the school environment or support students. It goes to fund the ticketing system. (29 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Did you enjoy it? If so, give me a thumbs up below and tell me why. And if you didn’t like it, that’s OK, too – that’s what the thumbs down is for.

To our two new subscribers Monica and Prem – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Kristin! Kristen! Kristyn!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Bob, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Word of mouth is how our reading community gets stronger. Here are a few ways you can help:

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Buy me a coffee (or many!) to express your love of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month. You’ll join an esteemed group of generous readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT.

#341: Fun-Size Hustle

Happy Thursday, loyal readers! Thank you very much for being here.

One thing I’ve always liked about our reading community is that we appreciate articles from a variety of publications. There’s nothing wrong with The New York Times and The Washington Post. But we see those sources every day. If we want our reading to help us understand different viewpoints, we must seek well-written pieces outside our regular feed. But many of you have told me you don’t have the time to scour the internet for hidden gems. That’s one reason I started doing The Highlighter almost seven years ago. I’m grateful for your readership.

This week’s selections (from around the web) explore how we raise our children to embrace capitalism, how one Black woman experienced school desegregation, how technology in the classroom is not productive for learning, and how our country might be headed toward civil war. If you have time to read just one article, make it “Fun-Size Hustle: How School Fundraisers Teach Kids That Work Is Sweet.” But all four pieces are on the shorter side this week, so who knows what’s possible? 😀 (Let me know if you read all four.)

+ Do you want to read more but struggle to carve out the time? I’d love to hear from you. All you need to do is hit reply. (I have some ideas.)

Fun-Size Hustle: School Fundraisers Indoctrinate Kids Into Capitalism

When I was in the fourth grade, I went door to door asking my neighbors to sponsor me for the school’s Spell-A-Thon. The goal of the fundraiser, I don’t remember. The point was to spell all the words right and bring home the cash. In this provocative essay, Mary Porto wonders why suburban educators solicit kids to raise funds when they could ask parents directly. It has to do with capitalism, Ms. Porto argues, and preparing children for grind culture. “The message of school fundraising is the same one that adults are taught about jobs: Working hard is rewarded, whether with a paycheck or a toy. And if your paycheck is too small or you want more than one backpack tag, work harder.” (5 min)

+ I won a robot as part of the sixth grade magazine drive. What do you have to show for yourself?

Busing Battle

Kelundra Smith: “I chose books and academics because that was the only choice I was allowed to make. I was a student who was tracked early on and set up for this college-bound life of achievement, and I walked it out all the way through graduate school. I have the student loans to prove it. Yet, surviving that level of scrutiny and perfectionism came at a cost. The idea that pronouncing a word incorrectly or wearing a certain outfit could rob me of opportunities is one that it took years to recover from. It is an ongoing effort.” (12 min)

Putting Technology Before Teaching

I used to be a big advocate of technology in the classroom, always looking for the next app (anyone hear of Diigo?) to engage my students. No longer. Maybe it’s just that I’m getting older. Or maybe I worry for our young people, stuck behind screens all day, sedating themselves from the effects of the pandemic. Former teacher Shane Trotter describes an iPad initiative at his school, which introduced a barrier between teachers and students that made building relationships and growing trust more challenging. The point was not about learning, Mr. Trotter says. It was about making sure Nearpod worked, and then surveilling students from afar, rather than interacting with them up close. (10 min)

We Are Living In The Age of Civil War

“Ask almost anyone who has lived through a civil war,” Barbara F. Walter warns, “and they will tell you that they didn’t see it coming.” An expert on international security, Prof. Walter worries that the United States now meets the three criteria that put nations at risk: weakening democratic institutions, citizens organizing themselves around identity rather than ideology, and once-dominant groups losing their power. Unless these trends reverse, our country stands a 4 percent chance of descending into conflict. The solution? Take away social media, and we’ll be fine. (12 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Did you enjoy it? If so, give me a thumbs up below and tell me why. And if you didn’t like it, that’s OK, too – that’s what the thumbs down is for.

To our three new subscribers Sarangoo, George, and Evan – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Joey! Joseph! Josephine!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Hal, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Word of mouth is how our reading community gets stronger. Here are a few ways you can help:

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Buy me a coffee (or many!) to express your love of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month. You’ll join an esteemed group of generous readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT.

#340: Hey Google, Please Write My Essay

Dear Loyal Readers,

Lately I’ve been thinking about reading – why we do it and what makes it so rewarding. In a recent interview, poet and author Ocean Vuong said, “I think, at the risk of sounding overly dramatic or emo, I feel truer to myself while reading than I do experiencing the world through my body — so any chance to read is ideal for me.” My love of reading may not be as strong as Mr. Vuong’s, but ever since I launched this newsletter almost seven years ago, I’ve believed deeply in the power of reading, both alone and in community. After all, if we read only the best stuff, and if we reflect and act on what we’ve read, we become better people, more kind and thoughtful. Loyal readers, I’m grateful that you appreciate the highest-quality nonfiction, and I’m happy that you read each week’s selections along with me.

This week’s issue explores the wonders and dangers of artificial intelligence, particularly in the world of language and creative expression. Even if you’ve been following the advancements of GPT-3, this week’s lead article, “A.I. Is Mastering Language. Should We Trust What It Says?” will blow your mind, especially if you’re an English teacher, or someone like me who struggles to write clear and coherent prose. If technology has indeed made our society dumber, as last week’s issue suggested, apparently all we need to do is get the machines to write our essays and emails (and novels and poems) for us.

📫 I’d love to hear what you think. Please go ahead and hit reply, leave me a voice message, or send me a text.

Happy reading!

Mark

PS - Many of you have been confiding in me lately. You’re saying: “I want to read more. I aspire to read more. But I just can’t carve out the time. What should I do?” If this is you, let’s talk. I want to make The Highlighter not just a digest of great articles but also a supportive place where we can figure out ways to read more and find more joy and calm in our lives.

A.I. Is Mastering Language. Should We Trust It?

Back in my teaching days, my colleagues and I used to assign “The Big Book,” which challenged our students to write 40 pages of original prose in a variety of genres centering on a common theme. Our students groaned the whole way through the yearlong project. But at the end, when they published their book, saw their words in print, and shared their work in a public exhibition, they beamed with pride. Their hundreds of hours of painstaking hard work had paid off.

But what’s the point of trying so hard? Soon, with the help of artificial intelligence and GPT-3, young people (and adults!) will be able to whip up perfectly cogent essays in the matter of seconds.

In this mind-boggling article, Steven Johnson explains how neural nets and large language models have combined to craft language that is becoming indistinguable from (and sometimes better than) human writing.

Mr. Johnson writes:

The machines have acquired language. The ability to express ourselves in complex prose has always been one of our defining magic tricks as a species. Until now, if you wanted a system to generate complex, syntactically coherent thoughts, you needed humans to do the work. Now, for the first time, the computers can do it, too.

Are you scared? I am. Despite the wishes of GPT-3’s founders to keep their technology open source in order to “benefit humanity as a whole,” there’s no guarantee that users won’t employ the software for nefarious ends. A current version sometimes spits out racist rhetoric – perhaps an accurate current portrayal of our species. A less-racist update is more palatable but sounds like a proponent of critical race theory. How do we teach values to a computer? Who gets to be the teacher? (45 min)

➡️ Click here to read the article. Or click the headline up top.

📚 Save the article on Pocket and read it later.

✏️ Check out a physical version of the article with my highlights.

⭐️ Hit reply and tell me what you think.

More great articles about artificial intelligence

As an astute loyal reader of The Highlighter, you may be noticing that I’m experimenting with the newsletter’s format and changing things up a bit. Indeed I am! I hope you like and appreciate the extra attention I’m giving to the lead article. After all, it’s the best of the best. But despite my intention to feature fewer articles, I just can’t resist recommending these two outstanding pieces, also exploring the ills of artificial intelligence.

“I’m The Operator,” by Lauren Smiley

Wired Magazine | March 8, 2022

Uber operator Rafaela Vasquez’s gray Volvo SUV was supposed to stop. That’s what the software said it would do. Except it didn’t, killing a bicyclist in the first fatal accident involving an autonomous vehicle back in 2018. Even though the investigation revealed that Uber had stripped Volvo’s automatic braking system, Ms. Vasquez found herself accused of negligent homicide. Is it the human’s fault when the computer gets things wrong? Especially when the computer belongs to a massive corporation that wants to replace the human? (48 min)

+ Did you hit a paywall? Don’t worry. Try this Google Docs version. And if you prefer, here’s a magazine version with my highlights.

“Love And Loss In The Age Of A.I.,” by Jason Fagone

San Francisco Chronicle | July 21, 2021

Eight years after his fiancée Jessica died from a rare liver disease, 33-year-old Joshua Barbeau, still could not escape his anxiety and depression. The loss was too much to bear. So when he discovered Project December, a website that uses GPT-3 to manipulate human language, Joshua had to decide: Did he want to communicate with an A.I. version of Jessica, one that could replicate her style of speech, one that approximated her personality? Why, of course he did. Note: This article first appeared in Issue #306. (50 min)

+ Mr. Fagone is also the author of “The Lottery Hackers,” which has nothing to do with technology but nonetheless was one of my favorite articles of 2018. He participated in Article Club in July 2020.

Reader Annotations

Last week’s lead article, “Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid,” argued that the rise of social media has resulted in our society’s stupefaction. Several of you shared your appreciation of the article. Loyal reader Lisa called the piece “depressing as hell” but accurate. “It has enabled our worst instincts and has made us dumber, as thinking and discerning are no longer required for social discourse.”

But is social media the lone and ultimate cause of our society’s decline? I wasn’t so sure:

Really, has social media caused all this? Are we really beholden to our phones and newsfeeds? Can’t we all decide to sign off of Twitter (and Elon Musk) for a while? Couldn’t our politicians become less petty if they wanted to? Or are we too far gone?

Many of you, on the other hand, were sure. We are too far gone, you said, and social media is the culprit. Loyal reader Renée put it plainly, suggesting that even if we wanted to change our ways, our addiction prevents us.

Despite the gloomy tone of the article, several of you wrote in to share your progress on ridding yourself of Instagram or Facebook or TikTok. (Except for Twitter, I’m right there with you!) Maybe we should all heed loyal reader Kati’s idea: Let’s get off our screens and hang out with friends in real life.

Thank you Lisa, Renée, and Kati for taking the time to share your perspectives. The whole point of this newsletter is to read great articles, reflect on them, and see how we can apply what we’ve learned. Loyal readers, if today’s lead article resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can email me or send me a voice message.

That’s the end. Are you sad?

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#339: America Has Been Dumb Lately

Hi Loyal Readers,

Happy Thursday and thank you for being here.

Last week was all about listening and empathy. I’m keeping up with that theme this issue with a thought-provoking article by Jonathan Haidt that helps explain how our country got so messed up. Not to give too much away, because after all, I want you to read the article, but Prof. Haidt argues that our problem is that we spend too much of our time attacking not only people who disagree with us but also people who agree with us.

And to what end? Instagram and TikTok and Facebook and Twitter likes.

Even before I tell you a little more about the piece, I’m intrigued by what you’ll have to say – both about Prof. Haidt and about his argument. Do you buy what he’s saying? Or is he naïve? Most importantly, are we all doomed, or is there something we can do to save ourselves?

📫 I’d love to hear what you think. All you need to do is hit reply.

Happy reading!

Mark

PS - If you like The Highlighter, please consider forwarding it with someone in your life who might like it, too. Thank you!

The Past 10 Years Of American Life Have Been Stupid

If you want to know when the United States really began to decline, the answer, according to Jonathan Haidt, is 2009 – the same year that Facebook published its Like button and Twitter introduced the Retweet. Americans were no match for the advancements (and dangers) of social media, and instead of listening to one another and seeking compromise, and rather than going out in public to meet real people who might disagree with us, we started to care more about building our personal brands and performing for our audiences because that’s what neoliberalism and Mark Zuckerberg told us to do.

The results? Stupefaction and dysfunction. An emphasis on emotion and outrage over reason and consideration. A greater visibility of extreme (i.e., white and rich) and hostile viewpoints. An online mob policing divergent perspectives. And most important: a deep decline of trust in our relationships and our institutions.

Really, has social media caused all this? Prof. Haidt thinks so. I’m not so sure. Are we really beholden to our phones and newsfeeds? Can’t we all decide to sign off of Twitter (and Elon Musk) for a while? Couldn’t our politicians become less petty if they wanted to? Or are we too far gone?

“If we do not make major changes soon,” Prof. Haidt warns, “then our institutions, our political system, and our society may collapse during the next major war, pandemic, financial meltdown, or constitutional crisis.” Good thing he proposes three solutions (one good, one unlikely, and one that will infuriate teenagers). But of course the questions remains – as it does with climate change and other existential crises – will we do anything about it?

+ Click here to read the article. Or click on the headline above. Or click on the blue link below. Or save it to read later on Pocket. Then hit reply and share your thoughts.

Want more great articles? Sure!

+ If you want to read something inspiring, I’ve got you. In Bastrop, Texas, Norma Mercado helps kids experiencing homelessness: “These students just need someone to tell them they are smart enough, they are beautiful enough. They deserve the very best.” A One-Woman Rescue Squad for Homeless Students,” by Jason DeParle, The New York Times.

+ Author of “The Battle for 1042 Cutler Street,” featured in Issue #294, Eli Saslow is back with another outstanding article about how for many people, the American dream is more like a nightmare. “The Death Spiral of an American Family,” The Washington Post.

+ “Before Enis could finish, Bebo started listing facts about cockroaches. That there were more than four thousand different species, and the one on his right hand, an American cockroach, could grow up to two inches long, and ate just about anything.” “Bebo,” by Jared Jackson, Kenyon Review.

Thank you + want to support the newsletter?

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To our four new subscribers Jimmy, Alex, Shae, and Ghost, I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Hank! Helene! Haley!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Rae, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out. Also thank you Marsha for your coaching and keen ideas.

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#338: Listen First

For my day job, I support teachers as an instructional coach. The first thing you learn in coaching school is how to listen. This seems basic but is harder than it seems. The reason is that educators who have left the classroom typically want to “fix the teacher” as quickly as possible. The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t work. Plus it’s disrespectful. The only way we get better, after all, is if people care about us and believe in us.

I think this is probably the case outside of education, too. But ever since the 2016 Election, and particularly since March 2020, the idea of listening to people – of having sympathy and compassion for people – has become rare, especially if they disagree with us. As my good friend from college says, “Why be friends with your enemy?” Besides, we know that people in general don’t change their minds. And maybe empathy shouldn’t be the goal in the first place, as we explored in Issue #226?

Maybe I’m a sucker, but I still believe in listening to people and believing in their capacity to change. This week’s issue includes four articles on the theme. My favorite is “My Father, The Fool,” by Richard Russo. I highly recommend it. If you have time, you’ll find that the other pieces – about caregivers, militiamen, and empathy tips – will also provoke your mind and heart.

+ This month at Article Club, we’re discussing “Children in the Garden,” by Devin Kelly. Featured in Issue #328, it’s about long-distance running, the nature of endurance, the beauty of the ordinary, and the importance of play and lightness in our lives. Find out more and sign up here.

My Father, The Fool

At the height of the pandemic, author Richard Russo gets a call from his wife’s sister, who watches FOX News and remains proudly unvaccinated. She’s sick with COVID. Mr. Russo’s knee-jerk reaction is I-told-you-so. Why do you have to be so foolish? But then he thinks of his father, who once had a stiff neck and instead of seeing a doctor, said, “I know a guy.” It didn’t end well. Maybe we’re all a bit foolish, Mr. Russo suggests. We all do things that don’t make sense. Instead of spending our energy feeling superior, maybe we should stop and listen. (18 min)

The Caregivers

Artist Danny Valentine was 55 years old and on parole after serving a 23-year stint in prison when he answered a phone call from a woman who needed help. “I just can’t do it alone anymore,” the woman said. “Can you please come?” Mr. Valentine said yes, and in this touching story by Kelly Loudenberg, went to care for the woman’s husband, who was suffering from dementia. “Some people are good at writing, some people are mechanics.” Danny said. “I’m good at taking care of people.” (40 min)

+ Who would you say yes to?

Notes On The State Of Jefferson

What happens to your sense of compassion when members of militia groups threaten blood in the streets and another Civil War? Residents of conservative rural counties in Northern California, frustrated by their state’s liberal policies, and feeling aggrieved that they have no power, want to secede and form their own state named Jefferson. In this well-written piece, author James Pogue does an outstanding job messing with the stereotypical Harper’s Magazine reader’s emotions. Just when you have a read on Patrick Henry Jones and Carlos Zapata, you learn that you don’t. (25 min)

+ How did you feel when you read this piece? Disgusted? Sympathetic? Superior? Threatened?

How To Be More Empathetic

Feeling grumpy lately and want to practice some empathy? In The Highlighter’s first-ever how-to guide, you’ll gain some tips on how to get out of your bubble and get out into the world. Suggestions include: “Talk to new people” (Really?) and “Be honest with yourself” (You mean it?). I’m interested: Should this newsletter start including ways to apply what we’ve read and other calls to action? Please let me know if you enjoy this kind of content or find it gimmicky and annoying. (17 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Did you enjoy it? Let me know by clicking on “Yes” or ”No” below. I like hearing from you.

To our three new subscribers Ryann, Janice, and Kaili, I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Gregory! Greg! Gregg!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Sky, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Here are a few ways you can help:

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and tell them to subscribe

☕️ Buy me a coffee to keep my reading energy up

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On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT.

#337: Next Steps For Schools?

Happy Thursday, loyal readers. Thank you very much for being here.

Like me, many of you are educators. So it makes sense that you may have subscribed to this newseltter thinking I’d be sending high-quality and thought-provoking education-related articles your way. But at last count, in The Highlighter’s almost-7-year history, just 14 percent (191 of 1,362) of the pieces have focused on education. Why? Though I’m sure there are many reasons, I mostly blame the pandemic. After all, who wants to read more doom-and-gloom articles about the doom-and-gloom we’re already experiencing firsthand?

But something has been shifting of late. I don’t know if you feel the same way, but I’m coming across more outstanding articles about education. Is it maybe the light at the end of the tunnel? Or perhaps we have some distance now? Whatever it is, I am happy to devote today’s issue to education, as I was two weeks ago.

Now it’s time to choose your own adventure:

  • Want the big picture view? Lead article all the way. (This is the one I recommend the most. Besides, it’s by Jill Lepore.)

  • Tired of reading? Never fear. I’ve got a podcast for you, number two.

  • Want to be disgusted? That’s the third article.

  • Want something positive for a change? Head to the bottom.

Please enjoy, and let me know what you think! All you need to do is hit reply. Thank you very much for reading The Highlighter.

Why The School Wars Still Rage

Parents banning books, protesting mask mandates, and decrying Critical Race Theory in schools are not just advocating for “parental rights,” argues historian Jill Lepore in this thought-provoking article. Rather, they are waging a campaign against public education altogether.

Prof. Lepore compares today’s school wars with those of the 1920s, in which Southern states, most notably in the Scopes Trial, fought to make the teaching of evolution unlawful. Another campaign to reject the Progressive era’s tenets and to limit the power of public schools came after Brown v. Board, when white segregationists advocated for “school choice” so their kids wouldn’t have to learn alongside Black children.

With the rise of charter schools and homeschooling, and with the pandemic further decimating traditional public schools, Prof. Lepore wonders if the free-market values of neoliberalism have triumphed, leaving behind public education’s dedication to a “bigger sense of covenant, toleration, and obligation.” (22 min)

+ More: “A functioning democracy needs citizens who know how to make decisions together,” writes George Packer in this essay that I’m not sure I agree with entirely.

School’s Out Forever

We know that the pandemic has had a devastating impact on young people’s academic achievement and mental health. But with teachers quitting and families opting out, is school as we’ve known it over forever? That’s the question Chana Joffe-Walt explores in this outstanding episode of This American Life. You’ll meet fifth grader Neeah, whose mom prefers she stay home all day, alone, rather than getting in trouble at school. And you’ll follow eighth grader Maricela, who is back at school and ready to graduate, despite missing most of her middle school experience. (69 min)

+ Appreciation to loyal reader Melissa for making sure I listened to this outstanding episode.

My High School’s Fantasy Slut League

Piedmont is an affluent, mostly white and Asian town, situated inside but separate from Oakland, where high school boys a decade ago formed a fantasy league in which they drafted girls and tracked their sex acts for points. In this well-reported story, graduate Lena Crown looks back on the impact of the FSL and wonders if the league was “harmless teenage hijinks” or an example of toxic masculinity. One boy said, “Gossip about people hooking up was inherently interesting to me.” (41 min)

A School Created A Homeless Shelter In The Gym. It Paid Off In The Classroom.

In the daytime, the gym at Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 Community School is like most across America: filled with students playing basketball and participating in physical education. But at night, the gym transforms into a shelter for young people and their families experiencing homelessness. Regarded as the first long-term, school-based shelter in the country, the Stay Over Program served 180 families in 2020. Educators at the school report that kids in the program are rested, fed, on time, and ready to learn. This is great news for a school district with an otherwise shaky reputation. (24 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Did you enjoy it? Let me know by clicking on “Yes” or ”No” below. I like hearing from you.

To our two new subscribers Kai and Chacha, I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Fred! Fern! Fernando!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Sue, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Here are a few ways you can help:

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and tell them to subscribe

☕️ Buy me a coffee to express your gratitude

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On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT.