There's a kind of optimism specifically within Christianity about the world - about whose side God is on. Well, I didn't have any of that in my background. I had physicality and chaos.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead
I would say as a journalist, I would envision travelling to other countries that have had to reckon with their past and see how they've done it: what worked, what didn't work, finding characters that would tell the story of how that process was done.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of understanding how nations confront their historical injustices through storytelling.
Ta-Nehisi Coates expresses the desire of a journalist to explore different countries that have faced and grappled with their past. By focusing on their successes and failures in dealing with historical injustices, he highlights the significance of storytelling in understanding the processes of reconciliation and healing within societies.
Themes
JournalismHistoryStorytellingReconciliationUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could inspire discussions in a seminar about the role of journalism in historical narratives.
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It's hard for me to view Baltimore outside the context of what Baltimore has always been in my mind: a violent place.
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If I could have anything - you know, and this is across the board for any presidential candidate - I would have a greater acknowledgment of history in our policy and in our affairs.
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You can't make a direct comparison between middle-class African Americans and middle-class white Americans, affluent African Americans and affluent white Americans. The amount of wealth tends to be less.
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