Those old so-and-so’s

Ladies, I’m sure by now you’ve learned not to trust a man who would tell you what pigs other men are.

But I’m half woman. For instance, I can’t talk about carburetor exhaust ports for more than 15 seconds without gazing off to reflect on the ritual of such gadget-talk among men, and wonder whether it’s really not as “deep” as talk of emotions (and what, really, is “deep” anyway?).

Of course, I’m also half man, so I’m as sexist as the next fellow. Today it occurred to me as I went grocery-store-searching for just the right kind of fucking brillo-sponge that I often wish I lived in an age when even good husbands didn’t have to worry about sponges.

My woman half is outraged by the sexism on display in this video, and my man half is naively surprised by it.

https://writing-boots.com/2008/06/those-old-so-an/

It’s easy for a writer with many years between now and retirement to look in horror at the current scene: Newspapers folding, great reporters being laid off—and all this infernal talk about changing publishing models. Please, spare me that shit. I’d rather die of starvation than boredom.

Here in Chicago, the struggling Tribune has been taken over by a windbag real estate magnate who appears to know little and care less about journalism and writing. The management goons he has put in place—like management goons everywhere—talk about the newspaper like it’s a blank slate with a brand name. Let’s turn the Chicago Tribune into MySpace!

A newspaper is not a blank slate to Rick Kogan, Trib writer and son of legendary Chicago newspaperman Herman Kogan. To Rick, who now finds himself something of an elder statesman in Chicago journalism, a newspaper is a life. (A life he has always generously tried to help eager writers into. As a favor to a friend of mine who was trying to help me break into Chicago journalism, Kogan once took me to the Billy Goat, bought me three highballs in 40 minutes, gave me five story ideas and promised me he’d introduce me to the right editor to pitch them to.)

In a column by local media writer Mike Miner, Kogan acknowledges that he doesn’t know how to fix the Trib so it makes money again. "I don’t know anything about video or the Internet," he says.

But to Tribune management, he says, "Whatever way you guys go, don’t forget it’s all about the word."

And to publishers everywhere, Kogan adds: "It’s hard not to be seduced by the new. But I will argue forever that to think of words as the old is crazy."

When I begin to succumb to worry, I reassure myself by remembering that scribes have been around since caves have had walls, and that if I’m a good enough scribe I’ll be around as long as I want to be. (Which, of course, is all the security a writer has a right to ask for.)

Readers, what comforts you in the middle of this writer’s night?

I’m dispensing with a fancy introduction to my blog because what could be more dreary? I’ll say only that my cryptic title has something to do with William Carlos Williams’ useful notion of "no ideas but in things" and that my favorite things are the Red Wing boots that I wear year-round, which I call my "writing boots." Enough.

Regarding Obama, the first thing you might say if you’re a writer or a communicator type or a Hillary fan or a Republican is that his presumptive nomination—and his rise to it, on the strength of a speech delivered four years ago at a convention and dozens of speeches delivered since—shows the power of words and of speeches.

On the face of it, Hillary Clinton brought three decades of public service to the table, Obama brought some speeches, and the speeches won.

But that take gives credit to the words that the words don’t deserve. Think of the other, much more relevant traits of Obama’s, that made the words work:

• He seems calm. There’s a placidity to him that allows him to pause before saying something stupid, gives him the patience to wait until he has something smart to say. My mother used to advise me to "wear the world like a loose garment." Unlike me, Obama has that quality.

• He seems to know himself pretty well. Being an ethical politician does not mean saying exactly what’s on your mind at all times. It means knowing what’s on your mind, so you can say it when the time is right. Obama does seem to know what he thinks.

• He has courage. Don’t think so? I’d like to see you try to deliver a speech on the rather unoriginal theme of "yes, we can"—even if it is to a throng of worshipful supporters. You know darn well that a zillion pundits and bloggers are going to dismiss you and your simple-minded message. And you deliver it anyway, because you believe it’s going to work.

That’s the formula to be a great politician, a charismatic executive "thought leader," a great columnist, an interesting blogger: If you don’t have some combination of calm, self-knowledge and courage, ain’t no fancy words gonna work magic on any audience over any length of time.