Great post, Sharique! Really enjoyed the read and the think. Who tells the stories of these places and shapes the narratives? I can’t shake the feeling that the root goes deeper than general vibes about what sorts of stories to tell. Not a ding against your narrative, just a question about how such a decentralized process arrives at such different outcomes….
Thanks, Kristina! Very interesting point. Hello from New Jersey!
I wonder whether narratives, at least as they are amplified and retold, are indeed decentralized. In many other contexts (e.g., when it comes to narratives not just about regions, but about groups of people, such as stereotypes, companies, or anything else), the narratives are controlled by people who have some political or economic interest in a particular narrative being *the* narrative. Perhaps what distinguishes one region's narrative vs. another is whether in one case some institutions are pushing a particular narrative (e.g., a newspaper, venture capitalists, business groups, etc.) versus in another context, no one is pushing a narrative for whatever reason.. Interesting to think about the origins of such narratives...
This is a most rich, informative, and satisfying post! I rarely feel so compelled to read a post multiple times, feeling pressed for time and always in need of better time management skills so I can get "more" done where more too often means a higher pile of outcomes that will strengthen or sustain a story I think I need. "The Gifts of New Jersey" illuminates the dysfunction of this state of mind for me in surprisingly direct fashion. The lovely thing about being is that it is THE default condition. Cultivating meaning and purpose around that seems time well spent. Perhaps the ultimate takeaway for me, even with all the powerful and entertaining history and evidence you've masterfully infused this piece with, is just a simple reminder: "At my best, I'm me."
Great post, Sharique! Really enjoyed the read and the think. Who tells the stories of these places and shapes the narratives? I can’t shake the feeling that the root goes deeper than general vibes about what sorts of stories to tell. Not a ding against your narrative, just a question about how such a decentralized process arrives at such different outcomes….
Thanks, Kristina! Very interesting point. Hello from New Jersey!
I wonder whether narratives, at least as they are amplified and retold, are indeed decentralized. In many other contexts (e.g., when it comes to narratives not just about regions, but about groups of people, such as stereotypes, companies, or anything else), the narratives are controlled by people who have some political or economic interest in a particular narrative being *the* narrative. Perhaps what distinguishes one region's narrative vs. another is whether in one case some institutions are pushing a particular narrative (e.g., a newspaper, venture capitalists, business groups, etc.) versus in another context, no one is pushing a narrative for whatever reason.. Interesting to think about the origins of such narratives...
This is a most rich, informative, and satisfying post! I rarely feel so compelled to read a post multiple times, feeling pressed for time and always in need of better time management skills so I can get "more" done where more too often means a higher pile of outcomes that will strengthen or sustain a story I think I need. "The Gifts of New Jersey" illuminates the dysfunction of this state of mind for me in surprisingly direct fashion. The lovely thing about being is that it is THE default condition. Cultivating meaning and purpose around that seems time well spent. Perhaps the ultimate takeaway for me, even with all the powerful and entertaining history and evidence you've masterfully infused this piece with, is just a simple reminder: "At my best, I'm me."
And you had me at Grease Trucks.
Thanks @Keith! Yes, I think we can all learn a little from NJ and its living-in-the-moment ethos. I myself made a Fat Cat-lite for lunch today. :)