Wow - incredible academic essay Jeffery - with footnotes etc! Love Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain - on eo f America's first popular progressives. Three things - have you ever his short story, Mysterious Stranger? Profound story about how the devil incarnates to f' and twist people everywhere all the time! Have you read James by Percival Everette? Great version of Huck Finn story yet via slave perspective. And have you seen the recent Kennedy Center Twain prize for Conan O'Brian? On Netflix and worth watching for laughs and his speech about Twain and state of America at the end.
I restacked this, and shared it on Facebook, with the following note attached: "Important background on the unity of causes in the resistance, during the previous attempt by oligarchs to "rule the world." Of special interest to me is how Twain's 1886 remarks and actions are simultaneous with his work to get a pension for Prudence Crandall, and to pay the tuition for African-American law student Warner McGuinn, who later became a mentor to a young Thurgood Marshall. So Twain was using his position, visibility, and privilege, to try to address abuses of privilege. These are the examples we need now!"
Check out the Conclusion in my book, _Schooling the Nation: The Success of the Canterbury Female Academy for Black Women_ (University of Illinois Press, 2025), for more information on how Twain, McGuinn, and Prudence Crandall are intertwined.
Thank you for another exceptional piece that honors one of the most notable writers in American history. I typically know that Mark Twain was a dignified, courageous, and independent journalist who never shied away from speaking out against injustice, expansionism, racial inequality, and the hypocrisy of a society that pledges to advocate democracy while simultaneously conquering other nations. Twain spoke his truth without fear. In contrast, many today allow their fears to paralyze them from taking action, compromising their dignity, freedom, and self-respect. They endure insults and poor treatment, accepting arrogance and worse to avoid the unknown. As Shakespeare expressed in Hamlet, "Conscience doth make cowards of us all."
His advocacy for the oppressed working class remains relevant today, even though the oppression has expanded to include not only the working people or laborers but also the middle class, which has seen a decline due to the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Also, the non-working class, including homeless individuals, are often victims of workforce injustice and discrimination. Many have lost their jobs due to mental health issues or disabilities, particularly veterans who frequently wrestle with PTSD upon returning from service, many of whom bear the burden of refusing to partake in war crimes. This collective group lives below the poverty line, and they are all oppressed.
To know that Twain was also famous for his sense of humor is interesting but unsurprising, as those with an intense sense of humor often maintain a deep compassion and empathy for those suffering, treating everyone equally with dignity and respect. Being a humorist requires a high level of social, emotional, and spiritual intelligence, which often involves generating a strong connection between the writer and their audience. To truly grasp humor and the nuances of fictional literature across any genre, readers also need high emotional intelligence to interpret the underlying themes between the lines, symbols, and hidden messages woven into the text.
Unfortunately, this type of reader has become less common due to technological advancements, which can amplify our egos, insecurities, and tendencies to misinterpret and misread one another. As a result, many thinkers, fiction writers, and particularly political satirists face not only misinterpretation and devaluation but also hostility and even legal repercussions. We often forget that the highest form of self-awareness usually manifests as self-deprecating humor or the capacity to laugh at ourselves and our imperfections.
Humor is not merely a genre of writing for fun; it is a powerful tool for social change. It is a philosophy of understanding human personality, which is rooted in the theory of the four bodily humors: blood, bile, melancholy, and phlegm, a theory that influences the core passions of anger, grief, hope, and fear. For instance, the Fool's satirical role in "King Lear" illustrates this dynamic. The King's jester frequently speaks the truth to Lear, though Lear's ego often closes his eyes to the Fool's wisdom, whose critiques of Lear and others reveal their flaws to the characters and the audience through humor.
This role of the "Fool" also remains relevant today; however, it often serves solely to entertain those in power. Rather than providing wisdom or truth, modern-day jesters may merely serve as cheerleaders, applauding the lies and humorless political jokes crafted by leaders who seek to amuse themselves at the expense of the public. In our tendency to make fools of ourselves, we inadvertently empower our oppressors.
The latest political joke highlights the sudden awakening of our current ruler, who has realized the manipulation by his closest ally after having rewarded these war criminals with billions of dollars from our tax money, witnessed the deaths, starvation, and bombardment of thousands of children and innocent civilians. And after they have weaponized food and blocked humanitarian aid for over two months, forcing people to choose between displacement and starvation. Our current oppressor severed ties with their long-standing partner in war crimes, only for the sake of the "crown prince.”
If this joke would stop the starvation of those children, and allow the humanitarian aids to enter, let them laugh, and if would cease the fire and help to save the reminder of those innocent children, wash their bloody hands and erase the haunting memories of the sound of desperate children begging for food before their death, or the prayers of grieved mothers against us and our children, and the pain of witnessing a child's last breath between the mother's hand, and instead of mourning she celebrated as it is a "wedding", after she ensured that her child finally in a save haven, to be a “martyr” better than to see her child vanishing slowly because the barbarity of our world that force them famishing for just piece of bread or water. It is okay; let it be a joke, and let all of us laugh.
If their joke would break the silence of many of us, or make us forget the betrayals of the Arab leaders for those children, and justify the billions of dollars gifted to their butchers, let us play the "Fool" over and over again. Let our foolishness make them bring those children back to life, rebuild their homes, hospitals, and schools. Let them be gods so that they can create, destroy, and recreate again.
As long as we still worship them, they can do everything, but one thing: they can never bring our dead souls and hearts to life. Those children died once, but because of our cowardice, we die every day, we let them, as we let them, kill God. "God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? As Friedrich Nietzsche wisely stated, it was also misinterpreted.
I truly appreciate your great efforts, wisdom, and constant reminder of our human values.
Wow - incredible academic essay Jeffery - with footnotes etc! Love Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain - on eo f America's first popular progressives. Three things - have you ever his short story, Mysterious Stranger? Profound story about how the devil incarnates to f' and twist people everywhere all the time! Have you read James by Percival Everette? Great version of Huck Finn story yet via slave perspective. And have you seen the recent Kennedy Center Twain prize for Conan O'Brian? On Netflix and worth watching for laughs and his speech about Twain and state of America at the end.
Thanks for reading. And thanks for these recommendations!
Very good piece!
Excellent! Thank you for writing this!
I restacked this, and shared it on Facebook, with the following note attached: "Important background on the unity of causes in the resistance, during the previous attempt by oligarchs to "rule the world." Of special interest to me is how Twain's 1886 remarks and actions are simultaneous with his work to get a pension for Prudence Crandall, and to pay the tuition for African-American law student Warner McGuinn, who later became a mentor to a young Thurgood Marshall. So Twain was using his position, visibility, and privilege, to try to address abuses of privilege. These are the examples we need now!"
Check out the Conclusion in my book, _Schooling the Nation: The Success of the Canterbury Female Academy for Black Women_ (University of Illinois Press, 2025), for more information on how Twain, McGuinn, and Prudence Crandall are intertwined.
Keep on keeping on with the TRUTHS from history!
Thank you for another exceptional piece that honors one of the most notable writers in American history. I typically know that Mark Twain was a dignified, courageous, and independent journalist who never shied away from speaking out against injustice, expansionism, racial inequality, and the hypocrisy of a society that pledges to advocate democracy while simultaneously conquering other nations. Twain spoke his truth without fear. In contrast, many today allow their fears to paralyze them from taking action, compromising their dignity, freedom, and self-respect. They endure insults and poor treatment, accepting arrogance and worse to avoid the unknown. As Shakespeare expressed in Hamlet, "Conscience doth make cowards of us all."
His advocacy for the oppressed working class remains relevant today, even though the oppression has expanded to include not only the working people or laborers but also the middle class, which has seen a decline due to the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Also, the non-working class, including homeless individuals, are often victims of workforce injustice and discrimination. Many have lost their jobs due to mental health issues or disabilities, particularly veterans who frequently wrestle with PTSD upon returning from service, many of whom bear the burden of refusing to partake in war crimes. This collective group lives below the poverty line, and they are all oppressed.
To know that Twain was also famous for his sense of humor is interesting but unsurprising, as those with an intense sense of humor often maintain a deep compassion and empathy for those suffering, treating everyone equally with dignity and respect. Being a humorist requires a high level of social, emotional, and spiritual intelligence, which often involves generating a strong connection between the writer and their audience. To truly grasp humor and the nuances of fictional literature across any genre, readers also need high emotional intelligence to interpret the underlying themes between the lines, symbols, and hidden messages woven into the text.
Unfortunately, this type of reader has become less common due to technological advancements, which can amplify our egos, insecurities, and tendencies to misinterpret and misread one another. As a result, many thinkers, fiction writers, and particularly political satirists face not only misinterpretation and devaluation but also hostility and even legal repercussions. We often forget that the highest form of self-awareness usually manifests as self-deprecating humor or the capacity to laugh at ourselves and our imperfections.
Humor is not merely a genre of writing for fun; it is a powerful tool for social change. It is a philosophy of understanding human personality, which is rooted in the theory of the four bodily humors: blood, bile, melancholy, and phlegm, a theory that influences the core passions of anger, grief, hope, and fear. For instance, the Fool's satirical role in "King Lear" illustrates this dynamic. The King's jester frequently speaks the truth to Lear, though Lear's ego often closes his eyes to the Fool's wisdom, whose critiques of Lear and others reveal their flaws to the characters and the audience through humor.
This role of the "Fool" also remains relevant today; however, it often serves solely to entertain those in power. Rather than providing wisdom or truth, modern-day jesters may merely serve as cheerleaders, applauding the lies and humorless political jokes crafted by leaders who seek to amuse themselves at the expense of the public. In our tendency to make fools of ourselves, we inadvertently empower our oppressors.
The latest political joke highlights the sudden awakening of our current ruler, who has realized the manipulation by his closest ally after having rewarded these war criminals with billions of dollars from our tax money, witnessed the deaths, starvation, and bombardment of thousands of children and innocent civilians. And after they have weaponized food and blocked humanitarian aid for over two months, forcing people to choose between displacement and starvation. Our current oppressor severed ties with their long-standing partner in war crimes, only for the sake of the "crown prince.”
If this joke would stop the starvation of those children, and allow the humanitarian aids to enter, let them laugh, and if would cease the fire and help to save the reminder of those innocent children, wash their bloody hands and erase the haunting memories of the sound of desperate children begging for food before their death, or the prayers of grieved mothers against us and our children, and the pain of witnessing a child's last breath between the mother's hand, and instead of mourning she celebrated as it is a "wedding", after she ensured that her child finally in a save haven, to be a “martyr” better than to see her child vanishing slowly because the barbarity of our world that force them famishing for just piece of bread or water. It is okay; let it be a joke, and let all of us laugh.
If their joke would break the silence of many of us, or make us forget the betrayals of the Arab leaders for those children, and justify the billions of dollars gifted to their butchers, let us play the "Fool" over and over again. Let our foolishness make them bring those children back to life, rebuild their homes, hospitals, and schools. Let them be gods so that they can create, destroy, and recreate again.
As long as we still worship them, they can do everything, but one thing: they can never bring our dead souls and hearts to life. Those children died once, but because of our cowardice, we die every day, we let them, as we let them, kill God. "God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? As Friedrich Nietzsche wisely stated, it was also misinterpreted.
I truly appreciate your great efforts, wisdom, and constant reminder of our human values.