Between The World And Me Summary

On October 18th, 2017, I attended an interview with the popular writer and journalist, Ta Nehisi Coates. Famous for his novel, Between the World and Me, and his writing for The Atlantic, Coates has become a prominent figure in the discussion on racism in America today. During his speech, he reflected on the current issue of racism in America as well as the latest presidential election and even the writing process.
While I felt that nearly everything Coates said offered valuable insight concerning several topics, I felt that his views on the writing process were the most interesting, as they directly pertained to students such as I. In his interview, Coates described writing as a linear process, in which one’s ideas begin as what he referred to as “sewage”. Only after several revisions, can one’s writing even begin to relate to the ideas they are trying to convey. Coates was then asked, “If one was able
In his interview, Coates made sure that while racism may not be felt by everyone, every single person has the ability to understand the oppression faced by blacks in America throughout history. Up until his interview, I had lived thinking that I will never truly comprehend the racism experienced by blacks in America. However, through the words of Coates, I was able to quickly grasp exactly how racism functions as a whole, and how it affects individuals. Often utilizing the latest presidential election as an example, Coates grabbed instances from popular culture in which racism was lying just beneath the surface of the event. Referencing some of President Donald Trump’s latest actions, Coates frequently compared the privilege Trump has as opposed to Obama, a former black president. Through his use of popular examples, Coates was able to connect every single individual in the crowd to the oppression blacks have felt for