Two things. First, although I haven’t read Antonio’s book, his story is remarkable and admirable. He is steeped in wisdom learned through suffering, and he’s seems like someone I’d love sit down and and have a beer with.
Second, Tara, this is your second interview of a black man about masculinity and fatherhood. The first was an ex-convict (now author and success), while Antonio is an immigrant and defacto orphan (now author and success). Both interviews were marvellous, but do you see a pattern? You’re following the CBC template. I wouldn’t be surprised to see your next piece about masculinity and fatherhood to include an interview of a gay interracial couple.
As Canadians, we need to get past all this ethnic/tribal identity stuff and get on with discussing our ever-evolving CANADIAN identity. There are many different Canadian views about masculinity and fatherhood, but how are they evolving? Where would we like to see them go? And how do we reconcile these views with modern feminist views, which reject traditional gender roles and most things masculine? How do we bring Canadians together on these things?
Actually, for half the population the reason they live in Toronto and not Tehran is because THEY WERE BORN THERE. They want nothing to do with discussions and debate. They want only lecturing and mandating and censoring. It is amazing how all these Lean Out interviews contain key ideas that simply miss the underlying reality.
Tara, Antonio & most of these people basically agree to agree with the underlying propositions and then put their own more-centric spin on them. Until they choose to attack the underlying propositions, and esp the rank-ordering of those, they are simply swimming upstream while playing the other side's game.
Antonio Michael Downing is an absolute treasure. We should wish there were many duplicates of him. I was most impressed with his stressing the similarities among all people. I have had many discussions wherein I stated that , basically, we are all the same. We all love our children and want the best for them. We want friends to share our lives with, the good and the bad. We want to be respected and considered worthwhile. Thank you, Tara, for sharing this beautiful interview.
Two things. First, although I haven’t read Antonio’s book, his story is remarkable and admirable. He is steeped in wisdom learned through suffering, and he’s seems like someone I’d love sit down and and have a beer with.
Second, Tara, this is your second interview of a black man about masculinity and fatherhood. The first was an ex-convict (now author and success), while Antonio is an immigrant and defacto orphan (now author and success). Both interviews were marvellous, but do you see a pattern? You’re following the CBC template. I wouldn’t be surprised to see your next piece about masculinity and fatherhood to include an interview of a gay interracial couple.
As Canadians, we need to get past all this ethnic/tribal identity stuff and get on with discussing our ever-evolving CANADIAN identity. There are many different Canadian views about masculinity and fatherhood, but how are they evolving? Where would we like to see them go? And how do we reconcile these views with modern feminist views, which reject traditional gender roles and most things masculine? How do we bring Canadians together on these things?
Actually, for half the population the reason they live in Toronto and not Tehran is because THEY WERE BORN THERE. They want nothing to do with discussions and debate. They want only lecturing and mandating and censoring. It is amazing how all these Lean Out interviews contain key ideas that simply miss the underlying reality.
Tara, Antonio & most of these people basically agree to agree with the underlying propositions and then put their own more-centric spin on them. Until they choose to attack the underlying propositions, and esp the rank-ordering of those, they are simply swimming upstream while playing the other side's game.
Antonio Michael Downing is an absolute treasure. We should wish there were many duplicates of him. I was most impressed with his stressing the similarities among all people. I have had many discussions wherein I stated that , basically, we are all the same. We all love our children and want the best for them. We want friends to share our lives with, the good and the bad. We want to be respected and considered worthwhile. Thank you, Tara, for sharing this beautiful interview.
Always a great discussion you're having. Good to hear so many honest conversations going on here at Substack with people like you.
Wonderful! Thank you both so much for this moving and thought-provoking discussion.
Brilliant interview. This is what I miss from the CBC.
What a superlatively rich interview! What a wondrous man who is there for us all. Thank you Tara. You've both made my day.