Ashok Karra

philosophy

Introduction to Philosophy, Lecture 2: Introducing "Antigone"

It took me a long time to realize that "What is family?" is the question "Antigone" begins with and refuses to minimize.

philosophy

Introduction to Philosophy, Lecture 1: Porochista Khakpour's "Just (Don't) Do It" and Ursula K. Le Guin on Writing

You’ll notice that self-reflection, done right, probably isn’t going to lead to “everything is great and I have no complaints.”

philosophy

Plan for Introduction to Philosophy, Fall 2024

I'm putting together a philosophy class and I thought you might like to see the plan.

music

Daughter, "Shallows" & "Be On Your Way"

I'm getting back into Daughter, a shoegaze trio from London.

poetry

Osip Mandelstam, "The Poem"

Knowing the most essential part of your experience can find words is freedom.

poetry

Kay Ryan, "Poetry is a Kind of Money"

"Poetry is a kind of money." I can't imagine writing that and not saying to yourself man I wish.

poetry

Mara Pastor, "Left"

I would advise you to read this poem by the prominent Puerto Rican poet Mara Pastor a few times, inhaling its ferocity.

poetry

Rae Armantrout, "Decor"

This text serves as the intersection of a few complicated themes: the cheapness of capitalism, relationships, and identity.

poetry

Emily Dickinson, "I had no time to Hate"

...this little poem starts with trying to look into a quiet, lush landscape painting and wish yourself there.

poetry

Kay Ryan, "The Elephant in the Room"

I don't want to admit I'm being squeezed. I don't want to admit I lack room. I want to pretend like everything's normal.

american politics

I wish I could tell you that I had a shortcut for getting people to care about solutions

I had just finished writing about Robert Frost's "The Gift Outright" when I started doubting its utility.

poetry

Robert Frost, "The Gift Outright"

"The Gift Outright" could seduce through its music alone.

american politics

This Political Moment, 7/3/24

...this has been a long coup.

dungeons and dragons

Bonus content: On Playing Dungeons and Dragons at 44 Years of Age

It's dramatically distinct from my teenage years, when DnD was nothing but bad combat scenarios.

poetry

Jane Kenyon, "Evening Sun"

Jane Kenyon's startling starting question, immediate and personal for us all: "Why does this light force me back / to my childhood?"

poetry

Emily Dickinson, "Experience is the Angled Road" (910)

Many have used poetry to generate lingering, meditative essays, but Dickinson is in rare form with "Experience is the Angled Road."

poetry

Jane Kenyon, "Not Writing"

Kyla Houbolt's "On Not Writing" brought back memories of this poem, "Not Writing," by the inimitable Jane Kenyon.

poetry

Kyla Houbolt, "On Not Writing"

Kyla Houbolt calls forth moments when words overwhelm.

writing

Where do you like to write? (Or, where did you write where every word counted?)

The Substack #AmWriting had a great prompt: Where is your favorite writing spot? And why?

american politics

Lift Every Voice

I've got a few new subscribers, so I want to make sure I welcome everyone properly.

philosophy

Joan Didion, "On Self-Respect"

I want self-respect to claim its rightful place as an eminently useful concept.

poetry

Rita Dove, "Little Town"

This little, haiku-like poem by Rita Dove got me thinking about a lot of places I've been.

philosophy

Emerson on Surfaces; Hamilton Nolan on Joe Biden

Emerson: "We live amid surfaces, and the true art of life is to skate well on them."

poetry

Suzanne Buffam, "On Antigone"

Suzanne Buffam's little lyric "On Antigone" strikes me as if the perfect words have been spoken.

american politics

Boring and Frightening, Both At Once

There's so much news and all of it is relevant.