The Counterpublic Papers vol. 8 no. 5

January 01, 2024

I come into the new year with trepidation and anxiety, and don’t think I’m alone in this. But I realized after a conversation with my friend Arnease, that I needed to rewrite how I approach the new year (and beyond). Over the past year I’ve lost more friends than I can keep track of—with four or five coming over the last three weeks. In one or two instances we knew it was coming,  but others struck suddenly.

Each death leaves a hole. But each life generated all sorts of possibilities.

An example. I’ve known Carl Banks, who passed away two weeks ago, since 1987. Loved house music like I did. Had a sartorial sense of style. When writing about Carl’s life my friend Brian Boyer wrote the following:

Without knowing it, Carl Banks changed the trajectory of my high school years. For pretty much all of K-8 I was considered a “class comedian” and routinely got in trouble for it. If I could crack a joke and get the class to laugh, I was all over it. My parents constantly heard I was disruptive, had poor self control and my behavior was below expectation (B.E. for you Ludington alums--ed Ludington Middle School in Detroit). I was genuinely funny though, which I hope at least some of the teachers secretly appreciated.

Fast forward to 9th grade at Cass (ed: Cass Technical High School in Detroit). Carl and I were in the same class and I was doing my regular schtick. But, Carl…Carl just had more dedication to the craft. He talked a mile a minute, was quicker out of the gate and would sometimes get out of his seat to land the joke. That guy was on a whole ‘nother level. He was willing to go way farther for the laugh and simply wanted it more. I decided in that moment he set the bar too high and, after all those years of annoying (and secretly impressing) teachers, aggravating my parents, and entertaining students, I was done. I sat back, let Carl do his thing and laughed. Aside from the occasional, well-timed joke that the teacher would also get a chuckle out of, my days of class comedian were over. My parents didn’t get calls about me (hilariously) disrupting class or have to come to the school once. And Carl went on to gain legendary status.

Some may read this and think that’s a dubious honor to have. But, if it’s true that laughter is the best medicine, that kinda made us doctors, and Carl was a surgeon.

Carl introduced me to Detroit’s soccer team (the Detroit Rouge!). Was supposed to see him at the first game I attended (this year), but just missed him. He ended our text exchange ruing the missed opportunity, writing “Indeed, next time.”

Indeed. Next time.

The year ahead (and again, beyond) will see the loss of loved ones (just over the past few weeks I’ve lost three or four friends), the consequences of ongoing climate wreckage (Bill Connolly’s term) and the resurgence of authoritarianism at the macro- and meso- level. And here I’m not just thinking about the Right. At universities like Hopkins it certainly feels as if many of the folk who want to somehow ”save democracy“ are also folk who are skeptical if not downright antagonist against it in practice.

These are constants going forward, and while we can mitigate and work against the effects of the latter two, they’re all going to continue. If these are coming no matter how we proceed, no matter what we choose to do, then we can either approach what’s coming with grace and grit…or we can choose another route.

I know which route I plan to choose.

….

I was originally going to include my best photography of 2023, but I think my newsletter provider (tinyletter—folding up next month) shut down its server.

So as soon as possible (perhaps as soon as today!) I plan to migrate over to Beehiiv. You’ll get a new welcome from me, but most of the details should stay the same. Maybe a better design. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out, and if one of your new year resolutions is to unsubscribe from your newsletters I get it…you should be able to do so by clicking on the link below. 2024 is here. Let’s go.