But Why?: Ask No Questions, Hear No Stories.
A Collection of Interviews and Book Reviews
You ask too many questions!
I’ve always been inquisitive by nature. I really like to get to the root of an issue. One way to feed my nature is to read books. I don’t want to just read the books, I want to share my thoughts about them too!
My hope is that my interpretations spark constructive debates. If people don’t get tired of me asking questions, I’ll also include interviews here.
Happy reading!
The Next Millionaire Next Door
The person who struggles with comparisons is the person less likely to become wealthy. In the age of Instagram and Facebook we are bombarded with the highlight reels of those we know well and those we don’t. When we see the reels of those we know well we have the ability to separate social media from reality. We see the beautiful family photos on Facebook, but we also know that those smiling children are heathens that no one wants to be around. Fact vs. fiction. When we see the lives of loose ties we don’t have the same discernment.
Rich Dad Poor Dad
Educated dad never wants to talk about money and always lives in a state of scarcity. Rich dad talks about money all the time and concerns himself with ways he can make money. Basically, we all want to be rich dad. Right?
Supreme Inequality by Adam Cohen: Pt. 1 Review
In Supreme Inequality, Cohen claims that our society has become harsher on the most marginalized among us. That harshness has become the law of land because of specific rulings made by the Supreme Court since the retirement of Chief Justice Earl Warren. Warren began his tenure as Chief Justice in 1953 and subsequently handed down some of the most important rulings in our country’s history. These include Brown vs. Board of Education (1954), Gideon vs. Wainwright (1963), Miranda vs. Arizona (1966), and Loving vs. Virginia (1967).
Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi: Review
Stamped from the Beginning forced me to think about the way I view myself as well as other Black people. It is a must read book in a time where we are constantly requesting a commitment to valuing Black lives.
Review of “$2 a Day: Living On Almost Nothing In America” by Kathryn J. Edin & Luke Shaefer
Learning about the fact that the number of families surviving on $2 a day increased 660% between 1995 and 2012 was frightening. However, it did bring some validity to the things that I have seen in my work. I’ve often thought about growing up poor myself and how the poverty that I endured is nothing like the kind of poverty I witness today. There is a sense of hopelessness that can grip you when you literally have no money.
Essential Ben: An Interview with an Essential Worker During COVID-19
Be kind to essential workers.
Review of “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America"
Have you ever read a book that completely changed you? Those are the types of books that stick with you throughout your life. Those are the books that inform your perspectives and ground you. The Color of Law is one of those books for me. The book was so powerful that I had to read it little by little. Literally, everyday I read a chapter or two and had to stop.
Review of "The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind the American Myth”
Linda Taylor is the woman behind the title “welfare queen”. She was a fur wearing and Cadillac-driving, smooth-talker notorious for manipulating men and systems. Her crimes were mostly committed in the Midwest during a time where the welfare system was a lot more sympathetic.