History, memories, and the stories we tell ourselves (w/ Clint Smith)

历史、记忆,以及我们讲述给自己的故事(与克林特·史密斯)

How to Be a Better Human

自我完善

2025-04-07

39 分钟
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单集简介 ...

How do you grapple with national history, legacy, and the stories you tell yourself? Clint Smith is the author of the narrative nonfiction, How the Word is Passed, and the poetry collection, Above Ground. Clint joins Chris to talk about the cognitive dissonances that shaped American history. From understanding the complexities of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote “all men are created equal” while enslaving over 600 people – to reflecting on growing up in New Orleans – a major site for domestic slave trades, Clint urges you to examine historical contradictions. He also discusses his love for poetry and why it’s crucial to teach joyous moments in Black history too. So students won’t see slavery and Jim Crow as the totality of the black historical experience but can envision themselves of possibilities beyond subjugation. Follow Host: Chris Duffy (@chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com) Guest: Clint Smith (Instagram: @clintsmithiii | clintsmithiii.com)  Links Above Ground How the Word Is Passed Subscribe to TED  Instagram: @ted YouTube: @TED TikTok: @tedtoks LinkedIn: @ted-conferences Website: ted.com Podcasts: ted.com/podcasts For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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单集文稿 ...

  • Hey, this is Sean Elling.

  • I host a show called The Gray Area.

  • Every week I invite an author, artist, philosopher, someone thinking deeply about the world,

  • and together we try to make sense of the moment by stepping back,

  • by not reacting to the news cycle,

  • but instead searching for ideas and insights that offer clarity and maybe even a little consolation.

  • So listen to The Gray Area.

  • New episodes drop every Monday.

  • You're listening to How to Be a Better Human.

  • I'm your host, Chris Duffy.

  • I'm going to keep things very short up top today because I don't want to take a single second away from our guest,

  • Clint Smith.

  • Clint is a poet and a journalist, and he has so many brilliant insights to share.

  • For years, Clint has been investigating history and fairness and justice,

  • and what truths we do and don't allow ourselves to hear.

  • Here's a clip from the audiobook of his 2021 non-fiction work, which was called How the Word is Past.

  • New Orleans is my home.

  • It is where I was born and raised.

  • It is a part of me in ways I continue to discover,

  • but I came to realize