[N.B. I originally wrote this article in 2012 and it has been by far the most popular of anything I've written on this site. Occasionally I'll update it, but to the best of my knowledge, it's still one of the most in-depth studies into the topic of Honorary Alabama Colonelcy.] Most people are familiar with … Continue reading Honorary Colonel in the Alabama State Militia
On Heroes and Hero-Worship in the Information Age
I recently listened to Thomas Carlyle's On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History. It is one of those books that has acquired a reputation few people seem interested in challenging. Mention Carlyle today, particularly in academic circles, and before long someone will invoke the "Great Man Theory" as though the matter has been settled. … Continue reading On Heroes and Hero-Worship in the Information Age
The Revolution Will Still Not Be Televised
The revolution will not be televised, will not be televisedWill not be televised, will not be televisedThe revolution will be no re-run brothersThe revolution will be live—Gil Scott-Heron, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised A few years ago, while watching The Get Down, I heard a piece of spoken-word poetry woven into the soundtrack that stopped me cold. … Continue reading The Revolution Will Still Not Be Televised
Earning its Place on the Shelf
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven..."Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV) There was a time when every new book represented possibility. I bought them with the optimism that someday I would read them, understand them, and perhaps become a little wiser because of them. Some came from bookstores, … Continue reading Earning its Place on the Shelf
Becoming the Gray Man in the Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Living in Alabama, I don't often have the opportunity to walk through fresh snow. Fortunately, mud tells many of the same stories. After a good rain, a hiking trail or dirt road becomes a record of everyone who has passed that way. Every boot and every tire leaves an impression. Some tracks are deep enough … Continue reading Becoming the Gray Man in the Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Emancipation Digitization
History remembers proclamations because they announce more than policy. They declare that the world has crossed a threshold. When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery did not disappear the moment the ink dried. At that instant, it was, in the most literal sense, merely words on paper. Its authority depended upon institutions willing to … Continue reading Emancipation Digitization
Zero Trust Civilization
There is a moment now, familiar in its repetition, that would have been difficult to imagine not long ago. You log in, confirm a code, approve a prompt on another device, and wait briefly while the system decides. Nothing about the process feels remarkable. It is quick, often invisible, and usually successful. Over time, it … Continue reading Zero Trust Civilization
The Machines That Verify Us
There was a time when finding your way required more than a signal. In the early years of my military service, I used a PLGR, a Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver. The name suggested something more refined than the device itself. It was large, deliberate, and slow to orient. Acquiring a signal could take time, and … Continue reading The Machines That Verify Us
