Seeing the Forest Through the Trees

“When the axe came into the forest, the trees said, ‘the handle is one of us.”

‘- Literary Intellect

Hotep,

The last two weeks of class have consisted of a revisit from Professor Anathea Portier – Young (10/30/13), and a first time visit – hopefully not the last – from Mr. Michael Hardt, Professor of Political Science at Duke University.  Now its no secret that I’m enthralled by Professor Portier-Young’s prodigious ability to interpret symbolisms and break down metaphors within the literary works of writers from as far back as 587 B.C., to present date.

The good Professor makes it clear in her literary exhale, “Apocalypse Against Empire,” that the writers she has studied did not retreat.  They did not abandon realism.  They challenged readers and hearers not to withdraw, but to engage.  Her last lecture taught me that silence is the real crime against humanity.

So Blogosphere, here’s my scream of justice:

Today’s (11/6/13) class topic of discussion was, “Who is Toni Negri?”

Toni Negri

Toni Negri was an Italian political prisoner, whose political writings were entered as evidence against him, despite their rejection of collective violence and illegality.  

He sought refuge in France, while being tried and convicted, in absentia on abstract charges of “subversive (secret) association,” as well as “moral co-responsibility” for a murder committed without his participation or knowledge.  He was initially sentenced to 30 years in prison – later reduced to 12 years.  Which made today’s guest all the more interesting.

Michael Hardt

Mr. Michael Hardt collaborated with Negri on, “Labor of Dionysus” in 1994.  Their international bestseller was “Empire” (2000).  The sequels are “Multitude” (2004) and Commonwealth” (2009).  

On the brink of his mid 50’s, Mr. Hardt’s perspective on the commonplace reality of a man/woman living in captivity is practice to the idle minds of men/women buried deep within the quagmire of the state’s sentence of death.  Feel me?

Speaking with Mr. Hardt about his friend Toni, helped to raise the bar of literary intellect for several writers on the row – including yours truly.  I can only hope that my colloquial style of expression reaches the youth, from American suburbia, all the way to the urban inhabitants of Kenya.  

Inspiring young minds to repel the advances of hegemony, with an autonomous state of mind that leads them to a purpose exclusive to the Divine gifts waiting to manifest themselves during the maturation of their literary intellect.  Word is bond!

Michael Hardt was more than today’s guest speaker; he was simply the handle that bore the axe.  Real talk.

Keep it 100,

MannofStat

Copyright © 2013 by Leroy Elwood Mann