Kermit O — Writer • Dreamer • Abolitionist

To All the Never Books: Writing Toward Infinite Possibility

Until the Monsters Come, WritingThought Experiments, UTMC, Writing Process

So I find myself thinking about all the "Never Books", the books I will never write, not because of stagnation, but because for any given project I have to draw the line somewhere and finish it. There are infinite variations of any book I might write, given enough time to ruminate and to appropriate any ... Read More

The Sacrifice of Ralph Northam on the Altar of Sanctimony

Politics & Activism, Race & Racism, Society & Cultureblackface, Democratic Party, Hypocrisy, ralph northam

This whole Virginia drama is revealing something important about the current Democratic establishment, something which has implications for both past and future, including the election of Donald Trump. That something is that Democrats are symbolic politicians, concerned more with the image of doing the right thing, than actually doing it. Where they effect policies that ... Read More

Thomas Chatterton Williams And The Scourge Of Individualism

Race & Racism, Society & Cultureblack experience, black privilege, thomas chatterton williams

There has undoubtedly been one person, or ten, or even one thousand black people who have gone through their lives with little to no observable experience with racism, don't consciously feel its impact, and for that manage to gain some degree of success or wealth or high quality of life. Their experiences do not invalidate ... Read More

Learn, Predict, Steer: The God That Google Made

Society & Culture, Technologyartificial intelligence, Big Data, google, selfish ledger

I thought about the implications of this AI Overseer guiding thoughts, emotions, opinions, consumer habits, politics, public policy, among many other things, including the very modes of human interaction and our reasons for doing anything at all. It sounded like a "benevolent" dictator, but one with far more insight into and power over people on ... Read More

Blindspots or Negligence?: David Cage and Racism in Video Games

Media Analysis, Race & Racism, Video GamesDavid Cage, Quantic Dream, racism

The recent accusations against Quantic Dream founder David Cage do not exist in a vacuum, nor without precedent. He wants to be judged by his work, and indeed if one looks critically at his games, a theme emerges. People of color are reduced to caricatures, invoke harmful stereotypes, and should remain at the margins, if ... Read More

10 Tips on How to Include Black People in Media

Books, Comics, Media Analysis, Race & Racism, TV, Video GamesBlackness, Media Representation, Survival

Diverse representations of black people in media has nothing to do with "political correctness". It has little to do with fairness, either. This is not a zero-sum game by which black gain equals white loss. What it concerns, most significantly, is the acceptance of this proposal that Black Lives Matter. That Black People Matter. Black ... Read More

The Return of Fear Effect and Fears About Its Effect

Media Analysis, Video GamesCultural Appropriation, Fear Effect: Sedna, Inuit

Fear Effect is coming back. Have you heard? After the heartbreak of Inferno's cancellation, and a 15 year wait with no new game in sight, French indie studio Sushee Games is creating Fear Effect: Sedna. Concerned about representations of Inuit peoples in the game, I decided to contact Sushee Games about how they would handle ... Read More

Bill Cosby and the Monstrous Charade of Cliff Huxtable

Gender & Sexuality, Race & Racism, Society & CultureBill Cosby, Rape Culture

The truth of the matter is that these revelations haven’t tarnished the image of Cliff Huxtable, and changed him into a monster. Rather, the image of Cliff Huxtable was built around an actual monster. A monster playing his best role yet, as a beloved family icon and upstanding public figure.

Sex Criminals and the Comic Subtleties of Anti-Black Racism

Comics, Media Analysis, Race & Racismanti-blackness, sex criminals, subtle racism

Sometimes it's tucked away, hidden just beneath the tongue, or in the sly twist of the mouth… Anti-blackness is so pervasive that I think media creators aren't even aware of how they present it on a regular basis. That's me giving them the benefit of the doubt, in spite of all the evidence that suggests ... Read More

Black Mandarin: Critical Speculations on Language and Power

Education & Research, Race & Racism, Society & CultureBlack Students, Mandarin, Sci-Fi in Real Life, Speculative Fiction

A contemplation of the revolutionary potential of teaching black kids Mandarin. Beyond allowing black people to have more mobility within a new power structure, fluency in Mandarin would allow us to spread our own influence. Our revolutionary spirit writ large to resonate with people around the world…