Some updates, some changes, and some aspirations.
THE last article written for this blog was on September 17th, an editorial about the dangers of a Democratic left turn. Since then, no posts have appeared.
That doesn’t mean, though, that I’ve stopped writing. Indeed, I probably write about politics and economics more than ever before, even while doing whatever it is that college students do (last night I found myself lying on the floor at 3 AM watching decade-old YouTube videos and laughing hysterically). This year, I’ve undertaken three big projects, all of which require copious amounts of written work.
First, through my online column—it’s technically a blog—for the Cornell Daily Sun, called “The Radical Center,” I have reached my widest-ever audience. After going through an application process—for which I used material from this blog—I began writing midway through the semester.
And though I’ve only written four columns thus far (the fourth goes live soonish), this has been a thrilling adventure. It’s shocking and humbling to get feedback, both positive and critical, from dozens of people I’ve never seen or met about something I wrote. And my articles reach consistently reach hundreds of people, thanks to the platform the Sun has provided me.
I’m going to keep writing for the Sun next semester, and this summer, I’ll apply for a position in their Opinion section, which gets printed in the physical paper (not open to freshmen, unfortunately). The Sun is a real force on campus, and it is—if I might boast on its behalf a little—the oldest independent college daily in the United States. Whether or not I get a place in the physical paper, I’ll keep writing for the Sun in some capacity or another. The people are wonderful, and I adore the work.
Second, I am on the editorial team for the Cornell Business Review, Cornell’s “premier business magazine” or whatever their latest marketing shtick is. Okay, I shouldn’t pooh-pooh their branding; my best friend at Cornell is on their marketing team!
I recently completed a long-form article (first draft was around 4,000 words, but I painfully hacked it down to about 2,000) that was printed in the magazine entitled “Obamacare Immersed in Fog.” I also wrote a brief analysis of the kerfuffle that happened around the Lebanese prime minister last month. I want to become an associate editor next semester, which means I would no longer write for the magazine but instead edit others’ articles. I’d like to become editor-in-chief in the future.
Third, I’ve taken a (salaried!) research position for a really cool finance professor at Cornell’s Dyson School of Applied Economics and snooze-this-name-is-too-lengthy. I have some fancy-schmancy description about how I “assist with research regarding monetary policy and international finance”—but basically my job is to sift through a lot of exceptionally dull material (try this on for size) and make it readable and pretty. The work is a little grueling, but also exciting. The professor, Dr. Prasad, is quite kind and patient, and I learn an incredible amount by just being in his presence.
So. These—alongside other college essentials like drinking studying a lot—are all of my excuses for not posting more on this blog. But if I’m honest, I’ve missed it. Middle Ground is where I can write about very, very fun stuff like taxes and health care. I asked my editor at the Sun if he thought I could write an article about the recent Republican tax-reform effort, and he said something to the effect of, “I really don’t think college students want to read about that. Most of them don’t even pay taxes.”
With that in mind, I’ve rethought how I want Middle Ground to work. Here are a few of my not-so-radical ideas:
Get an actually presentable URL ($).
Try to expand readership ($$$).
Move away from a posting schedule (I used to do at least once a month). I’ll post when time permits.
Be more willing to write “bloggy” posts (like this one) alongside more uptight editorials.
Aim to write about topics that I find important and interesting with complete candor.
Let me dwell on that fifth bullet for just a moment. When I started Middle Ground, my idea was to create a place for my writing, but also to have politics/policy positions written from a centrist perspective. Writing for the Sun, I am expected to write about things that college students care about in a way that will engage.
But that sort of focus means leaving out the details. It means glossing over massively important topics like tax reform in favor of some passion-arousing social issue. I understand why this is the case; of course people who don’t pay taxes also won’t pay (get it?) much attention to tax policy. But it’s still something I care about. And so Middle Ground is the perfect place to put my thoughts on such issues.
Put another way, my goal at the Sun is to attract eyeballs—to write about what other people think matters. My goal here is to write about stuff that I think matters.
I have no clue about where any of these ventures will lead. All I can say is the ride so far has been riveting, and it shows no signs of stopping.
