Blaise > Recent Status Updates

Much learned and so much to be said…

😵‍💫, #themoreyouknow

Finally got to the point where none of my teams were worth consuming content and locked back into it, and honestly I'm glad I've finally got back to this one because as much as you know about something hearing/reading about it opens your eyes that much more!

Its been an eye opener to how naive, flawed, normal, etc.. some of our hero's truly are.

Honestly it reads like a comic but knowing this all happened is crazy.

Some parts are being left out for obvious reasons but still captivating.

...just so [sighs]

The book is as advertised tbh.

For me personally for whatever reason it was tough to start or get through the beginning, but I left it alone for a good period of time and then I came back to it.

After the it’s all set after the first “chapter” it gets going and it’s been tough to stop. It’s well written in how it’s set up & links things together but it makes you feel and now can’t stop reading.

Perspective, perspective, perspective...

In many ways thats what I took away in this (really so far). I've seen Knight at events and through this book you see the way he cared and so wanted to just succeed. Not the money made or things related but just to find success and finding out the consequences of it for better or worse.

The death of Pre is what got me because I never knew he passed at such a young age.

As I go through the book and can't shake is the image of Phil Knight played as Ben Affleck in the movie Air...

Everything that's going on and I can see the famous names involved like Prefontaine, Jimmy Connors, etc but also BEN AFFLECK IS AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL! lmao

Started using spotify's audiobook feature I didn't know I had and had to stop because I had used an entire months worth of listening (which I could easily rant about but won't rn).

Aside learning more about the members of the RPF has been interesting and continues to put a lot of things into the proper context of things I might have not fully understood when I was muuuuuch younger.

Good chat, update ya when I can.

Chpt. 11 -- The puzzle continues to come together.

When I didn't know much of what happened in this period I listened to podcasts that talk about this time, Kagame (specifically) & Rwanda (generally) in the context of the DRC, Mobutu, etc. and this book is doing a great job of giving you so much its great!

& There's a bit where Michela gives such a great comparison when comparing Moses & Fred and that was a bar!

WOW, I finished it but going back and going over it a lil bit.

So so so well written and well done!

Michela Wrong is cooking! Because I waited a bit and anticipated it being good based on listening to podcasts/interviews and I have not been disappointed at all.

As I go along its like that meme from "Always Sunny..." of Charlie and his conspiracy board because dots are clicking and I'm just hearing convos I've had with family, friends and those who lived it.

Deed has been done and learning about key actors.

Such incredible writing

WOW.

The introduction is something and then you get to the first chapter and it’s right at you but subtly.

Its kicking off on all sides.. about 80%, and its crazy to say when you go back and look at the big picture of it all and how incredibly short sighted it was from perspective world powers when it came to the situ. in Congo at that time.

When it comes to the Belgium/USA (primarily) and even the UN... its actually so embarrassing. In ch. 37 its wild to see/hear "leaders" chase & support everything but facts and truth.

Mhmmm... its poppin' off!

In a style similar to 'Sapiens' by Yuval Noah Harari I really love all thats been in the book so far.

Because its not overkill on any topic but hits on it, details it and seemingly a moment to pause and absorb it and on to the next lesson. I love that!

Its really nice to be so in topic and still be able to gain new information that you can then put with other info. from previous books.

This is the most complete.. portrait (?) regarding a few actors involved specifically Lumumba and Hammarskjöld to name a couple.

I still have so much more to go and I can't wait to learn more!

It’s genuinely mind boggling no matter how often I see or just brush past moments of racism that I’m shocked at how dumb people choose to be. In historical sense like this.. to be so irritated or annoyed that a set of people want to be in charge of their homeland.

It’s always in the back of my head a saying along the lines of… 'they are lucky that what Black people are looking for is equality and not revenge',

Outside power players begin to emerge.

Wow, so good! just things I feel like I need to write down lol