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I wonder if any of you who have seen The Unmentionables noticed the “Questions For” feature in the New York Times Magazine of July 23, 2006. The “Questions For” is a weekly feature of the Magazine. In it, Deborah Solomon, a writer for the Times, interviews a public figure. Her subjects include politicians, artists, academics, media and sports figures – interesting people doing interesting things. One of the virtues of the “Questions For” format is its brevity: the interview occupies one page and the back-and-forth between Solomon and her subject is vigorous. She cuts to the chase.

In the July 23rd issue, Solomon interviews John Wood, a former Microsoft executive, who has parlayed his Microsoft earnings into a philanthropic foundation called Room to Read. Room to Read defines its mission as “to educate the world’s children.” As Wood states, “We’re trying to open libraries and schools, mostly for kids K to 5, in the developing world at a pace that emulates Starbucks‘.”

The strategy of Room to Read is to “work with US publishers to gain donations of English-language children’s books.” Here’s where Solomon’s questioning of Wood shows its sharp edge. She makes note of the English-language bias of the donations, she questions Wood about the infrastructure Room to Read is providing (Solomon: “Once you open a library, do you hire a librarian and run it?” Wood: “No, the local village pays for that.”)

She goes on to inquire about his lifestyle (does Wood fly coach?). In other words, Solomon is interested in how completely Wood and Room to Read are embedded in the indigenous culture. The implication is that Room to Read, and Wood, stand out from the worlds into which they enter – and that standing out tends to “heroicize your role in all of this.”

I bring this to your attention not to discredit Mr. Wood (nor do I think that discrediting Wood is Solomon’s intention). John Wood is clearly a guy who is motivated by good intentions and someone who has, as the saying goes, put his money where his mouth is.

I bring the article to your attention because I am struck by how consistent the line of inquiry that Solomon is pursuing is with Bruce’s inquiry in The Unmentionables.

And more, that I realized how my reading of the Wood interview was shaped by my immersion in the point of view of The Unmentionables. Wood, in his mission with Room to Read, is precisely the sort of citizen whom I have tended to admire. Producing literacy is a mission dear to my heart (knowledge is power) and I cherish literacy as the fundamentally empowering capacity of true citizenship.

But the questions that Solomon asks of Wood are piquant – and made particularly vivid in their resonance with Bruce’s inquiry. For example: what does it mean that Room to Read is disseminating literacy in English? What does it mean that Room to Read is selecting that reading on the basis of “overstock” donations from US publishers? What does it mean that Room to Read builds and stocks its libraries and then moves on to the next site? What does it mean that John Wood uses his media profile to promote the initiative (and that he gains, thereby, a very different lifestyle from the people he serves)?

All of Solomon’s questions get to Bruce’s point: to the degree that one distinguishes one’s self as a “giver” to another, “the recipient,” one’s motives come under review. Can there be purity in that relationship – and by purity, I guess I mean equity. Can one “do good” – really do good – if one is delivering good (and then flying away)?

I think my real interest here is the way in which immersion in the thought-line of a play has informed my reception of the world. What about you? Are there works of art – books, plays, music, paintings – that made you see the world in a more acute way? Has art shaped or sharpened your point of view? I’d love to hear if any work(s) of art – and which ones – have clarified your point of view. (Don’t forget: it could be a goopy pop song, could as easily be drawn from pop culture as from some designated occupant of “high art.” In fact, I’m really interested in that – in what sticks. What really runs through your brain in a persuasive way?)

This entry was posted by Martha Lavey on Friday, August 4th, 2006 at 9:53 am and is filed under The Unmentionables. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.