Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Because America is aspirational still, even to people who know that it's a very complicated place. There's still an aspirational element to America. And so she comes and she wants to do a master's and she wants to study pornography. I think we should be able to say that. You can say that. Okay. So, pornography, pornography.

Because America is aspirational still, even to people who know that it's a very complicated place. There's still an aspirational element to America. And so she comes and she wants to do a master's and she wants to study pornography. I think we should be able to say that. You can say that. Okay. So, pornography, pornography.

And she... So it's interesting for me, as the writer, to look at this world from the point of view of a person who just does not know it and is not familiar with it. So this person is just... Taken aback, surprised, like, you know, what is going on? And also then she becomes so disillusioned by it. I think if someone wants to read that as a cautionary tale, I'm not opposed to it.

And she... So it's interesting for me, as the writer, to look at this world from the point of view of a person who just does not know it and is not familiar with it. So this person is just... Taken aback, surprised, like, you know, what is going on? And also then she becomes so disillusioned by it. I think if someone wants to read that as a cautionary tale, I'm not opposed to it.

I mean, this is what can happen, which is you can make people lose confidence. that thing in them that wants to be better and dream and, and aspire, you know, there's something actually, I think quite cynical about, and, and, and it's not, it's not an obvious cynicism, but there's something quite cynical about the way that academia operates. It doesn't feel to me. I don't know.

I mean, this is what can happen, which is you can make people lose confidence. that thing in them that wants to be better and dream and, and aspire, you know, there's something actually, I think quite cynical about, and, and, and it's not, it's not an obvious cynicism, but there's something quite cynical about the way that academia operates. It doesn't feel to me. I don't know.

There's something, the beautiful things that are lacking. So I, It's not just about letting our imaginations be free and we should be able to exchange ideas. It's also just more fundamental things like compassion, you know. And I don't even like to use kindness because that word is so overused and always by people who are spectacularly unkind. So I will not use kindness, but compassion.

There's something, the beautiful things that are lacking. So I, It's not just about letting our imaginations be free and we should be able to exchange ideas. It's also just more fundamental things like compassion, you know. And I don't even like to use kindness because that word is so overused and always by people who are spectacularly unkind. So I will not use kindness, but compassion.

Do you... No, I'm with you.

Do you... No, I'm with you.

Yes. The ability to understand that there are multiple points of view in the world. It's a very strange thing because... And I'm a person who grew up on a university campus, so academia has always been part of my life. Like, it's my... I get into a university campus anywhere in the world and I'm already at home. Like, it's just... I feel comfortable.

Yes. The ability to understand that there are multiple points of view in the world. It's a very strange thing because... And I'm a person who grew up on a university campus, so academia has always been part of my life. Like, it's my... I get into a university campus anywhere in the world and I'm already at home. Like, it's just... I feel comfortable.

And you will think, and this is what it was like in Osaka when I was growing up. It was a place of... of many-ness of you know it was multi ideas people right and that's not the case in america it's not the case at all and and sometimes it's difficult to talk about because i you know it's you don't want to sometimes one doesn't want to agree with one's enemies right

And you will think, and this is what it was like in Osaka when I was growing up. It was a place of... of many-ness of you know it was multi ideas people right and that's not the case in america it's not the case at all and and sometimes it's difficult to talk about because i you know it's you don't want to sometimes one doesn't want to agree with one's enemies right

That's amazing. There are people on the political right in this country who I think just espouse the most ridiculous ideas, but who also...

That's amazing. There are people on the political right in this country who I think just espouse the most ridiculous ideas, but who also...

criticize american academia and i think there's truth there but they're but acknowledging that kind of i just think oh my lord but my my my feelings come from a different place comes from love comes from wanting this thing that i love to be better that's where it comes from

criticize american academia and i think there's truth there but they're but acknowledging that kind of i just think oh my lord but my my my feelings come from a different place comes from love comes from wanting this thing that i love to be better that's where it comes from

No, I'm sure that they feel that. Okay. But that you feel something doesn't mean it's true. It doesn't. And I think that when you widen the definition of something, so this is somebody who believes that black people should not have, maybe that person just feels, maybe that person supports school choice. And this is an exact example, actually.

No, I'm sure that they feel that. Okay. But that you feel something doesn't mean it's true. It doesn't. And I think that when you widen the definition of something, so this is somebody who believes that black people should not have, maybe that person just feels, maybe that person supports school choice. And this is an exact example, actually.