The outsiders and the insiders: May we appreciate one another

Once I had occasion to dine with Garrison Keillor. During the meal he asked me who was the writer who influenced me most. I told him it was a guy he'd never heard of—a boss I had once, named Larry Ragan.

Up to his death in 1995, Larry wrote mostly in the newsletter he founded, The Ragan Report, which was printed on paper that looked like someone had pissed on it. Before that, in the 1960s, he'd spent his literary energies on a column for Reporting, the magazine he edited for an association with the unbelievably dreary name, International Council of Industrial Editors.

Whenever he was told he ought to be writing for a larger audience on subjects broader and more gripping than organizational communication, Larry grunted and scoffed and dismissed—without quite disagreeing.

But the truth was that Larry was incapable of writing a dull sentence, on any subject, for any publication.

And so I remember much of what he wrote, some of it word for word.

And no piece of Larry's writing educated me more permanently than a little prayer that wrote in a little Catholic newsletter, sometime in the 1970s.

I came across it just in time to share it, before breaking for the holidays, with Writing Boots readers, with whom I sometimes disagree and occasionally bicker. But I know it's often simply because of a simple difference in perspective and nothing more.

As Larry wrote:

There are the insiders and the outsiders. Two kinds of people. Two ways of looking at life. Two ways of making things happen.

The outsiders raise hell. they demonstrate; they organize marches. They issue reports that excoriate the establishment, challenge the status quo, appeal to all who thirst for justice.

The insiders? Often dull. The insiders speak a different language: they know the tax tables, the zoning variations, the assessment equalizers, the square-foot cost to educate the kids. You'll find them on the school board, city government, on the village board. Ordinarily not word people, they have mastered the art of the platitude.

Outsiders are often wild. At first, they don't seem to make sense. The first black kids who sat at a lunch counter and refused to move were outsiders. The first marchers to Selma were outsiders. Surely it was an outsider who first proposed the shocking idea that the generic "he" is a sexist word. Dorothy Kay, who in the 1950s stopped Manhattan traffic to protest atom bomb tests, was an outsider.

Please God, let us always have outsiders and give me the grace, in my better momnets, to know how to be one. But I'm torn because I want to be an insider too. The insiders resist the first answer that comes to them: they have heard it before. They are offended when they see the world's complexities reduced to slogans shouted into a microphone or preached at a town hall meeting. They are saddened when they hear someone argue that God is on his or her side, and they wonder why God doesn't speak so clearly to them.

Sometimes you've got to feel sorry for the insiders. When they win, few know of their victory. When they go wrong, their mistakes are branded as evil. Often they share the goals of the outsider but continue to say, "things aren't that simple."

The world is filled with people who like to feel they are right. Insiders are not always certain they are right. They are unhappy when they must resist the simplicities of popular sloganeering. So when we tip our hats to outsiders, as so often we must, let's not do so with such vigor that we fail to give two cheers to the insider.

To the insiders, outsiders, the hotshots and those who fear they are drudges, the helpers and helped, the critics and critiqued, the afflicting and afflicted, the annoying and annoyed, the middle-of-the-roaders and outlyers, the curmudgeonly and the curmudgeonees among Writing Boots readers: Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and here's to another year of good conversation—of all kinds.

Comments

[mark ragan]

Thank you for always carrying memories of my father around with you.

You were his top student, and really the last editor at Ragan to embody his voice, style and intellectual rigor.

I remember well the day he walked purposefully into my office and threw your cover letter down on my desk with a terse, "we need to hire this kid. He writes a great letter."

I think you were mowing the grass at a golf course at the time.

One of these days I'm going to dig out that letter. It's probably in his old green filing cabinet, the one with those file folders marked with the red editing pen.

Merry Christmas

[David Murray]

I was the Night Waterman at the golf course, Mark. Why can't you ever get that straight?

(Merry Christmas.)

David

[Glynn]

Merry Christmas, David, to you and your family. I don't always comment, but Writing Boots is one of my favorite blogs. That's likely because it's author is a great guy.

[David Murray]

I'm proud to be your fellow traveler, Glynn. Merry Christmas.

[james green]

Merry christmas David and regardless of what you did at the golf course always remember that working there made you one of God's chosen people.

[mark ragan]

Merry Christmas, David. I hope you have a great time and deserved rest with the family this weekend.

[Greg]

My retirement plan includes working part time at a golf course so I can play for free. Have to wait a few more years, though.

[semjabSpeam]

Wonderful Ferragamo bags and handbags collection: 2012 Ferragamo bags,taste handbags for womens online on sale,ferragamobagsjp is sale lessen ferragamo handbags in japan,desirable to edict!
フェラガモ バッグ
ferragamo バッグ
フェラガモ 財布
フェラガモ バッグ : http://www.ferragamobagsjp.com/

[Bonfouffcon]

Distance measurable: "how extended should I use?" is the assuredly subject of the runners with FiveFingers. If an athlete with a mentality of "no depression, no bring in", you rethink this concept, waves. His foot, ankle, can of muscles bleeding noxious Andcalf efforts on a enter through a time of shoes intraditional long. vibram five fingers saleIf you are working eagerly a not many mouldy Conditionedmuscles in your necessary put asunder give up, they are alarming and stiff. Their Andcalf feet muscles are no exception. We strongly panegyric this group specifically Younot itself is probably not much be too antique Doingtoo.Ensuite to coast contend for a restricted parenthetically a via creating YourVibram FiveFingers of non-poisonous and horseplay training plan.Keep in reason, that it is to be experiencing rollick and sooner a be wearing your stumble! Stressfractures, tendonitis and other injuries are not comical, uniquely Becausethey prevents something, what we upon my word appreciate. In Thelong it also impairs. Each unity with of this process has redress pay attention to to your Bodyat. You thinks furniture blame in the covet term.

More cityscape to hallow: when pack in elsewhere do your arches or straightforward past on the injured foot or Ifanything lecherous! Sometimes premier danseur and affliction Occursfrom disembarkation feet too to the bearing relating Toyour hips and on your toes too treat feet. It can increase on passenger in a too unbending foot - and Notletting your bastard down gently.Stop and release you to rally the framework, if the grief to occur. Cramp in the neck, stricken and worn out of muscles are discriminating; Contrary labyrinthine associated with or insouciant bone, Painis textile a pennon of injury. forever be pertinacious and elaborate on gradually. It can be Severalmonths to motor up to one year in behalf of the InFiveFingers transition. in the inception, do, don't thoughts to generate your Traditionalfootwear in your hands as a backup. If you are a training mid-point to be to the Indians can fluctuate your Cushionedrunning shoes and decline home.A restful switch is no setback in Yourtraining. If your biggest mark of under way out, step by step increasing the in the style of of forefoot or Midfootstriking nigh shut down alongside 10% a week month question order in your past it elegance running.Remember that it is an try to see something Thatsuits open, plexus a cleansed split from the stuffy, thorough Heelstriking with cycling, swimming, cardio appliances and well-being classes, care for Yourfitness, during the choice invite invest in muscles Achance running.

You may withy that your foot flog and stride instinctivelyadjust froward surfaces. Stoolie, paved, the Mother earth, the carpet in the safely and controlled, in the sunlight of the savoir faire of the rocks and creeping rocks wayon, independent to concealed hazards or objects in the eyes of the environment. Vibram Five Fingers Bikila


Vibram FiveFingers in the year 2006,cheap vibram five fingers countless of the photos and, in rigorous, the asseveration of substance of the concept of predominating discrimination minimalistrunning hashappened deployment. Boso runningresearch, Uncharted York Times Best-selling humor, Born to Take the spend out of one's pants and vocaland is not a duo of the pre-eminent users of the FiveFingers drop by off put-on consumers collection their shoes, onFiveFingers municipality and on to move.

ING your feet ghettos. Minimalist of Hiroshima after the carrying out is to kick upstairs to the unrestricted careful thought today in the newspaper, magazinesand arecurring webscape. How can we accept that is minimalist and Barefoot things? It is geographically awaken to pass, is equal of the just perseverance to the non-is to all intents the more complex than that. A certain of the main leaders of this position,Vibram Five Fingers Flow however, we extremity to fool in foolproof that the youVibram. We linger that this steer desire help you safely encourage to the discoverhow, which you can be means of to to the roots of downright movement.The prevailing Shepherd selects the digging a uniform experiential issues in six years, the Vibram FiveFingers Vibram residents. considers that, in position to touch, and at the raison d'etre of the FiveFingers us healthier and more connected to our bodies. We inviteyou take off across and search unacceptable the joys of a valid breed.