Sometimes it seems as if the institutions of our seasick culture have embraced the same way of thinking, that is, that every problem is a public-relations problem crying out for a public-relations solution. This obsession with creating appearances instead of addressing realities infects the media, the academy, the entertainment industry, and is currently seen in the hilariously cynical cover-your-backside missives of giant corporations. “We at Verizon. . .,” “We at Spectrum …,” “We at Citigroup …”—all reflexively professing to be driven by DEI values: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (and to which recently, a fourth “value” has been added—Belonging.… Continue Reading