Nardine Taleb on the Editorial Mentorship Experience
Mental health is, without question, something that has become a point of discussion and personal battle for countless people. I saw authenticity in JT’s story— space we could understand ourselves, our friends’ stories, our relatives’ stories. I love, particularly, how effortlessly dialogue and narrative seem to move within his piece. The piece jumps from conversations with the therapist to Jackson’s daily life as he struggles mentally. I feel embraced by Jackson’s voice. By page two, I was attached to the outcome and had to have “A Herculean Task” as my mentorship piece.
One of my favorite things about this piece is the movement of Time in conjunction with feeling. As the day goes on, Jackson feels less and less in touch with the world. JT writes: “The sales call ends, and it’s 10:00 am, and his hands don’t feel real anymore.” Every hour dictates another feeling, a certain routine that Jackson is accustomed to, how much the atmosphere feels more like a prison.
So, too, does time help unravel Jackson’s comfortability with his therapist. One of the things JT and I talked about is how this therapist compares to Jackson’s past therapists— why does this one manage to get out of him confessions that other therapists can’t? In the revision of his story, JT did an incredible job giving the therapist hints of her personality— the nose ring, the tattoo, the degree from Penn. If you notice — slowly Jackson begins to talk more, share more, and isn’t that so human? Sometimes we don’t open up until someone else opens up first.
I hope we get a chance to have JT read this story aloud and share more about its inspiration. This is why I love stories — how watching one specific character share themselves opens up a world of vulnerability for the rest of us. As a generation we’ve become better at talking, even if it’s uncomfortable. As seen in this story, dialogue and conversation can be a window to a better home.
One of my favorite things about this piece is the movement of Time in conjunction with feeling. As the day goes on, Jackson feels less and less in touch with the world. JT writes: “The sales call ends, and it’s 10:00 am, and his hands don’t feel real anymore.” Every hour dictates another feeling, a certain routine that Jackson is accustomed to, how much the atmosphere feels more like a prison.
So, too, does time help unravel Jackson’s comfortability with his therapist. One of the things JT and I talked about is how this therapist compares to Jackson’s past therapists— why does this one manage to get out of him confessions that other therapists can’t? In the revision of his story, JT did an incredible job giving the therapist hints of her personality— the nose ring, the tattoo, the degree from Penn. If you notice — slowly Jackson begins to talk more, share more, and isn’t that so human? Sometimes we don’t open up until someone else opens up first.
I hope we get a chance to have JT read this story aloud and share more about its inspiration. This is why I love stories — how watching one specific character share themselves opens up a world of vulnerability for the rest of us. As a generation we’ve become better at talking, even if it’s uncomfortable. As seen in this story, dialogue and conversation can be a window to a better home.
