About 'Alpha+Good'

Alpha+Good (a bad wordplay on Orwell's "double plus good" and old machismo - I'm the realest after all) is a side project that belongs to 'Onklare taal' ('Unclear' or 'Unripe language'), the umbrella of several literary projects in Dutch.

This section is almost exclusively in English and comprises my ongoing thoughts on progress, gender, politics and various other social themes. Why is this in English why everything else in Dutch? Because I want to gun for a much wider audience here. Also, my literary English isn't good enough, otherwise I would always write in English. In 2020, I released my debut novel 'Fragmentariërs' (it's written in Dutch, though who knows I may one day make an English translation).

Are you a little lost? This link will take you right back to my home page.

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

20 people I admire (XVIII): Neil deGrasse Tyson

Who? Neil deGrasse Tyson has sort of become a living saint for science, much in the way of the late Carl Sagan. He can speak about science in an accessible, affable manner and is capable of inspiring young boys and girls like few other scientists can.

Why? Tyson always seems like a friendly uncle or great-uncle who wants to share his passion for his work in ways that make people want to listen to him. 

What resonates with me? Apart from being a notable black intellectual in America, Tyson is also a voice of reason, subtlety and wonder. His academic credentials haven’t taken away his almost child-like sense of marvel at how strange and big the universe is, and he can carry over this spirit to his audience.

Best bit? Obviously, there’s the ‘Whoa, we got a bad-ass over here’ meme, but other than that, I would venture that there is no single best bit. His entire career as a spokesperson for science is one big goodie. 

Next up: Laurie Penny, British journalist and writer