Max Jefferson 3/16/25 Max Jefferson 3/16/25

The Beauty of Existence

I sit here, two weeks out from my 33rd birthday, and I am mesmerized by the magic and remarkable beauty of this existence. When I look up at the star-filled night sky as I walk towards my black, 2012 Infiniti, preparing to visit my girlfriend on a Friday night, or whenever I drive back home from a pleasing hour long swim on a Sunday afternoon, and look up into the cloudless, blue sky, brightened by the Sun’s yellowish rays, I just can’t help but feel an enormous sense of gratitude. Life is precious. It is all we have as biological creations.

The last couple of months have reminded me of the randomness, imperfection, and even indifferent cruelty of Mother Nature and our unimaginably vast Universe. Why do horrific things happen to innocent, decent people? It is a question that even the brightest minds, and the most ancient and revered religions, will always fail to answer. I reminisce about my own personal struggles in a distant past. About adversities that have occurred in the lives of people I know well. But also about tragedies experienced by complete strangers. At times, I find myself almost overwhelmed with sorrow and confusion in direct response to this dilemma of human flaw and mortality.

However, in the midst of profound levels of bewilderment and sadness, I come back to my immediate sensual experience. To the smells, sights, sounds, and sense of touch. I connect with the moment. I recognize the intense beauty of what I cannot describe adequately through human language or through conventional forms of communication. I realize that what I am experiencing is a gift that was never meant to be understood or explained. It doesn’t need to be analyzed. It just needs to be acknowledged and appreciated. It needs to be loved and embraced for all it is worth. Something purely extraordinary that should be greeted with a tremendous degree of love and gratitude. Beautifully enough, I have the great fortune of being a part of it.

Max Jefferson 12/30/24 Max Jefferson 12/30/24

Our Place In The Biosphere

Modern humans are members of a diverse and vast community of organisms. Together, they make up what we know as the Animal Kingdom. A hierarchal structure based upon the process of natural selection. Only those genes that are deemed biologically fit will be passed on from one generation to the next. Death by violence and illness, as well as an inadequate level of reproductive success, are the most common eliminators of those deemed as unfit. Over the past several million years, the bipedal apes have managed to position themselves at the top of this unbroken food chain of unforgiving brutality and bloodshed. A hierarchy divided strictly into hunters and prey.

Humanity reached this feat through an unprecedented explosion of intelligence, the development of speech and diverse cultures, as well as its capacity to create increasingly sophisticated tools over a lengthy period of documented history. However, none of this would have been possible without the development of bipedalism among several extinct species of ape. Dating back to Australopithecus africanus, the original bipedal ape, humans have developed an increasingly upright anatomy. This long and ambiguous journey from primitive ape to fully modernized man is best known as the process of human evolution. It is a puzzling lineage with twists, turns, and dead ends. Eventually, one of the branches of this large and extended family of bipedal apes led to us.

The Industrial Revolution accelerated the impact of mankind on ecosystems across the globe exponentially. A current mass extinction period, known as the Holocene extinction, has wiped out countless species of plant and animal for the past few centuries. The Great Acceleration, known as the period of unparalleled human population growth during the 20th century, has only increased the rate of mass extinction. This development adequately demonstrates the role than mankind has played within the biosphere. As the hunter gatherer. As the most ruthless predator of them all. Undeniably the most dangerous game.

We are known for our large and complex brains. Our collective consciousness is something unseen throughout the Earth’s vast biosphere. Although other apes, like the chimpanzees for example, have demonstrated impressive cognitive abilities, the concept of thought as we understand it is uniquely a human phenomenon. Man’s journey of conscious discovery has led him to even venture off this planet and into the Cosmos. Our desire to study and explain our existence and its meaning is one of the characteristics that distinguish us from the rest of Earth’s living organisms. We wonder if we are alone in the universe, and strive to answer this question through a large and complex system of organizations and entities, ranging from anthropology and space exploration to philosophy and cinema. Humanity is the cultural ape. The one that creates customs and codes of behavior. And also one willing to engage in fierce conflict with itself over these behavioral concepts.

As a direct consequence of the industrial revolution, the burning of fossil fuels has created the environmental phenomenon of global warming. Mankind is strangling the natural equilibrium on Earth. Uniquely human issues, like economics and foreign policy, are far more relevant areas of concern to many people. The environment routinely takes a back seat. However, environmental disasters have increased significantly over the past several decades, and shows no signs of diminishing. An uncertain and frightful reckoning with Mother Nature awaits us.

Throughout history, humans have championed their role as guardians of the Earth, emphasizing their impact on the environment through agriculture and domestication. Many of us look to religion as a means to explain our natural place in the biosphere. However, we must be honest with ourselves about our true nature as the top predator on this planet. We must acknowledge our ruthlessness. The behaviors and characteristics that we’ve needed to exude, throughout the countless generations of human existence, in order to gain and maintain the upper hand over the other beasts. Perhaps then we can achieve the level of self awareness needed in order to unlock our highest potential and purpose.

Max Jefferson 12/20/24 Max Jefferson 12/20/24

Why Is Love So Complicated?

Everybody needs love. Not everybody gets the love that they desire. In a world full of aesthetic standards and sexual complexity, we humans try to make sense of it all. While also trying to understand where we belong within the collective chaos that is society.

Love and intimacy is what adds to the complexity of human existence. Our need for each other as social beings is the very thing that has contributed to the success of humanity on this planet, dating back to prehistoric times. It has also contributed to our hatred for the other, fueled by sexual selection and competitive fury. It’s fair to say that love can bring out the best and the worst of human nature.

Humans are one of the few species in the biosphere who engage in sexual intimacy for pleasure rather than solely for reproductive purposes. Other apes, including Bonobos, are known to use sex as a means for settling conflicts. However, humans are also notorious for their violent behavior. Unquestionably the most warlike species, humanity has been plagued by violence, domestic and foreign, for as far back as the human mind can reminisce. Love and passion has aided this violence through the ages. As romanticized by ancient mythology, large scale conflicts have been fought in the name of love.

Today, human beings are presented with an environment that romantisizes intimacy, while also regularly presenting the impediments to achieving healthy relationships. Social media, and dominant culture as a whole, promotes the toxic side of our nature. This development makes our interactions with potential mates more complex. Gender roles are routinely debated. Such an environment further complicates the dynamics of love.

In Western society especially, socioeconomic stressors highly influence the politics of intimacy. Males are pressured to appear as the strongest and wealthiest, while females are routinely judged by standards of physical attraction. Values built around a code of ethics have largely been thrown out of the window. Superficiality largely defines relations with the opposite sex.

Therefore, true love is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Sexuality has been deprived of its monogamous image. After events like the Sexual Revolution during the countercultural revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, and the decades that have followed during years of profound technological and social advancement, human sexuality has morphed into a vast universe. The expansion of the LGBTQ communuity has instilled these cultural developments into many of our societies across the globe. We live in a world of evolving sexuality.

While norms and customs associated with sexuality have transformed over the generations, a lot of people walking this Earth lack any meaningful intimate relationships. Many of us lack confidence or struggle with dietary and health issues. Those of us who fall within this demographic can sometimes isolate and even self-destruct. However, love can be overrated. All of us have demons. All of us have our flaws. Intimate relationships can make life far more stressful and complex. Relationships can even prove to be deadly. The most important love that any human being can experience is the love for oneself. Self love is truly the key to success in any of the relationships that we experience with others.

Conclusively, love is something that all humans need. As sexual beings, we crave intimate relationships with others. These relationships can be healthy, but they can also prove to be toxic for either or both of the parties involved. The most successful relationships that we create in our lives with others will always be aided positively by the healthy feelings that we experience towards ourselves. Humanity is unique in terms of its sexual and intimate nature. It is what fuels our existence through sexual reproduction. The lense through which we view sexuality and love goes a long way in determining our social experience and is reflected in our relationship with ourselves. Peace with ourselves goes a long way in determining the health and quality of our intimate relationships. So let us strive to love ourselves more than even those we love with great passion.

Max Jefferson 11/21/24 Max Jefferson 11/21/24

Tina Marie Bell: The Queen of Grunge

When people hear the name Tina Marie Bell, they largely are unfamiliar with the name. Those who are familiar with the famous Seattle music scene of the 1980s and early 1990s are often oblivious to the name of the woman, as well as her significance to the popularization of the Seattle sound. Much of this is a direct consequence of her sexual and racial identities.

Tina Marie Bell was born in Seattle, Washington on February 5, 1957. By all accounts, Bell devoted her life to music at a young age. In fact, Bell was a singer at a baptist church and first performed at a theater, both in Seattle. After meeting guitarist Tommy Martin, Bell soon married and gave birth to a son in 1979. In 1983, the couple formed a band named Bam Bam. This development was the beginning of something bigger and more majestic than Bell and any of her bandmates could have ever imagined.

With her small frame and low, unapologetic voice, Bell set the pioneering groundwork for what would become known as the Grunge Movement. Bam Bam became a well-respected band within Seattle’s local community during the mid-1980s. Even a teenaged Kurt Cobain, the future Nirvana frontman and generational icon, was a fan of the group. As a Black woman, Bell often faced racial and misygonyist attacks while performing on stage. However, Bell’s awesome charisma, talent, and fortitude shined through.

However, as far more popular grunge bands began to ascend in Seattle’s underground scene during the late 1980s, like Soundgarden and Alice In Chains to name a few, the band began to decline. Members left the group for more promising opportunities, and Bell made the risky decision to relocate the band overseas in London, with the hopes of better luck. The gamble failed, as Bell recognized that Bam Bam was not being received nearly as well as she had expected. And even more disheartening was Bell’s decision to walk away from Bam Bam and music entirely in 1990.

Under the colossal shadow casts by the Grunge Movement’s meteoric rise in the early 1990s, Bell’s personal life experienced great setbacks. After divorcing her husband in 1996, Bell fell into great obscurity. Severe depression and alcoholism consumed her later years. In 2012, Bell succumbed to a severe liver disease, before a planned documentary film and memoir on her life could be directed by her only child, T.J. Martin. The details of her death are heartbreaking to say the least. Her full career of creative work, and other personal belongings, were thrown away after her body was discovered weeks after her death. Martin would soon go on to win an Academy Award that same year, becoming the first black director to win an Academy Award for a feature-length film.

Despite the deep sorrow that surrounds her untimely death, today Bell is acknowledged by several successful grunge pioneers as one of the best that Seattle has ever produced. Matt Cameron, Bam Bam’s original drummer and also widely known for his work as a member of two juggernaut grunge bands in Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, has praised Bell for her talents as a singer and songwriter. Her story reminds us not only of the price that must be paid by the overlooked, but also of a humbling truth. That history is not always written by the victors.

Max Jefferson 11/1/24 Max Jefferson 11/1/24

So Much At Stake

The American presidential campaign of 2024 has been absurdly unique. From failed assassination attempts to presidential debate meltdowns, this election has been one for the ages. It’s been ugly, dirty, and downright hateful. The divisiveness of this election is an extension of the long saga of Trump madness that began back in 2016. A saga that was arguably inspired by the election of Barack Obama in 2008. A development that changed American politics for good, and that inspired the birth of an increasingly radicalized Republican Party.

I lived in and around Washington D.C. for two years working for a nonprofit civic education organization. I often worked on Capital Hill, outside the White House on Lafayette Square, and at the War Memorials across from the Washington Monument. It was there that I was constantly reminded of who truly built and sacrificed for this country. Of who labored under inhumane conditions and who were excluded from notions of “We the People” and the American Dream for countless generations. It might be time for someone who looks like they did to rise to the most powerful stage in the world.

Vice President Kamala Harris was thrust into the spotlight after President Joe Biden decided not to run for reeelection earlier this year. Harris, a woman of Afro-Jamaican and Indian descent, formerly a successful district attorney of San Francisco, and also a former attorney general and U.S. Senator from California, has galvanized the democratic base in ways comparable to Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Celebrities and public figures alike have chosen to back Harris’ campaign since Biden’s withdrawal. From Barack and Michelle Obama to Dick and Liz Chaney. From Beyonce Knowles to Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift. The stars have aligned in support of a campaign that seeks to prevent a second Trump presidency. A frightening thought that looms large over the American people like the eye of a fiery, category five hurricane.

The daily attacks coming from the Trump campaign are relentless and totally unfiltered at this point. Since two failed assassination attempts on the former president’s life, Trump has become increasingly unhinged. His narcissism, misogyny, racially insensitive rhetoric, and unrivaled obsession with power at the expense of the country’s public institutions and foundational democratic principles, has collectively struck fear throughout the American populace. It has pushed several Republican politicians to back the Harris campaign, a development that is unprecedented to say the least.

I couldn’t stress more the urgency for Americans, of all walks of life, to exercise their right to vote. For much of American History the poor, minorities, and women were violently denied this basic American right. Now, as Americans, we must push past the idea that our votes don’t matter. They do matter. And in an election with so much at stake, in an election in which the longevity and hopes for a successful American experiment hang in the balanced, we must not be so ignorant and indifferent. We can’t make excuses for sitting out an election that will alter the trajectory of this country forever. That will impact the lives of young and future generations of Americans.

History will be made Tuesday night. We should brace ourselves for outrage and even more political violence. January 6, 2021 can most certainly happen again. Something even more frigthening may await us. We must prepare, as best as we can, to live and coexist within a new America. For better or worse.

Max Jefferson 10/10/24 Max Jefferson 10/10/24

Red River Shootout

Each year, on the second week of October, on the grounds of the State Fair of Texas in Dallas, in the iconic Cotton Bowl, history is made. The University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma have been at war with each other on the college gridiron since before Oklahoma became an American state. Since 1900, Texas and Oklahoma have clashed for bragging rights, recruiting supremacy, as well as conference and national championships. With 11 national championships between them, its safe to say that both schools have blue blood football programs and iconic brands that have helped build college football into the American sensation that it is today. From the decade of dominance by Oklahoma head coach Bud Wilkinson’s legendary football teams of the 1950s, to the introduction of the wishbone offense by Texas’ Emory Bellard in the late 1960s, and Barry Switzer’s near perfect utilization of the wishbone offense during the 1970s and 1980s, both schools have undeniably left a lasting impact on the sport and have also been two of the most influential programs in college football history.

The great players and coaches who have played a part in popularizing the rivalry is like a whose who of the sport. From James Street and Earl Campbell to Caleb Williams and Adrian Peterson. This rivalry has historically been a game where young men have made a name for themselves. And on several occasions, someone who nobody would have expected to. A recent example of this trend is the 2021 game, in which a largely unknown backup quarterback named Caleb Williams introduced himself to a tuned in national audience against the Texas Longhorns. After trailing 28-7 early in the first half, Williams led Oklahoma to an historic comeback win over Texas that all but solidified his status as one of the best quarterbacks in college football. Williams went on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2022. Another fine example is James Brown. One of Texas’ first starting black quarterbacks, Brown got his first start against the Sooners in the 1994 edition of the rivalry, and did not disappoint. In a game that was decided in the final seconds of regulation, on a famous goal line stand by Texas defensive lineman Stonie Clark, Brown led the Longhorns to a gritty 17-10 victory over their hated rivals from North of the Red River.

The Red River Shootout has had its fair share of controversy. As Texas began its domination of the college football landscape with its revolutionary wishbone offense during the late 1960s and early 1970s, other powerhouse programs scrambled to catch up. Luckily for the Sooners, Texas’ legendary head coach Darrel K. Royal was excessively generous with other programs by gifting them with the deep intricacies of the wishbone offense.

Probably the greatest beneficiaries were the Oklahoma Sooners. Royal played quarterback and defensive back at Oklahoma for his mentor, the legendary Bud Wilkinson. Royal’s strong ties to Oklahoma likely played a significant part in facilitating this development. However, after Barry Switzer, another legendary Oklahoma head coach, was hired by the University of Oklahoma he was accused of spying on Longhorn practices by Royal. Although Switzer denied these accusations, he has long acknowledged that the spying of Texas practices by Oklahoma did take place. Just not under his watch as head coach. It turns out that spying did in fact take place under his predecessor’s time at Oklahoma. Nevertheless, the suspicion and hate between Texas and Oklahoma might have been at an all time high.

The 1976 game was the culmination of this tension. President Gerald Ford attended the game and walked with Royal and Switzer onto the field before kickoff. As President Ford unsuccessfully attempted to reconcile the hard feelings with small talk, both coaches were silent and locked into what would turn out to be a 6-6 tie. Ultimately, Royal felt antagonized and even betrayed by his Alma Mater. 1976 would turn out to be Royal’s final year of coaching. Switzer was in the middle of Oklahoma’s “Sooner Magic” era, in which they claimed three national titles in 1974, 1975, and 1985 under Switzer’s leadership.

In 1984, Texas and Oklahoma clashed in a struggle between the two top ranked teams in the nation. Texas came into the game ranked #1 in the country, and Oklahoma #2. In a rain-soaked, sloppy, back and forth contest, the game ultimately came down to an official’s controversial call. In what should have been ruled an interception of Texas quarterback Todd Dodge by Oklahoma defensive back Keith Stanberry at the corner of the end zone, Stanberry was ruled out of bounds and Texas was able to immediately kick a 3-point field goal to tie the game 15-15 in the closing seconds of the game. Switzer, wearing a red hat that read “Beat Texas”, confronted officials after the game, visibly infuriated by the outcome of the game.

On Saturday, the Texas Longhorns will walk down the Cotton Bowl’s iconic tunnel, onto the field as the #1 team in the nation once more. Oklahoma will be playing the role of the underdog, currently sitting at #18. In the two programs’ first matchup as members of the Southeastern Conference, the game is guareented to have a massive impact on the college football playoff race. Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers returns from injury to lead the Longhorns against Michael Hawkins Jr., the first true freshman quarterback to ever start for Oklahoma in the rivalry, and a stout Oklahoma defense. Viewers should expect the unexpected. This has always been a game that has been decided by the most physical and disciplined teams. Turnovers and explosive plays will likely decide the outcome of this year’s edition of the Red River Shootout.

And finally, this game is special to me. The first Red River Shootout I attended was in 2000, the same year that Oklahoma won its last national championship behind quarterback Josh Heupel and an underrated supporting cast of players. As a lifelong Longhorns fan, the 2000 edition of the rivalry was heartbreaking, as Oklahoma overwhelmed and routed Texas, 63-14. I attended the next three matchups, and learned to love this rivalry. From the pleasing smell of fried foods, of all varieties, that fills the air above the Texas State Fair grounds, to the deafening sound of a packed Cotton Bowl, the fans split down the middle at the 50-yard line. Burnt orange on one side, crimson and cream on the other. From the joyful smiles and sobbing faces of young children passionate about their favorite team, to the startling explosions popping off from Smokey the Canon and the RUF/NEKS ceremonial shotguns. This game has it all. I expect the 2024 edition of the Red River Shootout to be no different. Both teams will give it their all, for sixty minutes, to have bragging rights for 365 days. To earn the Golden Hat trophy, which is rewarded to the winning team. This game is always like a mid-season national championship matchup. This game has the organic electricity that seems to always give me the butterflies. All I have to say is Texas Fight, and OU sucks.

Max Jefferson 10/1/24 Max Jefferson 10/1/24

Jimmy Carter: A Life of Service

President Jimmy Carter, the oldest living U.S. president, turns 100 today. Arguably America’s most successful one term president, Carter dedicated his life to service. Service in the United States Navy, graduating from the Naval Academy in 1946 and working in the submarine services during the years immediately following the end of the Second World War. Service for his home state of Georgia, in which he served as a U.S. Senator and Governor of Georgia after reviving his family’s peanut-growing business. And then service as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. What followed were decades of diplomatic and humanitarian work. An evangelical Christian, Carter has always believed in service in the name of Jesus Christ. He crafted his career as a testament to his commitment to serving humanity, all as a reflection of his Christian faith.

James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia. The son of a World War I-era veteran who served stateside in the Georgia National Guard, Carter grew up as the eldest of four children. His family made a hard living as peanut farmers. Although his father was a pro-segregationists, Carter still developed friendships with many of the black farmhands’ children, perhaps influencing his views on Civil Rights throughout his career.

He was a fine student who dreamed of attending the United States Naval Academy. Carter’s dreams became a reality. It was there that he met his wife of over 70 years, Rosalynn Smith. He graduated in 1946, and married Rosalynn soon afterwards. Carter launched a promising naval career that ended abruptly in 1953. The unexpected death of Carter’s father that year changed the course of the young man’s life. Carter felt obligated to return home to Plains, Georgia and take the reigns as the family’s patriarch.

Life was hard for Carter, making the transition from the Navy to life as a agribusinessman. Great sacrifices were made in order to stay afloat, including taking classes and studying agriculture, while his wife did her best to help Carter with the peanut business. Over time, the Carters succeeded in growing their business into a successful brand.

Carter began his political career with a desire to help the local African American community. Racial tension was high in the years that followed the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision. Carter was a staunch integrationist, but recognized the unpopularity and trouble that would follow him for vocalizing his beliefs within the deep, American South. He was careful not to offend his segregationist colleagues. Despite his appeal to racism at times throughout his rise up the political ranks in Georgia, Carter ultimately believed strongly in civil rights and racial equality. When Carter was sworn in as the 76th governor of Georgia, he declared in a speech in 1971 that "the time for racial discrimination is over" to the dismay of several within the crowd and many segregationists who supported his campaign. But Carter was serious about Civil Rights. He added several black state employees and paid tribute to black icons like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which angered the local Ku Klux Klan.

Ineligible for reelection, Carter set his sights on the White House. In 1976, Jimmy Carter was a political outsider. This image of Carter as an everyday Joe helped him during the post-Watergate era. Voters were looking for a candidate who they could relate to. President Gerald Ford gave a valiant effort with his campaign. However, Carter was able to narrowly edge him out for the presidency.

One of the first actions taken by President Carter was the fulfillment of a campaign promise by issuing an executive order declaring unconditional amnesty for Vietnam War-era draft evaders, Prolamation 4483. Inflation, an economic recession, and the 1979 energy crisis were all serious domestic problems that Carter faced during his time in the White House. However, the Iranian Hostage Crisis would prove to be his greatest challenge. This, coupled with the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, ultimately contributed to his defeat against Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election. Probably the crowning achievement of the Carter presidency was the Camp David Accords in 1978, which ended the war between Israel and Egypt. This event highlighted Carter’s abilities as a skilled diplomat, and briefly inspired confidence in his efforts within the Middle East.

After leaving the White House in 1981, Carter became more of a diplomat, traveling across the globe and visiting with world leaders on behalf of succeeding American presidential administrations. Carter has also been a champion of human rights. His humanitarian efforts include hurricane relief projects after major natural disasters such as hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, as well as the creation of the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The Carter Center is a non-governmental and non-profit organization, with the purpose of advancing human rights and alleviating human suffering. These themes speak to his evangelical Christian faith, which also expresses itself in Carter’s public and controversial criticism of Israel over its policies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Despite being attacked as an anti-Semite, Carter has not shied away from his belief that Israel’s policies are the primary cause of conflict in the Middle East. Nevertheless, Carter will go down as one of the most successful ex-presidents of all time.

Despite health scares, including a cancer diagnosis in 2015 and injuries associated with his older age in recent years, Jimmy Carter is still taking things one day at a time after entering hospice care in 2023. After 77 years of marriage, Rosalynn died later that year. Now the oldest living former president and longest-lived president in American History, Carter can say that he has made the commitment to not only his country, but to all of humanity. I had the pleasure of shaking his hand back in 2017, while working at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. It’s powerful knowing that I’ve crossed paths with arguably one of the greatest public servants in American presidential history. A man who believed in public service throughout his illustrious career. A man who still believes, to this day, in service all in the name of Jesus Christ.

Max Jefferson 9/24/24 Max Jefferson 9/24/24

The Thing About Fake People

In a vast world, human beings have an inherited desire to be social. It goes without saying that we are social beings. During our self-development, especially throughout our earlier years, we want others to be accepting of us. We want to be able to rely on them. However, we must not be so naive. We must not fail to acknowledge that there are others who desire to take from us. To take advantage of and eliminate those they deem as unintelligent or psychologically weak. To hurt those who they fear.

Sincerity is a coveted virtue. Most people want friends and romantic partners who they feel that they can trust. However, in a society dominated by the internet, and especially social media, that can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Scammers and con-artists exist at all levels of society and can be closer to home then you would typically imagine. “Frenemies”, and resentful family members or spouses, are synonymous with domestic disputes which characterize our human relationships. Ingenuity has always been a human flaw, but in a world where the population is encouraged to communicate through more contemporary means, that flaw is significantly magnified.

Artificial Intelligence is a highly advanced technology that has the capacity to dramatically alter our perception of reality. Such a tool must be handled wisely and responsibly. However, such expectations are unreasonable at best. Aside from being a thorn in the side for the masses, AI poses a major national and international threat to organizations, businesses, and governments worldwide. Corrupt leadership, based at the top of political and corporate hierarchies, will only increase AI’s potential to create havoc within both the domestic and foreign spheres.

The thing about the fakeness of humanity is that nothing can be done to permanently address the issue. It’s a key element of the human condition. It is a preferred way of conducting business and gaining a greater following, both professionally and unprofessionally. Politicians build successful careers from it, and media profits from deceptive propaganda. Many fear that there is a personal liability in making the decision to be honest. That being real is dangerous.

Ultimately, I believe that fake people are doing what they feel is in their best interests. Whether that turns out to be self-beneficial in practice is debatable. What is abundantly evident is that their intentions are not ethical. But do we truly value ethics in our society? Don’t we actually live in a culture polluted by toxicity? Where toxic behavior is rewarded.

Our political universe is dominated by characters who strategically utilize falsities as a means to pick up more votes and maintain a competitive edge over their political rivals. As a contemporary model, Trumpism is one of the most obvious examples of this phenomenon. However, in a world also dominated by social media, basic human interactions have beared the brunt of this fog of fakeness that humanity is struggling mightily to navigate through.

Our human interactions are being undermined by fear. We fear how others might perceive us. We fear the repercussions of being forthcoming and even vulnerable. Our fears are controlling our decisions and limiting the potential of our relationships. I understand that we have passed the point of no return with technology. Artificial Intelligence and social media are here to stay. However, if we at least tried harder to resist being controlled by our fears and insecurities, then perhaps we can create a culture that is genuine, but not naive. One in which people ultimately feel more comfortable being themselves.

Humans aren’t going to be perfect. We’re going to lie and attempt to deceive. It’s in our DNA. However, I believe that we can collectively give more of a concentrated effort to be reasonably sincere individuals. Those of us who are capable should not go out of their way to mislead another person who might not only be sincere, but who might also be naive. One who possesses the strength and inner security needed in order to be sincere. We seem to forget at times that honesty and vulnerability are indicators of great strength. As the saying goes, “the truth shall set you free”.

Max Jefferson 8/21/24 Max Jefferson 8/21/24

What’s So Magical About The Eighties?

On December 31, 1989, there was a general feeling that something different and historic was on the horizon. 1989 was a year full of international revolution and resistance against the status quo. The Tiananmen Square demonstrations in China, and the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany that November, were solid indicators of the imminent fall of the Soviet Union and the birth of the “New World Order” only a few years later. Back then, the 1990s were thought of in almost utopian ways.

But how about the Eighties? Why was it such a unique and fondly remembered decade by so many people? Well, the decade began with the assassination of music icon John Lennon and the election of Ronald Reagan over Jimmy Carter in the immediate aftermath of the Iranian Hostage Crisis and the failed “Desert One” military operation. The early years of the decade were marked by a major economic recession. Crime and poverty was widespread, especially in struggling urban communities. President Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt in 1981 and faced tremendous challenges at home and abroad. That same year in media and popular culture, as cable television became increasingly popular, MTV debuted. It would transform the entertainment industry and become the center of music culture during the decade. In fact, young adults who came of age during the decade would come to be known as the “MTV generation”. Although the network was reluctant to feature minority artists, reflecting the blatant racism that was prevalent at the time, the talents of transcendent black artists like Michael Jackson and Prince could not be ignored. New Wave music took over the sound waves in the early 1980s, and inspired the aesthetics that largely characterized the decade.

In cinema, youth culture took Hollywood by storm. Teen films like Back To The Future, The Breakfast Club, and Ferris Buellar’s Day Off captured the imaginative, yet cynical, and often rebellious attitudes of Generation X. A generation that would make an even larger impact on American culture and society during the early 1990s. Films like 1987’s Wall Street spoke to the socioeconomic ideals of the times. Financial greed and power were symbolic with the decade. Reaganomics and mass consumerism defined an era, while long-simmering social issues were largely ignored.

1980s America was often described by President Ronald Reagan as a “shining city upon a hill”. His past career as a Hollywood movie star solidified his almost mythic persona, especially in the years that followed the assassination attempt on his life in 1981. He was the ex-actor, turned president, who was going to bring the Soviet Union to its knees. Reagan decisively won reelection in 1984. A political juggernaut, Reagan’s brand of conservatism was truly an embodiment of what we think of when we look back on that decade. However, behind the Hollywood-like aura that characterized the decade, there lied the ugliest and most grotesque of horrors.

AIDS and the crack epidemic haunted the American public throughout the 1980s. AIDS exposed how removed society was from accepting homosexuality and the LGBTQ community. The Reagan administration largely ignored the lethality of AIDS and viewed these matters in what can be best described as unempathetic and indifferent. Over 100,000 Americans died of AIDS during the decade.

Crack was arguably as deadly or even worse than AIDS. It was a deadly street drug that ravaged Black and Latino communities, and it also significantly fueled the unprecedented gang violence that developed within these communities. Police activity increased dramatically in response to a “War on Drugs” that was at its height during the 1980s. Police brutality and misconduct perpetuated against minorities skyrocketed and defined the relationship between law enforcement agencies and the minority communities that they were tasked to serve and protect.

So then what was so magical about the 1980s? I’d say that the decade spoke to the possibilities. Especially for often excluded and misunderstood groups. Icons like Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Freddie Mercury, Madonna, Arsenio Hall, and Spike Lee emerged during those years, creating an opening for historically marginalized groups to break into American mainstream culture by the early 1990s. Despite how exclusive, and at times even strikingly divisive the decade was, the 1980s produced a culture that even the youngest generations today can still relate to. From Michael Jackson’s moonwalk to the Super Mario Brothers. Sure. Today we have the internet, social media, and live streaming. But the 1980s were truly the beginning of the world as we know it. It was the decade synonymous with the Tech Boom. When personal computers, home gaming systems, and the VCR first debuted. I, a traditional millennial, and your average teenager of today, could both sit down and watch The Breakfast Club, and find something authentic and relatable about it. Much of the themes present in that film still echo well into the 2020s. I don’t think you’d find that in a movie from the 1970s, for example.

I suppose that’s what gives the Eighties their appeal. It was a very new time, especially for artistic exploration and experimentation. From early hip-hop artists to alternative rock legends. A newness and changing cultural landscape was aided by transforming norms and attitudes. Much of this explosion of human creativity can be credited with building the society that we live in today, for better or worse. Nonetheless, I can see how someone can listen to Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” and sense something magical about it. Although I was born over two years after December 31, 1989, I can still feel the magic. Without the Eighties, I wouldn’t be who I am. That’s magical folks.

Max Jefferson 8/6/24 Max Jefferson 8/6/24

Are We Truly Self Aware?

We like to think that we know what’s going on. We like to think that we know who we are and the environment that we inhabit. However, we sometimes make decisions and reason in ways that undermine such beliefs. Humans derive much of their understanding of themselves and the world from external sources. We fail to look within ourselves for the essential answers.

Self-awareness is defined as one’s ability to perceive and understand the things that make them who they are as individuals, including their personality, actions, values, beliefs, emotions, and thoughts. Individuality is dependent upon our ability to be present. To be locked into the moment. In 2024, we have a hard time blocking out the endless distractions. Whether it be our social lives, the responsibilities of daily life, the pleasures of modern technology, or an increasingly polarized society, we struggle to achieve the psychological concentration and focus needed in order to develop a strong sense of self-awareness.

It is upon us to recognize our distractive tendencies and habits, which we have adopted, largely subconsciously, throughout our development. We must begin our journey towards greater awareness by recognizing that our bodily senses serve as a vehicle towards our understanding of our environment and especially ourselves. About what we are, where we come from, and the true meaning of our livelihood.

Meditation and other forms of mental and physical relaxation are frequently emphasized as effective practices geared towards acquiring deep levels of self-awareness. Although these can be helpful, much more is required in order to be successful when partaking in such an endeavor. We must think about our individual journey. We must think deeply about our past, present and future. How did certain events, valuable in our minds, affect us and other’s perception of us. Ultimately, how did we respond? In what ways were our attitudes towards ourselves and the external world impacted? How did these events mold us into who we are today and who we want to be in the future? These are the type of questions that we must ask ourselves in order to make the great leap from obliviousness to self-awareness.

Once a person dedicates their time towards self-analysis, they enable themselves to acquire genuine self-awareness. A development which allows them to direct their authentic feelings and attitudes towards external stimuli. One of the goals of every individual should be to become knowledgeable and alert, allowing their instincts to help guide their decisions. Another goal should be to translate awareness into sound judgment. Our collective humanity makes this a difficult and ongoing dilemma. Some of us are better at this skill than others.

Nevertheless, each of us has to decide. Do we want to be the best version of ourselves? If we sincerely do, we have nowhere else better to look then within.

Max Jefferson 8/6/24 Max Jefferson 8/6/24

Are We Truly Self Aware?

It is upon us to recognize our distractive tendencies and habits, which we have adopted, largely subconsciously, throughout our development. We must begin our journey towards greater awareness by recognizing that our bodily senses serve as a vehicle towards our understanding of our environment and especially ourselves. About how we are what we are, where we come from, and the meaning of our livelihood.

Meditation and other forms of mental and physical relaxation are frequently emphasized as effective practices geared towards acquiring deep levels of self-awareness. Although these can be helpful, much more is required in order to be successful when partaking in such an endeavor. We must think about our individual journey. We must think deeply about our past, present and future. How did certain events, valuable in our minds, affect us and how did we respond? In what ways were our attitudes towards ourselves and the external world impacted? How did these events mold us into who we are today and who we want to be in the future? These are the type of questions that we must ask ourselves in order to make the great leap from obliviousness to self-awareness.

Nevertheless, each of us has to decide. Do we want to be the best version of ourselves? If we sincerely do, we have nowhere else better to look then within.

Max Jefferson 7/24/24 Max Jefferson 7/24/24

Political Tornado

Ever since the now infamous debate blunder by President Joe Biden almost a month ago in Atlanta against former President Donald Trump, it feels as though the nation has been spinning at speeds reminiscent of a high speed tornado. The period has had its violent moments, especially when considering the assassination attempt on Trump’s life. But also moments of hope and much fanfare. The Republican National Convention in the wake of Trump’s near death experience, along with the elevation of Kamala Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket following Biden’s reluctant but thoughtful withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election, vividly come to mind. When and how exactly this storm will wither away is anybody’s guess. We should be prepared for the tension that has characterized this summer to extend far beyond election night.

An incoherent and despondent President Joe Biden frightened his democratic base and emboldened the GOP during a highly-anticipated debate in late June. The foundation of not only Biden’s campaign, but of the Democratic Party as a whole, was rocked to its core as the current president struggled to answer basic questions and respond decisively to Trump’s political attacks. A tsunami of politicians from the Left began to withdrawal their support for Biden almost immediately, as his elderly age and questions about his mental and physical capacity to lead America for another four years became a colossal liability in the minds of many Americans. It was a clear victory for the Trump campaign, despite the many falsities that characterized arguments made by the unrivaled Republican nominee during the debate. A debate that the Biden campaign believed it could use to help separate Biden from Trump as the more morally-competent and seasoned candidate. Instead, the Biden campaign found itself mired in a kind of media and public relations armageddon not typically seen during any election cycle.

But in a stroke of magic within the past 100 hours, Vice President Kamala Harris has completely flipped the script on Trump. Raising over $100 million in donations, benefiting from the endorsements of President Biden and the Democratic leadership, and also earning enough delegates to clinch the nomination, it's safe to say that Harris has brought a level of energy and hope that has never been seen so swiftly in American political history. Her legal experience as a district attorney and prosecutor makes her well-suited to exploit Trump’s legal woes. Although a debate date has yet to be determined, Trump is itching for the opportunity to attack Harris on her track record over the past three years. Immigration is largely viewed as her greatest liability, and one that the Trump administration has already begun to attack on social media and back on the campaign trail.

A heated, American political twister is about to accelerate in its speed and furiosity, mercilessly destroying anything lying in its wake. Highly sensitive topics like reproductive rights, race, and sexual discrimination will bring out the lower underbelly of our society, and might even lead to more political violence. Those of us who are politically conscious and active have an obligation to at least participate in the political process by exercising our right to vote. A constitutional right that is currently under attack, as it was six decades ago. Four months away from election night, Kamala Harris is soon to be officially selected as the Democratic nominee. She must find a way to separate herself from Trump by earning the trust of independent voters and winning over the hearts of young voters. She’s already on the right track with the latter, and will have an opportunity to appeal to suburban voters in the coming weeks and months.

The question each and every American should struggle with, to some degree, is whether our political community can achieve something reminiscent of a more peaceful time? A political scene that reflected the less complex days of the American political experiment. Days that were not without their violent instances of human disagreement and conflict, but that at least encouraged bipartisanship and the greater good. However, I fear that we might have already passed the point of no return. Years from now, looking back, perhaps I can then say that my fears were justifiable for the moment as opposed to indicative of a sad ending.

Max Jefferson 6/18/24 Max Jefferson 6/18/24

Reckless Judgement

A federal bump stocks gun ban, put into effect by the Trump administration following the deadliest mass shooting in American history, was rejected by the Supreme Court on June 14, 2024. The Las Vegas mass shooting occurred on October 1, 2017. It killed 60 people and wounded several hundreds more. The question that must be asked by all Americans is if those who hold some of the greatest powers within the American government really care about the safety of their fellow Americans.

Mass shootings have been an ugly stain on American domestic life since the late 1990s. The deadly Columbine High School shootings of April 20, 1999 shook the nation and blasted America into an era of profound grief and fear. Since 1999, conservative America’s stubborn defense of their gun-friendly attitudes, and ultimately their emphasis on the powers of the 2nd Amendment, have undeniably applied a firm grip on the minds of the Supreme Court. Their rejection of the Trump-era bump stocks gun ban last Friday is indicative of not only the political bias among the justices towards the Far Right, but also how little they care about the risks associated with their judgement. Judgment that can be considered reckless at best.

A bump stock can be defined as an attachment that enables a semiautomatic rifle to fire faster. This was the device of choice during 64-year old Stephen Paddock’s gruesome assault on humanity at the Route 91 Harvest music festival back in 2017. Paddock fired more than a thousand rounds that bloodbath of a night. In 2018, the Justice Department used its authority as part of the executive branch to ban the devices. Now that the Supreme Court has rejected the ban, the door is wide open for mass shootings even deadlier than the one in Las Vegas almost seven years ago.

In a political climate that seems to be increasingly inflammatory, the current behavior of the Supreme Court is alarming. In the wake of the overturning of the historic Roe V. Wade decision of 1973, and in light of recent judicial improprieties involving longtime Justice Clarence Thomas, the Supreme Court projects a degree of unprofessionalism and partisan bias that should disappoint and concern all Americans. Members of the citizenry who expect the most powerful court on the planet to make healthy and reasonable judgements, and who respect the freedoms and ethical dignity of what is often described as the leading democratic society in the world, are faced with an uneasy reality.

The Supreme Court’s rejection of the federal bump stocks gun ban of 2018 should be interpreted as yet another blow to its legitimacy as a guardian of American justice. The frightening cries and screams of innocent victims, which best characterize the form of domestic terrorism that America has wrestled with for the past twenty-five years, will continue to haunt this nation until its leadership gets serious about gun regulation. Despite the pivotal role that gun ownership has played in constructing America’s identity throughout its history, the most powerful and influential elements of our government ought to recognize the clear threat that a rogue gun culture poses to all Americans’ right to live in safe and secure communities. Reckless judgment can undermine our society and embolden disturbed individuals to unleash death and chaos in a future not too far off, and perhaps deadlier than anything we’ve seen thus far.

Max Jefferson 5/21/24 Max Jefferson 5/21/24

The Significance of Interoception

Recently, scientists have discovered the awesome significance of how our internal anatomy communicates with itself. Interoception is defined as a deeper understanding of how we sense and use signals from inside our bodies. These internal signals might even give the scientific community a better understanding about what drives human consciousness.

A heartbeat-evoked response is a great example of interoception. Abbreviated as (HER), internal signals from the heart to the brain prompts a neural reaction that can actually influence what is experienced in the external world, scientists say. Tests have proven that HER has the capacity to impact our eyesight, memory, intuitions, decision making, and emotions. However, the wiring structure that describes how these signals of information are transported inside of our bodies is still largely misunderstood.

Although an understanding of interoception has helped alleviate mental disorders, including anxiety in certain individuals, some scientists believe that interoception serves an important role in human consciousness. Through experimental testing with both human and non-human subjects, these scientists champion the idea that self-awareness and consciousness rely heavily on internal body signals. Despite the vast ambiguity that surrounds consciousness, perhaps interoception provides some useful insight.

Max Jefferson 4/14/24 Max Jefferson 4/14/24

The Influence of Climate Change on Time

Global warming is transforming time itself. Humanity is well-known for its lasting impact on the environment. From industrial revolutions to global conflicts, man has done exponential harm to the ecosystem. The releasing of greenhouse gases through the burning of fossil fuels is a contemporary development that has made dramatic and dangerous changes to the planet’s climate. The warming of the Earth’s ice sheets is an example of this phenomenon. Although this reality has been internationally acknowledged for some time now, a new discovery has dramatically magnified its significance.

The swift melting of the ice sheets atop Greenland and Antarctica is collectively shifting more mass towards Earth’s waistline, scientists say. Earth’s rotation has slowed down as a result. Factors related to the Earth’s spin, including changes to the rotational speed of Earth’s core and shifts in the planet’s distribution of mass around its surface, impact the speed of Earth’s rotation about its axis.

The totality of mankind’s indifference towards Earth’s natural processes has brought about this seismic development. For example, the internationally agreed-upon coordinated universal time has been impacted by the Earth’s slower rotation. Leap seconds, being extra ticks that international timekeepers agreed to add to the universal time, will need to be removed rather than added to the universal clock in order to ensure that the balance between the Earth’s rotation and atomic clocks remain in sync.

This recent discovery emphasizes the far-reaching implications of climate change. Contrary to the claims of some, science has shed more light on the relevance of global warming to the future of humanity and the rest of the biosphere. It is within mankind’s interest to remain diligent and respectful of the severe threat that climate change poses towards current and future generations. Only time will tell how serious mankind is about preserving a balanced orbit, and ultimately a healthier Earth.

Max Jefferson 2/23/24 Max Jefferson 2/23/24

Kennedy Boy

President John F. Kennedy is widely known for his work towards integration and the success of the Civil Rights Movement during the early 1960s. He is also famous because of his commitment to laying the groundwork for defeating the Soviet Union during the Space Race to the moon. A short-statured young black man from Kansas City, Kansas served as a trailblazing intersection of these two efforts made by the short-lived Kennedy Administration.

Edward Dwight Jr. was born in 1933. It was very early on that Dwight became fascinated and inspired to pursue a career in flight. Despite growing up in a racially segregated environment, Dwight was thrilled to discover that a black Air Force pilot named Dayton Ragland had found his way onto the front of a local black newspaper. After graduating with a degree in engineering in 1953 at the age of 20, Dwight chose to enlist into the United States Air Force. He trained to become a test pilot throughout the remainder of the 1950s, and reached the rank of captain while serving in the U.S. Air Force.

During this same period, as the 1950s gave way to the 1960s, America transitioned from the well-seasoned President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the youthful President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy, who was elected in 1960 largely behind his great contrasts with the former president and legendary general, wanted to take a more deliberate stance against segregation. Coinciding with the rapidly escalating Cold War and the Space Race, the Kennedy White House determined that selecting a black astronaut would help it win the admiration of the black community.

One day, Dwight received a letter from President Kennedy, in which he was offered an opportunity to be an astronaut. After being discouraged by many of his peers and superiors not to take on this challenge, Dwight secretly mailed in his information and within days received an assignment to enter the Aerospace Research Pilot School. It was there that Dwight earned the nickname “Kennedy Boy”.

While at the pilot school, Dwight faced great obstacles. These included blatant racism and the ever present fear of death while training as a test pilot. Chuck Yeager was the first commandant of the U.S. Air Force’s Aerospace Research Pilot School. He intentionally worked to psychologically break Dwight’s will and self-esteem through relentless racism and neglect. Dwight’s mental toughness and determination to succeed, fueled by his mother’s inspiration during his development, ultimately opened the door to public attention and media exposure on a global scale.

Dwight was mesmerized and thrilled by the space training that he received at the height of his acclaim. However, great disappointment awaited him. The new group of astronauts that NASA ultimately selected did not include Dwight. He had been snubbed. President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas not long afterwards in November of 1963. Dwight resigned from the Air Force in 1966 after being forced out of NASA’s astronaut program.

Conclusively, although it is easy for one to perceive Dwight’s pursuit of space travel as a failure that fell short of the mark, it can be said that Dwight was a true trailblazer for those black astronauts who would follow him in the decades that followed. America still had a long ways to go towards true racial equality in the military during the 1960s. But the efforts that were made during that era by African Americans, both in military and civilian life, echo loudly into the present.

Max Jefferson 2/14/24 Max Jefferson 2/14/24

JFK JR : THE GOOD MAN

The assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963, dumped the American public into unprecedented depths of shock and sorrow. Their young president, who had swiftly grabbed the admiration of the American people, had been in the White House since January of 1961. His confident charm, beautiful wife, and youthful children took on a life of its own. Camelot dominated the American psyche during those early years of the 1960s. JFK was the first American president born in the twentieth century, and he represented the hopes and dreams of a nation mired in the thick of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. His failure at the Bay of Pigs, followed by his cool demeanor during the Cuban Missile Crisis, tempered a public still reeling from the hysteria of the 1950s McCarthyite era. But the Kennedys in the White House was about much more than politics. They symbolized a new, youthful wave in popular culture. To this day, Jackie Kennedy is considered a trailblazer in the fashion world and beyond. However, John and Jackie’s son would cement his own legacy.

John Jr., otherwise known as “John John”, grew from infancy into adolescence and manhood, marching to his own beat. When so many under similar circumstances would have crumbled under the pressure of the Kennedy legacy, John Jr. found peace and purpose in being a good Samaritan. Although he was strongly influenced by the attitudes of his mother, John Jr. was determined to write his own story. One of adventure and high-risk. He knew that it could have been seemingly effortless to be the great extension of his father’s ambitions. But instead, JFK Jr. gladly took on the challenge of becoming a good man.

JFK Jr. first caught national attention on his third birthday, which also unfortunately coincided with his father’s funeral ceremony. On that cold, November day in 1963, he made a now iconic salute towards his slain father’s flag-draped casket. The heartbreak and sorrow captured in that moment can’t be summed up into words of any kind. It was a moment that was timeless and representative of a society at a particularly vital point in its brief history. John F. Kennedy symbolized the best of a new generation of Americans. Those who had come of age during and after the Second World War. A youthful president, a determined supporter of domestic freedoms and the advancement of minorities, an Irish Catholic, and an extension of the “old money” filthy wealth of the Kennedy legacy, which was largely amassed by his father Joseph Kennedy Sr. His controversial assassination in Dallas, Texas significantly altered the course of American History.

In the years that followed her husband’s death, Jackie Kennedy moved John Jr. and his sister Caroline to the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. After graduating from high school, John attended Brown University, where he graduated with a major in American Studies. Kennedy co-founded a discussion group on social issues at Brown, including the ongoing South African apartheid. He visited South Africa while in college, and the appalling conditions motivated him to urge U.N. ambassador Andrew Young to speak on the issue at Brown University. After working for a year at the Office of Business Development, in 1989 Kennedy headed Reaching Up. Reaching Up was a nonprofit group that provided educational and other opportunities for employees working with disabled individuals.

That same year in 1989, Kennedy Jr. earned a J.D. degree from the New York University School of Law. What followed were two failed attempts at the New York bar exam, which gained much media attention. After passing the exam on a third attempt in 1990, he spent the next four years working as a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

In 1995, John Jr. co-founded George, a politics-as-lifestyle and fashion monthly magazine. Each new issue consisted of interviews written by Kennedy, as well as his editor’s column. Two years later however, the magazine began to fail. The magazine ultimately went under in 2001.

Kennedy met Carolyn Bessette, who worked in the fashion industry, in the mid 1990s. They married in September of 1996 during a private ceremony in Georgia. Bessette was a private citizen, unlike John Jr. She struggled with the extreme spotlight cast upon her as a direct result of her marriage to Kennedy.

Shortly afterwards, Kennedy began taking flying lessons in Florida. He received his pilot’s license in the spring of 1998. Family members, including his late mother Jackie and his sister Caroline, had long feared John Jr.’s airborne aspirations. However, John Jr. was determined to conquer the skies, as it was a skill that he had long dreamed of mastering since childhood.

On July 16, 1999, JFK Jr. departed New Jersey in his aircraft with his wife and sister-in-law. The plan was to attend the wedding of one of his cousins. The plane went missing off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, and the bodies of the three were discovered on July 21, 1999 by Coastal Guard and Navy divers, still strapped into their seats at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

Conclusively, the Kennedy Curse continued to take on a life of its own. One might ask, what did this young man truly accomplish during his time on Earth. It certainly wasn’t as storied or decorated, particularly within the political realm, as his father and his uncles. However, John Jr. was a social icon during his development into adulthood. He committed his life to using his prestige to travel the world and meet some of the planet’s most influential individuals, including Mother Teresa. He used his time at Brown University to explore controversial subjects, like the ongoing South African apartheid. He expressed his interest in politics and its intersection with fashion culture through George, which reflected John Jr.’s creative approach to understanding the relevance of political life to popular culture. In many ways, Kennedy was ahead of his time in terms of his ability to make these connections, and ultimately understand their significance. And within these settings, John Jr. displayed his natural gifts.

We’ll never know what a John Kennedy Jr. political career might have looked like. However, John Jr. was determined to walk down his own path. The life of an American Prince, bothered by extreme levels of sorrow in response to family losses, was not without its challenges. When he did find love, their union was short lived as a result of what many have identified as the Kennedy Curse. However, we can say that in life John Jr. used his prestige to try to make a positive impact on the world. He wanted to be known as a man who chose to be good, rather than accept notions of greatness related to his family legacy. We can say that although a flawed man, John F. Kennedy Jr. was an independent, and genuinely good man.