It’s hard to tell from this interview how even-handed your book will be. Here you seem mostly concerned about Neely’s real vulnerability. As I understand it (and I may not), Penny wasn’t trying to kill Neely. He was trying to fill that void of common trust and safety you talk about by retraining Neely to protect the people who felt threatened by Neely’s behavior. Hopefully you have told both sides of the story.
I think one of the things that has really struck people who read it is just how open and fair it tries to be to everyone on all sides of these very hard issues.
Dear amba, From absorbing the many shares Anand has made here including several in-depth interviews he’s done, I think you won’t be disappointed. My understanding is that he did indeed talk to just about all parties involved, those way up stream of the actual incident included. Like spending time with Daniel Penny’s Marine buddies. I very rarely preorder a book but I did this one - a copy for me and a copy for my dearest friend. Because I know I’m gonna wan5 to talk to someone close as I’m reading it! 😃 with love, Christina🌺
As a health care provider, my question is why was Jordan perceived as such a high level of threat by others that Daniel felt the need for a prolonged choke hold, which would initiate an instinctive combative response from any human who is being suffocated.
I feel like this is a sign of just how deeply ignorant we are of mental illness as well as deeply "on edge" we are about "the other" (being driven to climactic levels under the Trump administration as a political ploy) that we overreact to behavior that may not be a serious threat.
If nothing else, these conversations will help dissipate that misplaced and excessive fear.
Mentally ill people are unpredictable, and their behavior can be scary. This from one who rides the New York subway and fairly often sees such people (by no means all Black, or all male), yelling, stomping, punching the air. It’s normal to be alarmed and cautious around someone who is expressing violent rage, even if you know they are suffering. On the street you can cross the street and give them a wide berth. In a confined space, between stations, you don’t have that option.
I understand. I spend a fair amount of time in NYC and I spent many years seeing homeless patients in a clinic. I’m just differentiating between thoughtful alertness with caution and amygdala driven raw fear.
This is not to excuse Penny’s prolonged and excessive use of force, which seems disproportionate to the possible threat posed by an unarmed man. I am mainly scared of being suddenly pushed onto the tracks by a mentally ill prrson.
“Corruption begins in lack of relationship.” Jiddu Krishnamurti at NY’s Town Hall, 1973.
I preordered your book and can’t wait to read it. You are one of my favorite writers and I must say that, for me, “India Calling” was very much like reading a novel. I think I’ve mentioned before that I wrote about your writing and the way in which you were one of a handful of people who pulled me out of a debilitating depression when I couldn’t bear the destruction of our home, our earth.
Dear Anand💞 Sounds like a beautiful powerful space for your dialogue with Tina Brown. Intentionally seeded over the years with the intention of gathering, joining, listening, sharing, understanding, and learning! Looking forward to joining the livestream. And I want you to know that inspired by your imminent release of “Man in the Mirror”, today I made my very first share on Substack. With love, Christina🌺
It’s hard to tell from this interview how even-handed your book will be. Here you seem mostly concerned about Neely’s real vulnerability. As I understand it (and I may not), Penny wasn’t trying to kill Neely. He was trying to fill that void of common trust and safety you talk about by retraining Neely to protect the people who felt threatened by Neely’s behavior. Hopefully you have told both sides of the story.
I think one of the things that has really struck people who read it is just how open and fair it tries to be to everyone on all sides of these very hard issues.
Dear amba, From absorbing the many shares Anand has made here including several in-depth interviews he’s done, I think you won’t be disappointed. My understanding is that he did indeed talk to just about all parties involved, those way up stream of the actual incident included. Like spending time with Daniel Penny’s Marine buddies. I very rarely preorder a book but I did this one - a copy for me and a copy for my dearest friend. Because I know I’m gonna wan5 to talk to someone close as I’m reading it! 😃 with love, Christina🌺
Thank you! I’m off to preorder it now.
Hi, Amba.
As a health care provider, my question is why was Jordan perceived as such a high level of threat by others that Daniel felt the need for a prolonged choke hold, which would initiate an instinctive combative response from any human who is being suffocated.
I feel like this is a sign of just how deeply ignorant we are of mental illness as well as deeply "on edge" we are about "the other" (being driven to climactic levels under the Trump administration as a political ploy) that we overreact to behavior that may not be a serious threat.
If nothing else, these conversations will help dissipate that misplaced and excessive fear.
Mentally ill people are unpredictable, and their behavior can be scary. This from one who rides the New York subway and fairly often sees such people (by no means all Black, or all male), yelling, stomping, punching the air. It’s normal to be alarmed and cautious around someone who is expressing violent rage, even if you know they are suffering. On the street you can cross the street and give them a wide berth. In a confined space, between stations, you don’t have that option.
I understand. I spend a fair amount of time in NYC and I spent many years seeing homeless patients in a clinic. I’m just differentiating between thoughtful alertness with caution and amygdala driven raw fear.
This is not to excuse Penny’s prolonged and excessive use of force, which seems disproportionate to the possible threat posed by an unarmed man. I am mainly scared of being suddenly pushed onto the tracks by a mentally ill prrson.
“Corruption begins in lack of relationship.” Jiddu Krishnamurti at NY’s Town Hall, 1973.
I preordered your book and can’t wait to read it. You are one of my favorite writers and I must say that, for me, “India Calling” was very much like reading a novel. I think I’ve mentioned before that I wrote about your writing and the way in which you were one of a handful of people who pulled me out of a debilitating depression when I couldn’t bear the destruction of our home, our earth.
It’s called “Tweeting The Pope”
Here’s the link:
https://alexiskelley.substack.com/p/tweeting-the-pope-how-twitter-saved-me?r=1emaw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I am imagining Mayor Mamdani slipping in to that room somehow! And/or doing a live Substack with you, Anand.
Pre -ordered your book on Amazon today and looking forward to reading with you 😊
Dear Anand💞 Sounds like a beautiful powerful space for your dialogue with Tina Brown. Intentionally seeded over the years with the intention of gathering, joining, listening, sharing, understanding, and learning! Looking forward to joining the livestream. And I want you to know that inspired by your imminent release of “Man in the Mirror”, today I made my very first share on Substack. With love, Christina🌺
Yikes! I pre-ordered the book, but can't recall from where. Might need to buy two...
Bless you, Anand! You should let Joanna Coles know about your event on 9-30-2026!
O. POO! I'll miss you on Chicago. I won't be there until later. Good Luck with your book launch!