Branches Book

BRANCHES

Author’s Statement: Nathaniel Payne

My passion is discussion. To be specific, critical, civil discussion surrounding real issues and current events. My passion project, as it is now, was not what I originally intended. I had intended the paper to be focused on Russian influence in the election through fake news sites, and a larger picture discussion with friends and family of how the way we interact with people is influenced by their portrayal in media. However, it became apparent that this was too ambitious for my time constraints, as when the first draft was due I had nothing done, so I ended up using a past paper of mine as the basis for an analysis of the legal history of free speech in the United States. I decided to refocus the essay on issues of perspective, and cut out the massive part of the essay relating to the legality of threats. I turned the essay from a report on past events into a statement about our modern politics. While it is no longer a discussion about discussion, I still intend for the paper to ultimately surround issues of communication, and hopefully encourage some people to get outside of their comfort zones.

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