Jay-Z: A Study in International Relations
What can Jay-Z teach us about Foreign Policy and International Relations? Quite a bit apparently:
As Jay-Z got older and more powerful, the marginal benefits of such battles declined and the costs increased even as the number of would-be rivals escalated. Just as the U.S. attracts resentment and rhetorical anti-Americanism simply by virtue of being on top, so did Jay-Z attract a disproportionate number of attackers. “I got beefs with like a hundred children” he bragged/complained on one track.
It’s a really interesting piece from Marc Lynch who blogs at Foreign Policy. (It’s sort of funny to me to be linking to a blog entry at Foreign Policy. Growing up it’s the only magazine I every remember seeing at my grandparent’s house and it was endlessly intimidating. Nevermind, as my mom pointed out in the comments, they subscribed to Foreign Affairs, not Foreign Policy.)
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LOVE Foreign Policy. They’re doing a good job, web-wise, and tonally, they really manage to infuse their subject — so often a snote — with voice and wit.
The Jay-Z thing is, however, probably a high-water mark.
Not to take anything away from Foreign Policy, but what your grandparents subscribed to was Foreign Affairs magazine, arguably even more intimidating. Perhaps more notable, they both devoured every issue, cover to cover, for 50 years or so. Growing up, that’s what I thought all families discussed over dinner.