A blueprint for fairness from … the N.B.A.
Americans who care about inequality often point to Nordic nations, with their strong public health care, education systems and gender equality, as inspiration for what’s possible here. |
But are there unlikely examples of equality already in our own country? Who needs Denmark when you can look for a model for economic fairness in, umm, LeBron James? |
 | | New York Times Video |
|
We had embarked on a project around economic inequality earlier this year when Binyamin Appelbaum, an editorial board writer, commented offhand about how, counterintuitively, sports leagues like the N.B.A. offer a blueprint for fairness that we could all learn from. |
N.B.A. rules level the playing field without harshly penalizing teams that work hard for championships — with a salary cap and a college draft that rewards the worst teams with the highest picks among the next generation of young talent. Recent title parades in San Antonio and Cleveland, and this season’s top team in Milwaukee, show how the N.B.A’s policies ensure an equal shot at opportunity, even among small market teams. |
Many of our best ideas are born on the sidelines of meetings, and Binya’s take sparked curiosity among our video team, even though most of us aren’t committed sports fans. |
Part of my job is to vet ideas that can really pop in the video medium. Naturally, visually striking footage, like chaos inside a hospital I.C.U., can help. But I believe video can also be an optimal format for showcasing concepts. Working as part of the Opinion section affords us the opportunity to inject voice and attitude into a story — things that are especially conducive to good video. |
Arguments about inequality don’t have to feel like homework. Tala Schlossberg, a cartoonist and animator, teamed up with Andrew Blackwell, a filmmaker and author. They asked Binya, a lead writer and thinker behind our Opinion series on economic inequality, to write a script with the sharpness and humor he brings to Twitter. |
Yesterday, we published the result. So what happens when a writer from Boston teams up with an executive producer from Philadelphia? We put aside our grievances from the 1980s, explain inequality and, naturally, bash the New York Knicks. |
Forward this newsletter to friends … |
Here’s what we’re focusing on today: |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment