Continuous Outrage as Congolesse Essence (New Yorker's Philip Gourevitch)

Posted on the 28 November 2012 by Aengw @alexengwete

I retweeted today this powerful exercise in self-reflexive journalism
filed from Goma on November 27 by Philip Gourevitch and posted on the
New Yorker Web site.

There are blocks of the piece I disagree with, but overall the report
is a valid condensed vignette of the recent history of the DRC.

I also disagree with the piece's underlying essentialism and
essentialization of the Congolese--though "outrage as a Congolese
condition of being makes for disturbing lasting impression on one's
mind.

But that's precisely why this kind of "thick description" is called
self-reflexive reporting.

A TEASER:

"It is impossible to be Congolese," [Salvador Muhindo] said at one point,
"without being continuously outraged."

Read the colorful narrative here:

m.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/11/outraged-in-congo.html

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PHOTO CREDITS: Phil Moore/AFP/Getty