Za'atar, Juvenile, and the Art of Accidental Connection

I was recently talking with a friend about how, as she's transitioning from Hong Kong city life to American suburban life, her routine has become an endless loop of work to home and back again. We got into discussing the need for what sociologists call a "third space"—somewhere outside of work and family where people can build relationships, make new friends, and find that thing we're all looking for: community.

Where We Used to Find Community

Traditionally, a lot of people found this on Sunday mornings through Faith. Church communities served as that vital third space where people could connect beyond their immediate family and work circles. Now, you see this happening online—gamers finding their tribes through Call of Duty sessions, building genuine friendships with people they've never met in person but with whom they share hours of virtual experiences.

This evolution of community-building got me thinking: maybe cults aren't all that bad. At the very least, people feel like they belong in a cult.

The Best Thing About Cults 

The best thing I've ever heard anyone say about the topic comes from Creed Bratton from the Office:

But this also begs the question: could I be an actual cult leader? I guess I could, but it would just be more work—finding the right messaging, building the pyramid scheme. Now that I got laid off, I definitely could use that cash flow though.

Multiple Cults…?

Community, as I have pondered upon it more, can be built on anything, anywhere. It could be a book club, a gym, a cosplay convention for your favorite anime. But here's the thing: you're never part of just one tribe or one cult. You're part of many overlapping communities, and it's this hybrid web of things you're invested in that makes you... you.

Perhaps the challenge isn't avoiding these cult-like communities, but finding the healthy ones that give us connection without demanding our entire identity in return. It's about borrowing what works and leaving behind what doesn't serve you.

Speaking of cults, I started wondering what type of food would actually be considered ‘cult-ish’. And as in anything in life, I of course asked AI, and apparently veganism is largely considered cult-like, mainly because of its restrictive nature.

I stumbled upon this bean salad recipe mainly because I had a lot of za'atar sitting in my cabinet and needed to find a way to use it. Following my previous commitment to incorporate more beans and plants into my diet, this is what came to me on my organic Google search.

I never would have thought that when I was younger that I’d be making bean salad by choice. But here I am, mid-thirties, trying to make beans taste good at home. Life comes at you pretty fast.

It's a relatively straight forward recipe. It is just washing the beans and cutting things up and then putting it in a bowl. Can’t be any more straightforward than that. The hardest part for me was actually opening the artichoke jar because the jar lid was so tightly packed. I also accidentally bought olives with pits that didn't come out easily, so I sort of messed that up—but it's fine, the salad works without the olives.

For the olive oil, the recipe called for it separately, but I realized you can just use the oil that came with the artichoke jar to bloom the spices. I've also been experimenting with not using all the condiments from my Korean ramyeon packets, so I added some of that gochugaru seasoning to bloom the spices as well. It gives the whole thing a nice Asian kick.

Another thing: it marinates pretty well, so letting it sit overnight makes it even better. The herbs were surprisingly harder to find in Hong Kong because mint and parsley just aren't commonly used condiments here. You mainly find cilantro and other herbs, but if you're thinking about a big herby salad with rosemary, oregano, or sage—all that Mediterranean stuff—it doesn't really exist in Asia the same way. The recipe was most likely written by someone who had easy access to these spices but in my case, you do what you can, even if it means paying more than usual for access that would normally dirt cheap at home. 

A bean salad, a TV show that you’re now getting around to because your manager is in Italy somewhere for two weeks, and you have yourself a pretty solid summer weeknight.

I was watching episodes of Abbott Elementary and watching principal Ava trying to ‘Back that Thang Up’ made me think: damn some songs really can bring people together. There aren’t that many songs that come to mind that could instantly unite a room, but somehow Juvenile did it. 

Evidence provided here by a spectator at what can only be interpreted as a concert venue that suddenly turns into a Black church when the song drops. And it lasts the whole 4 minutes! 

There’s something so authentic about songs that are just straight up instructional videos because they are not trying to be multi layered soundscapes diving into the layered experiences of the human soul. Just pure, unapologetic beats to get down and freaky to. 

The extended intro gives you just enough time to down your drink, grab your friends and migrate from the bar to the dance floor before the beat really drops. It's choreographed anticipated chaos, and I think it's beautiful.

I personally think it should played at every wedding, every major sporting event and I would argue that it’s more unifying that the National Anthem.  That's the power of finding your tribe: sometimes it's as simple as everyone throwing it back when the right song comes on.

According to the NYTimes, even Ms. Patti Labelle pulled Juvenile aside when she met him and said, "I listen to your song when I work out. It's an inspiration for me. Your song inspires people to work out. It gets me going."

Right at you, Ms. Patti. The cult of "Back That Azz Up" keeps me going as well.

Savoring this moment with you,

Kevin L