Ideas, opinions, politics, humanities
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Elon Musk: The tech elite’s biggest mistake
What exactly connects Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Larry Page? On the surface, the answer appears obvious and even flattering. All three possess extremely high IQs that place them in the rarefied air of genuine intellectual outliers; all three demonstrate a fiercely business-minded attitude that has allowed them to build global empires from nothing more…
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Ceuta: Dehumanizing refugees and shooting them is not enough
The debate surrounding Ceuta has become about far more than border security. It has exposed a disturbing willingness among many Europeans to forget that refugees are human beings before they are migrants. The headline suggesting that those trying to cross into Ceuta deserved even harsher treatment was not an attempt to inform readers. It was…
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The media like the establishment: Another Watergate impossible?
When the Watergate scandal forced President Richard Nixon to resign in 1974, it became the defining moment of modern investigative journalism. The work of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein showed that determined reporters could uncover wrongdoing at the very highest levels of government. Their investigation demonstrated that no one, not even the President of the…
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Israelis and Palestinians: Can tribalism get worse?
The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is one of the clearest demonstrations of how tribalism can overwhelm empathy, reason, and moral consistency. It is also one of the few conflicts where many people appear unable to condemn atrocities committed by “their own side” while readily condemning identical acts committed by the other. Before anything else,…
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Will political culture deteriorate even more?
For much of the twentieth century, democratic politics operated according to a relatively stable set of unwritten rules. Politicians accused of serious corruption, financial crimes, or abuse of office often saw their careers collapse long before a court reached its final verdict. Public trust mattered, and even the appearance of wrongdoing could permanently damage a…
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Gender inequality: Innate or acquired?
Few debates have generated more political heat than the origins of gender inequality. One side argues that men and women are born fundamentally different and that unequal outcomes naturally emerge from biology. The other claims that nearly every difference between the sexes is socially constructed and can therefore be eliminated through education and policy. Both…
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Nobel Peace Prize for the US Army? Yes and no
The Nobel Peace Prize has produced its share of controversial winners. Politicians still wage wars after receiving it. International organizations have been criticized for political bias. Even former U.S. President Barack Obama received the prize before many of his most important foreign policy decisions had unfolded. Yet one proposal sounds so absurd that most people…
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Antisemitism among politicians in the 21st century
Antisemitism is one of the oldest forms of prejudice in human history, yet it remains remarkably adaptable. Although the Holocaust fundamentally changed how openly antisemitic views are expressed in democratic societies, hostility toward Jews has not disappeared. Instead, it has evolved. Politicians rarely repeat the language of Nazi Germany directly. More often, antisemitic narratives appear…
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Cruel bank robbery vs. financial crimes
When masked robbers storm into a bank with weapons, the event dominates headlines for days. Television stations replay security footage, newspapers print dramatic photographs, and politicians promise tougher penalties. Victims often describe the experience as one of the most traumatic moments of their lives. Being threatened with violence, believing you may die, or watching someone…
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The neuroscience of prayer
For thousands of years, believers have regarded prayer as a conversation with God. They have viewed it as a bridge between the human and the divine, capable of providing comfort, guidance, forgiveness, and sometimes even miracles. Neuroscience approaches the same phenomenon from an entirely different direction. Instead of asking whether anyone is listening, it asks…