Feeding Mind, Pursuing Truth
Blog 3 Columns
- Home
- Blog 3 Columns
The Day the Praetorian Guard Went Batsh*t Crazy0
- History
- March 28, 2016
There’s a saying: It’s good to be the king. Tell that to Publius Helvius Pertinax Augustus. Pertinax came to power following the assassination of Commodus, the son of Marcus Aurelius whose reign was marred by erratic behavior, which included the slaughter of nobles and mass bloodshed in the Colosseum. (Commodus enjoyed fighting in the arena
READ MORE
Reading Silently Used to be Considered WEIRD0
- History
- March 28, 2016
Nowadays, the norm when reading a book alone is to read it silently to oneself. Apparently, this practice was unusual in the ancient world. As an undergraduate I had to read St. Augustine’s Confessions (397-400), which some claim to be the first autobiography written in the Western world. At the time, I remember being taken
READ MORE
Pius V vs. Francis: A Tale of Two Popes1
- History
- March 28, 2016
Over Easter weekend, Pope Francis delivered a lovely if banal message to the world in the wake of the brutal attacks in Brussels. He called upon the world to use “weapons of love” to combat the “blind and brutal violence” employed by ISIS. It is difficult to admonish the Pope too harshly for using the
READ MORE
Millennials Want Socialism, But Don’t Want to Foot the Bill for It0
- Culture
- March 28, 2016
Following Bernie Sanders’ electoral triumphs over the week, NPR’s Domenico Montanaro opined that “despite the math, Bernie Sanders has already won.” Montanaro based this reasoning on Sanders’ widespread support, which has caused Hillary Clinton to align herself with some of his socialistic positions instead of taking the more moderate stance she would have preferred. As
READ MORE
A Chilling Description of Our World… from a 1981 Movie1
- Culture
- March 28, 2016
This weekend, the Facebook page Anonymous posted a short clip from the 1981 movie My Dinner with Andre that went viral. In the clip, one of the characters provides an absolutely chilling perspective on the world in 1981—one that in many ways applies to today, and has even perhaps been magnified. Here’s the clip below:
READ MORE
7 Benefits Latin Offers Today’s Students0
- Culture
- March 28, 2016
In recent years, a number of people have advocated for the teaching of classical languages like Latin and Greek to make a comeback in the schools. Schools in Australia have tried this and seen amazing results on test scores in a variety of subjects. So why does instruction in languages like Latin and Greek boost
READ MORE
Why it’s so Easy to Relate to Pontius Pilate0
- History
- March 25, 2016
Who would sympathize with the Roman official who had Jesus crucified? Even among many who don’t consider themselves Christian, Pontius Pilate is a cultural symbol of an abusive, authoritarian power. But there are a few movies, such as Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, that present him as an almost sympathetic figure. That’s not
READ MORE
Huxley’s Disturbing Prophecy0
- Economics
- March 25, 2016
A decade and half after the publication of Brave New World (1931), Aldous Huxley penned a foreword to his magnum opus that has attracted relatively little attention. Written shortly after the conclusion of the Second World War, the article is fascinating in both its frenetic pace and bold conclusions, some of which appear prescient, others
READ MORE
Feminist Icon Eviscerates the GOP Candidates0
- Politics
- March 25, 2016
Camille Paglia has risen to fame as one of the premiere academics and social critics in America. Though a liberal and feminist, she has proven herself unafraid to challenge the orthodoxies of her party and progressivism. Writing in Salon this week, Paglia, a Bernie Sanders supporter and contributor, explained why she cannot support Hillary Clinton.
READ MORE