Feeding Mind, Pursuing Truth
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Deep Roots: Radicalism and the University0
- Culture
- September 24, 2019
Nearly every morning, I read some new story about radicalism on college campuses – the suppression of speech, students up in arms about some micro-aggression, or professors deriding their country. I recently came across two such pieces. First up is former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg’s editorial in the New York Post denouncing the attempts of
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Why We Need a Voter’s License0
- Culture
- September 23, 2019
License. My online dictionary defines that word as “a permit from an authority to own or use something, do a particular thing, or carry on a trade (especially in alcoholic beverages).” Our society abounds in licenses. Getting a driver’s license is a coming of age ritual. Want to get married? You’ll need a license. Want
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Why the Hong Kong Protestors Keep Marching0
- Culture
- September 23, 2019
Students, young professionals, and not-so-young Chinese have now demonstrated in Hong Kong for many weeks, despite the brutal attempts by the government to stop them. The police have used clubs, tear gas, and water cannons — everything but dogs — to silence them. “If we didn’t protest,” one young woman said, “this might become just another Chinese city.” Why are they protesting?
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Kamala Harris and the Cult of the Presidency0
- Culture
- September 23, 2019
Kamala Harris wants you to join her cult. But don’t worry: membership is voluntary — that is, unless a plurality of your fellow voters want to join, in which case you’ll be automatically enrolled. You see, Harris’ cult is the “cult of the Presidency.” Coined by Gene Healy, the phrase describes the worship that so often accompanies
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How American Liberalism is Co-Opting Islam0
- Culture
- September 23, 2019
A persistent refrain of conservatives and liberal hawks has been that liberals and leftists are soft on Islam. This theme dominated Nick Cohen’s What’s Left, Andrew Anthony’s The Fall-Out, Paul Berman’s Flight of the Intellectuals, and much of the late life of Christopher Hitchens. There is, of course, a great deal of truth to that contention. It is unimaginable
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‘Always Packin’: Have Americans Become Lazy About Personal Safety?0
- Culture
- September 23, 2019
The year before she hit it big in the action flick “Speed,” Sandra Bullock played a police officer helping Sylvester Stallone catch Wesley Snipes in “Demolition Man,” a movie set in the crime-free, futuristic utopia of San Angeles. In one scene, as Snipes attempts to construct a gun, lightly-armed policemen close in on him. He proceeds
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Winning the Lottery Every Day217
- September 20, 2019
It’s mid-September, and I am privileged to spend five nights at a beach house on the Outer Banks of North Carolina at the invitation of a long-time friend, John. Two of John’s other friends, Susan and Franklin, are also here. The weather so far has brought ocean breezes, blue skies, and moderate temperatures. The house
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In Defense of Jane Eyre1
- Culture
- September 20, 2019
Jane Eyre is a perennial novel for me. Yes, I teach it every year, but more importantly, I reread it every time. Not just a skim. A full read. And this is why. 1. Jane is a character of such growth. I know, I know. Brontë includes much of her own life and experiences in the
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Different Parties, Different Planets0
- Culture
- September 20, 2019
When people try to explain why the United States is so politically polarized now, they frequently refer to the concept of “echo chambers.” That’s the idea that people on social media interact only with like-minded people, reinforcing each other’s beliefs. When people don’t encounter competing ideas, the argument goes, they become less willing to cooperate
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