There is an enormous body of research out there that explores why modern American politics are so polarized. It’s also a question many Americans are asking. (The question comes up second on Google if one types in “Why is American politics…”.) There are many good theories out there. Bill Bishop’s “big sort” hypothesis suggests Americans
READ MOREOne of the central plots in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables concerns the fractious relationship between Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe. This friction primarily plays out in the classroom where Anne determines to get ahead of Gilbert in every subject even if it kills her: “Now Gilbert was head of the spelling class;
READ MOREWhether it’s hoop earrings, dreadlocks, or Taco Tuesdays, America seems to have a fascination with cultural appropriation. So much so, that it appears things are getting a little out of hand, a fact which author Kenan Malik noted in the New York Times the other day. According to Malik, various editors and artists who reference
READ MOREOne of the joys of being a parent—I have three children, ages 6, 4, and 8 months—is that one gets to witness individual case studies in human nature. It’s no secret that small children are basically all id. They are capable of warmth and compassion, but those traits often disappear as soon as
READ MOREStudents are running out of reasons to pursue higher education. Here are four trends documented in recent articles: 1. Graduates have little to no improvement in critical thinking skills The Wall Street Journal reported on the troubling results of the College Learning Assessment Plus test (CLA+), administered in over 200 colleges across the US. According to the
READ MOREIn a recent interview, legendary investor and author Jim Rogers forecasts a financial market crash that would be the “biggest in my lifetime.” Such dire forecasts are not hard to find, but, with the stock market hovering at all-time highs, it is easy to dismiss doomsayers. Given sustained, problematical monetary and fiscal policies, the odds
READ MOREEveryone has seen it happen. Suddenly, in the middle of a conversation at an event, a person feels compelled to answer an “urgent” message, frequently without bothering to offer any explanation. This compulsive behavior is triggered by the fear of missing out on some social interaction which the person judges as critical. Courtesy and good
READ MOREThough many are only familiar with C. S. Lewis’ children’s works, The Chronicles of Narnia, he gained fame and recognition through his penning of The Screwtape Letters. Initially published individually through The Guardian on a weekly basis in 1942, the volume is still a widely hailed work. It records the advice of one devil –
READ MOREMany of you know C.S. Lewis as a Christian apologist. But in an interesting and little-known letter, C.S. Lewis told a Roman Catholic priest in 1953 that he thought it was crucial to worry first about making the younger generations “good pagans” before trying to make them Christians. Here is the relevant paragraph: “For my
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