Culture

Cruel to Be Kind: Should You Sometimes Be Bad for Another’s Good?0
- Culture
- August 17, 2018
Imagine that someone you care about is procrastinating in advance of a vital exam. If he fails the test, he will not be able to go to university, an eventuality of major consequence in his life. If positive encouragement doesn’t work, you might reverse strategy, making your friend feel so bad, so worried, so scared,
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Finding Positive Masculinity in Pulp Fiction 0
- Culture
- August 16, 2018
In my first installment about the film Pulp Fiction, I used Jordan Peterson’s theory of order, chaos, and personal responsibility to interpret the actions of Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta). In this second installment, I want to focus on one of the film’s most important characters: Butch (Bruce Willis). For those unfamiliar with
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‘Social Justice’ is Overrunning the University of Texas 0
- Culture
- August 16, 2018
The latest racket in higher education, evident at my alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin, is the disturbing proliferation of “social justice” as a degree program, a course topic, an academic emphasis, and even as a prerequisite in campus job descriptions. “Social justice” is a seemingly innocuous term with no established definition. Many
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The Tragic Decline of Music Literacy (and Quality)54
- Culture
- August 16, 2018
Throughout grade school and high school, I was fortunate to participate in quality music programs. Our high school had a top Illinois state jazz band; I also participated in symphonic band, which gave me a greater appreciation for classical music. It wasn’t enough to just read music. You would need to sight read, meaning you
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Actress: Entitlement is Not the Secret to Success 0
- Culture
- August 16, 2018
Once upon a time on a dull afternoon, I consulted my bucket list. The item written, “Be in a play at Guthrie Theatre; any size role will do,” stood out as an interesting option. I knew such an idea was rather ambitious, as the Guthrie holds national acclaim and I have very little training as
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Does the Old-Fashioned Art of Visiting Need Reviving?0
- Culture
- August 15, 2018
In the novels of Louisa May Alcott, a time prior to the invention of the telephone, and even into the middle of the twentieth century with telephones in most homes, neighbors and families practiced the art of visiting. Sundays and holidays were especially the times that encouraged this sociable aspect of ordinary life. These visits
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