Don’t Blame the Democrats for Trump’s Revenge Tour
Defending Trump’s lawfare as just deserts misremembers what actually happened.
The Radical Empathy of a Low-Key Chat Show
Marc Maron’s podcast, which just wrapped its 16-year run, showed us what human connection could really look like.
This Gold Rush Is Ominous
The king of precious metals is having a good run right now. That might be a problem.
A Warning for the Modern Striver
A new biography of Peter Matthiessen chronicles his many paradoxical attempts to escape who the world expected him to be.
Dear James: My Guy Friends Are Stuck in a Rut
For 10 years, I haven’t seen any of them change for the better.
The Democrats’ Heterodoxy Problem
There’s not enough of it, according to one political operative.
The Drink That Americans Won’t Give Up Without a Fight
Coffee has almost no nutritional value and lots of substitutes. It’s also, apparently, too important to lose.
America Is Sliding Toward Illiteracy
Declining standards and low expectations are destroying American education.
The Lesson of 1929
Debt is the almost singular through line behind every major financial crisis.
Putin Is Not Winning
Underestimating the Russian leader is dangerous, but ascribing dark powers to him plays right into his hands.
I Don’t Want to Stop Believing in America’s Decency
I want to feel, as Walt Whitman did, that America and democracy are inextricable.
America Needs a Mass Movement—Now
Without one, America may sink into autocracy for decades.
The Beacon of Democracy Goes Dark
For nearly 250 years, America promoted freedom and equality abroad, even when it failed to live up to those ideals itself. Not anymore.
You’re Fired. Just Kidding!
How much more whiplash can the CDC withstand?
One Era Ends in Gaza, and Another Begins
A moment for radical hope
Stop Lowering the Flag
The symbol of public mourning loses its meaning when it’s used too much.
Your Genes Are Simply Not Enough to Explain How Smart You Are
Seven years ago, I took a bet with Charles Murray about whether we’d basically understand the genetics of intelligence by now.
Avoiding Ultra-Processed Foods Is Completely Unrealistic
Especially if you have kids
Can a Murderer Earn Redemption?
In a new book, John J. Lennon presses two cases: that his is a work of legitimate journalism, and that this makes him something more than a killer.
Eight Romance Novels for Romance Skeptics
The genre is so diverse that with a little open-mindedness, everyone really can find their perfect match.