The Dark Side of Christmas Music
Many of the songs combine gloom with cheer, echoing what the holidays can do for us.
AI’s ‘Fog of War’
How can institutions protect Americans against a technology no one fully understands?
Hayao Miyazaki Is Thinking About the End
The Boy and the Heron, which could be the Studio Ghibli co-founder’s final film, is more of a bold reinvention than a somber farewell.
Hopeful Images From 2023
I’ve made it an annual tradition to compose an essay of uplifting images from the past 12 months—an effort to seek out and recognize some of the joy and kindness present in the world around us, even in the midst of another tough year.
The Best Strategy for Late-December Reading
At this time of the year, I try to resist the pressure to be productive.
A Novel That Shows the Dark Side of Utopia
Gabriel Bump’s new book examines the human impulse to build new societies—and to destroy them.
The College Board Tries Again
The nonprofit has released an updated curriculum for its AP African American Studies course, correcting many of its earlier missteps.
The Universities That Don’t Understand Academic Freedom
Leaders of prestigious institutions who can’t say whether advocating “the genocide of Jews” is allowed on campus seem to have a basic literacy problem with free speech.
America Isn’t Ready for the Two-Household Child
Joint custody is a growing reality—but the country’s systems for supporting families aren’t built to accommodate it.
The Humbling of Henry Kissinger
The truth is that his tenure as secretary of state was often rocky, and as full of setbacks as acclaim.
Trump Voters Are America Too
If he wins a second term, perhaps we’ll finally dispense with the myth that “this is not who we are.”
What Will Happen to the American Psyche If Trump Is Reelected?
Our bodies are not designed to handle chronic stress.
The Left Can’t Afford to Go Mad
A second Trump term would require an opposition that focuses on his abuses of power—and seeks converts rather than hunting heretics.
A Military Loyal to Trump
In 2020, the armed forces were a bulwark against Donald Trump’s antidemocratic designs. Changing that would be a high priority in a second term.
Los votantes de Trump también son los Estados Unidos
Si gana un segundo mandato, tal vez finalmente podamos prescindir del mito de que “esto no es lo que somos”.
¿Qué pasará con la psique estadounidense si Trump es reeligido?
Nuestros cuerpos no están diseñados para soportar el estrés crónico.
La izquierda no puede darse el lujo de enloquecerse
Un segundo mandato de Trump requeriría una oposición que se centrara en sus abusos de poder y buscara conversos en lugar de cazar herejes.
Un ejército fiel a Trump
En 2020, las fuerzas armadas fueron un baluarte contra los designios antidemocráticos de Donald Trump. Cambiar eso sería una alta prioridad en un segundo mandato.
Taylor Swift and the Era of the Girl
’Tis the season of giving women’s feelings the credence they deserve.
The Decline of Teen Hangouts
Plus: The case for making walls stone again