All of Shakespeare’s Plays Are About Race
A new book argues that the playwright’s work was central to defining whiteness as a racial category—one that has persisted ever since.
An Ode to Nicknames
What yours says about you
Live Closer to Your Friends
They make your life better. So why not turn them into your neighbors?
Mona Simpson on the Dissonance Between Reality and Memory
“Maybe a person is everyone she’s ever been, not just who she is at the present moment. With those we love, we see overlays of their best selves.”
Second Life
A story
The Oscars’ Incredible Knack for Being Wrong
Despite a history of embarrassment, the Academy has somehow managed to hold on to its prestige.
Photos of the Week: Sea Dragon, Mermaid Convention, Inflatable Tank
Speed skating in the Netherlands, a teddy-bear clinic in Belgium, an International Women's Day march in Chile, a cow-look-alike competition for cats in Thailand, and much more
The Ugly Elitism of the American Right
No one hates ordinary people like the Republicans and their media enablers do.
America’s in the Midst of a Socioeconomic Shift
What we need next is more new construction.
We Programmed ChatGPT Into This Article. It’s Weird.
Please don’t embarrass us, robots.
Elon Musk Is Spiraling
One Elon is a visionary; the other is a troll. The more he tweets, the harder it gets to tell them apart.
The Arsenal of Democracy Is Reopening for Business
But after decades of decay, will it happen quickly enough to save Ukraine?
Duck Off, Autocorrect
Chatbots can write poems in the voice of Shakespeare. So why are phone keyboards still thr wosrt?
Boycott Bans Are an Assault on Free Speech
A court ruling upholding an anti-BDS law in Arkansas sets a dangerous precedent.
The Topic Biden Keeps Dodging
With the exception of abortion rights, the president is working to downplay or defuse almost all cultural issues.
A Novel in Which Nightmares Are All Too Real
The Argentine writer Mariana Enriquez shows how violence can haunt and destabilize a civilization.
What Makes Poker Face a Triumph
We don’t quite live in the country the show depicts. But, in an odd way, we should wish to.
Here’s Who Will Win at the 2023 Oscars
… and also who should win.
Nostalgia Is a Shield Against Unhappiness
Happy memories have a uniquely protective power against a sad present.
The Freakish Powers of Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey
The id of California—the id of America—is strong in both of them.
/media/img/mt/2023/03/autocorrect/original.gif)