Musk’s Fascination With the Letter X
The letter can be a meaningful signifier or a generic stand-in. Why is it so compelling?
UFOs Are Officially Mainstream
Even Congress is getting in on the hype.
‘The Country’s Already Been Destroyed’
Israel’s political crisis is about the sense that something deep, sacred to many, has broken.
The Dictator Myth That Refuses to Die
Authoritarians would have you think that they can do certain things better than their counterparts who have to deal with checks, balances, and public opinion. Don’t believe it.
The 2024 Election Could Be the End of the Cases Against Donald Trump
The most powerful office in the nation presents his best chance to terminate the cases against him.
The Wrath of Goodreads
Authors are at the mercy of people who don’t bother reading their work.
What Kind of Villain Doesn’t Clean Up After Their Dog?
You can lead a dog to grass, but you can’t make his human scoop.
Moralism Is Ruining Cultural Criticism
The left has embraced an approach long favored by the evangelical right.
America Already Has an AI Underclass
Search engines, ChatGPT, and other AI tools wouldn’t function without an army of contractors. Now those workers say they’re underpaid and mistreated.
American Girlhood Culture Is Really Strange
Barbie purports to be critical of Mattel while being enthusiastically sponsored by Mattel.
Why Elite-College Admissions Matter
A conversation with Annie Lowrey about how to diversify these schools—and by extension, America’s elite
Hollywood’s Huge Barbenheimer Fumble
Not taking advantage of the success of Barbie and Oppenheimer would be a catastrophic mistake.
Greta Gerwig’s Lessons From Barbie Land
“You’re interested in what you’re interested in, and I’m interested in women.”
Israel on the Brink
Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul mistakes majoritarianism for democracy.
Oppenheimer’s Cry of Despair in The Atlantic
At the dawn of America’s arms race with the Soviet Union, all the great scientist could do was plead for hope.
Israelis Protest Against Law to Limit Supreme Court Powers
Images from recent protests against plans to reduce judicial oversight of the government, in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Why Elon Killed the Bird
Three theories about Twitter’s seemingly nonsensical rebrand to X
A Controversial Model for America’s Climate Future
In much of the South, electricity is in the hands of the U.S. government, not private companies. Is anyone better off?
The Two Players Who Tell the Story of U.S. Women’s Soccer
Megan Rapinoe represents the national team’s legacy; Alyssa Thompson, its future.
A New Kind of Fascism
I’ve resisted using the word until now, but something menacing and novel is taking shape with the possibility of a second Trump term.