The Paradox of Music Discovery, the Spotify Way
A new book explores the company’s commitment to shaping what its users hear.
Should I Leave My American Partner?
I love him, but I don’t know if I can live in the U.S. forever.
The Army of God Comes Out of the Shadows
Tens of millions of American Christians are embracing a charismatic movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation, which seeks to destroy the secular state.
The Government’s Computing Experts Say They Are Terrified
Four IT professionals lay out just how destructive Elon Musk’s incursion into the U.S. government could be.
Blame Gerald Ford for Trump’s Unaccountability
In a new book, Jeffrey Toobin makes a convincing case that Ford’s pardon of President Nixon set the stage for unchecked presidential power.
A New Kind of Crisis for American Universities
The ivory tower has been breached.
What Is Hims Actually Selling?
The lifestyle-med company built a business on male anxieties. Now it’s betting on a new message: grievance.
The ‘Exciting Business Opportunity’ That Ruined Our Lives
Amway sold my family a life built on delusion.
What Is AI Distillation?
And what does it mean if DeepSeek did it?
A Sea Story
One of the worst maritime disasters in European history took place two decades ago. It remains very much in the public eye. On a stormy night on the Baltic Sea, more than 850 people lost their lives when a luxurious ferry sank below the waves. From a mass of material, including official and unofficial reports and survivor testimony, our correspondent has distilled an account of the Estonia’s last moments—part of his continuing coverage for the magazine of anarchy on the high seas.
What Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show Said
The rapper insists he’s a musician, not a messiah—a message reinforced by his Super Bowl performance.
How Trump Lost His Trade War
When the U.S. breaks its treaties, only China wins.
‘A Very Christian Concept’
The faith’s mandate is more arduous than J. D. Vance’s account seems to allow.
The False AI Energy Crisis
Donald Trump and AI executives alike have sounded the alarm about a looming AI-driven energy shortage. Both benefit from the concern.
Why So Many People Are Unhappy in Retirement
Too often, we imagine life to be like the hero’s journey, and leave out its crucial last step: letting go.
Why Is the Trump Administration Deleting a Paper on Suicide Risk?
Science and health are under assault.
Confessions of a Republican Exile
A longtime conservative, alienated by Trumpism, tries to come to terms with life on the moderate edge of the Democratic Party.
How America Got Mean
In a culture devoid of moral education, generations are growing up in a morally inarticulate, self-referential world.
The Anti-Social Century
Americans are now spending more time alone than ever. It’s changing our personalities, our politics, and even our relationship to reality.
Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid
It’s not just a phase.
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