How America Got Mean
In a culture devoid of moral education, generations are growing up in a morally inarticulate, self-referential world.
The Musical Blockbuster That Didn’t Play By the Rules
Wicked makes the case that audiences aren’t so tired of the genre after all.
Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatula
It’s probably leaching chemicals into your cooking oil.
Trains in Trouble
Once, some 20,000 trains traversed the United States, many of them elegant hotels on wheels. Now, most of the great passenger railroads have withered and died and they have been replaced by Amtrak, which has mammoth troubles of its own. Is there any hope for a rail travel revival?
Taylor Swift Is a Perfect Example of How Publishing Is Changing
Swift is a symptom, not a cause, of the weakening bonds between celebrities and publishing houses.
The Cases Against Trump: A Guide
Thirty-four felony convictions. Charges of fraud, election subversion, and obstruction. One place to keep track of the president-elect’s legal troubles.
Thanksgiving Recipes Keep Getting More Outlandish
Trying something new is exciting, but there’s also a financial incentive behind the need to churn out unfamiliar dishes.
The Right Has a Bluesky Problem
The X exodus is weakening a way for conservatives to speak to the masses.
A Guide for the Politically Homeless
Those left adrift by Trump’s rise must now engage in a new project.
The Democrats’ Billionaire Mistake
In a populist moment, the Democratic Party had the extremely rich and the very famous, some great music, and Mark Ruffalo. And they got shellacked.
In 1621, the Wampanoag Tribe Had Its Own Agenda
In American lore, friendly Indians helped freedom-loving colonists. In real life, the Wampanoags had a problem they didn’t know how to fix.
The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books
To read a book in college, it helps to have read a book in high school.
Three Ways to Become a Deeper Thinker
You don’t have to become a Buddhist monk to realize the value of contemplating hard questions without clear answers.
The AI War Was Never Just About AI
Tech giants such as Google and Meta need something more than compelling chatbots to win.
What the Broligarchs Want From Trump
Tremendous power is flowing to tech and finance magnates.
When Haruki Murakami Takes His Own Magic for Granted
The Japanese author’s popularity rests on a blend of mystery and accessibility. His latest novel fails to achieve that balance.
The International Criminal Court Shows Its Mettle
International law has always been aspirational. The decision on Israel brings it closer.
The Quiet Cruelty of When Harry Met Sally
The classic rom-com invented the “high-maintenance” woman. Thirty years later, its reductive diagnosis lives on.