The Writer Who Understood Aloneness
Mavis Gallant’s short stories are about people, especially women, who prefer to live on the social margins. I cherish one of them most of all.
The Missing Part of Trump’s Minerals Math
Without demand from clean energy, the U.S. market for rare earth, graphite, and lithium will falter.
Is Anthony Weiner Ready to Go Another Round?
The ex-congressman whose name became a punch line is running for New York’s city council. In some ways, he hasn’t changed a bit.
Why Are Young People Everywhere So Unhappy?
Here’s the answer to that—and what we can do about it.
Universities Deserve Special Standing
A good life and a good society require an ongoing search for understanding and knowledge.
Who Gets Panzer Tattooed on Their Arm?
The ink that tells the story of Trump’s second term
Something Alarming Is Happening to the Job Market
A new sign that AI is competing with college grads
Marvel Doesn’t Have to Try So Hard
The new film Thunderbolts* understands that bigger does not mean better.
American Panopticon
The Trump administration is pooling data on Americans. Experts fear what comes next.
The Texas County Where ‘Everybody Has Somebody in Their Family’ With Dementia
And many people with the condition are cared for at home.
The Great Cousin Decline
Families are shrinking. But the weirdest family role is a vital one.
The Link Between Happiness and Social Connection
Building a meaningful life is hard for young people to do right now.
Trump Is Paving the Way for Another ‘China Shock’
The MIT economist David Autor helped fracture the old free-trade consensus. But he thinks that what’s replacing it is even worse.
What Parents of Boys Should Know
Daughters tend to receive higher levels of affection and patience at home than sons. But the sons might need it more.
DNA Tests Are Uncovering the True Prevalence of Incest
People are discovering the truth about their biological parents with DNA—and learning that incest is far more common than many think.
I Should Have Seen This Coming
When I joined the conservative movement in the 1980s, there were two types of people: those who cared earnestly about ideas, and those who wanted only to shock the left. The reactionary fringe has won.
Lighthouse Parents Have More Confident Kids
Sometimes, the best thing a parent can do is nothing at all.
How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days
He used the constitution to shatter the constitution.
The Key to Critical Self-Awareness
The ancient-Greek commandment Know thyself turns out to be a great modern way to become happier, more empathetic, and more successful.
Autocracy Crushed My Alma Mater. Then I Got to Columbia.
Smolny College is a warning.