Society

One of humanity’s key superpowers is our cultural plasticity: we change our species by each as kids copying the adults around us. Such humans can consistently be well aware that humans at other times and places are quite different, as long as we see each such cultural version as well-suited to its situation; we would each want to act and think like them in their situation.

"I am 20 minutes into the presentation when a woman interrupts me. 'When are you going to talk about God in all of this?' she asks."

Republicans are rallying behind the X owner’s challenge to Media Matters.

The March 30 episode of “The Ezra Klein Show.”

Everybody who was Anybody had Dr. Feelgood and his Speed Shots on Speed Dial - Editor's Picks - Messy Nessy Chic

Why is the mainstream media peddling the gun lobby’s fake stats on Black gun ownership?

In just one generation, ticket-splitting has become increasingly rare in a state with a long history of independent voting.

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! I had a very nice time myself visiting my family and staying with my in-laws and getting together with old high school friends. Then after that like all good cosmopolitan liberals everywhere I sat down to read this delightful new essay by celebrated

How we calculate the state freedom index for each category.

It’s tempting to think of the Great Enshittening – in which all the inter­net services we enjoyed and came to rely upon became suddenly and irreversibly terrible – as the result of moral decay. Tha…

The FBI has warned that technology used to create pornographic deepfake photos and videos was improving and being used for harassment and sextortion.

An ex-Googler wrote a 1,500-word letter criticizing the firm and CEO Sundar Pichai's lack of "visionary leadership."

Nick Hanauer and Joan Walsh explain how rich people lie to benefit themselves.

Perhaps more than ever, there is an urgent need for a clear understanding of liberalism.

The European Privacy Regulation is changing the game.

Chris Blec asks the following question: Source: Twitter Chris's premise is that it is "not illegal" for him to get together with a bunch of ...

In my post, Blockchains and the Opportunity of the Commons, I explored the potential of blockchains to create new commons: Blockchains and tokenization are a way to incentivize the creation of a commons. A commons is an unowned place, platform, or protocol that helps people to meet, communicate and transact. Commons underlying modern life include […]

Tyler asks which goods and services are most likely to be bought and sold on a blockchain that is paid for with token issuance and appreciation? The services with high mark-ups? Low mark-ups? Big consumer bases? Well informed and well coordinated consumer bases? “Influencer” consumer bases, in the Gladwellian sense? “Trivial” consumer bases, that you […]

All of these smart Republicans who frankly did not understand how thoroughly corrupted their party had become, or the fact that if you cave in over and over again, you develop a muscle memory of su…

Life as a Signal Corps weatherman was dangerous, and not only because inclement weather could, and did, inflict occasional casualties. For observer-sergeants, “other duties as assigned” could include dealing with labor riots, conflicts with Native Americans, outbreaks of yellow fever, fires, or other, stranger, tasks.

Internet speeds have come a long way since the days of the dial-up modem, but sometimes you can’t beat the millennia-old method of carrier pigeon.

In a lot of ways, Lincoln Heights, Ohio, sounds just like any other suburb. If you walk around town, you’ll hear kids playing outside the local elementary school. You’ll hear the highway that takes commuters down to Cincinnati. At the woods on the edge of town, the birdsong is delightful. The town feels calm and