Society

The chief hurdle in constructing a Death Star is not the energy, materials, or even knowledge needed. It’s the long time needed. A society can change their mind mid-way over centuries, and simply move on. The galaxy is likely strewn … Continue reading →

This question is not just about legal rights or corporate ownership; it’s about the very trajectory of our future as a society.

...Who Would You Be Able to Blame? I suppose I registered the fact that, late in 2023, a self-driving car in San Francisco had hit a pedestrian, leaving her in critical condition. But it wasn't until listening to this week's Hard Fork podcast that I became aware of all the

Today on TAP: The Supreme Court finds several reasons not to keep Trump off the ballot.

It’s the beginning of a new year and you might have seen, floating around on social media, lists like 52 Books To Read in 2024 or 42 Books That Will Change Your Life posted by Library Mindset, an a…

Parents have a right to raise their children in accordance with their own values, but they don't have the right to override their children’s own rights.

Economists like Larry Summers predicted that bringing inflation down would require a large increase in unemployment. It didn’t.

The latest assault on the rights and dignity of trans people in Florida

"Apparently, these stuffed critters learn from nearby speech patterns. That would definitely be a security concern."

The problem with solar power is the problem with climate change.

George RR Martin on his blog: Dark Days It used to be fun talking about our favorite books and films, and having spirited debates with fans who saw things different… but somehow in this age of social media, it is no longer enough to say “I did not like book

The plight of the working class, and a violent revolution to throw off our shackles.

Silicon Valley's new ideological faction, called Effective Accelerationism or e/acc, is focused on the pursuit of AI development with no guardrails to slow its growth.

The population of college-age Americans is about to crash. It will change higher education forever.

O robala ko maotong a hae na? Do you sleep at their feet? No. I do not.

Beloved women’s website The Hairpin shut down in 2018. This month it returned from the dead to churn out AI clickbait. Its fate is a warning to all digital publications.

The next generation of underground rappers, electronic misfits, and jazz weirdos have flooded the internet with an approach that is both artful and inane.

Why you’ve probably never heard of the most popular Netflix show in the world

Read to the end for a longer essay critiquing Ted Gioia's idea of Macro vs. Micro cultures that explains why we get confused about niches and countercultures Personal News I’m spending 2024 writing a new book — a cultural history of the first 25 years of the 21st century. Here

The EU has finally made Apple redesign the App Store, 15 years after we started arguing about it, and no-one is happy with the result. In the next few years there’ll be a lot of shouting and some giant fines, but in the end, nothing much will change.

Social media has devolved into an ego-boosting playground. We’ve traded meaningful connections for retweets, likes, and the illusive prom...

The Biden administration aims to deploy offshore wind turbines capable of generating 30 gigawatts of power by 2030. With less than a decade to go, the country remains woefully behind target.

01/31/2024 Introduction:  Social movement organizations are groups where people can come together to meet the needs of participants and others through reconstructing new practices, ways of rel…