
Is Ambivalence Really So Bad?
On learning not to care about about the Trump indictment.

Can Mass Democracy Work?
The internet is changing how we relate to politics—and threatening democracy itself.

Should We Have a Deep State?
America now has a deep state, but not in the way Steve Bannon thinks.

ChatGPT and Me
Are the new AI chatbots sentient? Depends on how you think about consciousness.

It's Not Really About Cancel Culture
Tar is a movie that gets you thinking—about music, about language, and about meaning itself.

How a Philosopher of Terror Became Just Another Curiosity
With every year, the obsessions of the post-9/11 era recede further out of mind. That's a good thing.

The Eternal Return of the Paranoid Style
Why can't Americans—no matter their politics—stop inventing conspiracy theories?

Are Muslims Boring Now?
Muslims are becoming proxies in the culture war—just like everyone else.

George Kennan and the Restrainers
Kennan was a conflicted, complicated character. Neither he nor his heirs can be easily pigeonholed.

Life is Inherently Uncomfortable
Muslim students may have been offended by a painting of the Prophet. That's a feature, not a bug.